Malt Loaf

Malt Loaf

I love a malt loaf but they seem to have doubled in price in the shops in the last 18 months and so I refuse to buy them.  I therefore decided to make one of my own.  I already had some malt extract but it is available for health food type shops for under £3.  This malt loaf is a bit more substantial to the ones that you buy in the shops, but we really liked it.  It kept well and a loaf lasted us nearly two weeks and was just as moist when we finished it. I used a 2Ib loaf tin to make mine.

Ingredients

Oil or butter to grease the tin.

300g of sultanas

1 tea bag

150ml boiling water

145g malt extract

40g black treacle

100g dark brown sugar

2 eggs

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 160C
2. Line a 2ib tin and grease.
3. Make the tea with the boiling water and let it brew for 5 minutes.  I do this in a jug.
4. Add the malt extract, black treacle and dark brown sugar.
5. Stir and pour over the sultanas
6. Leave them to soak for 15 minutes.
7. Break the eggs into the the jug and give the mixture a good stir.
8. In a separate bowl put the flour, baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda
9. Pour in the mixture from the jug and gently stir in the flour until it is incorporated.
10. Place the mixture into the loaf tin and place it into the oven.
11. Bake for around an hour and a quarter.
12. I kept checking mine after an hour and it was done in just under time.
13. Take out of the oven and leave in the tin for 15 minutes before taking it out of the tin.

Don’t worry if the loaf dips a little in the centre as it is a heavy cake.  Mine was fine. Leave this for at least a day before you eat so that it can be it’s best.  I wrapped mine in baking paper and then foil.  It does freeze but is better if you wrap individual slices well.  I would not leave it in the freezer for more than a month.  We really loved this recipe as one slice sufficed but it tasted lovely.  It is going to be a staple for us and we will make it every month.