2018-11-01_The_Simple_Things

*BothavailableatWaitrose.

CAKE

IN THE

HOUSE

Makesa900g(2lb)loaf

75ml strong, cold black tea

75ml mild beer such as Moorhouse’s

Black Cat or Rudgate Ruby Mild*,

plus 25ml to finish

150g raisins

150g dried prunes, chopped into

raisin-sized chunks

Unsalted butter, for greasing

175g malt extract, plus 4 tbsp extra

for finishing

85g dark muscovado sugar (must be

muscovado, accept no substitutes)

2 large eggs, beaten

100g wholemeal flour

150g plain or spelt flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2½ tsp baking powder

1 In a saucepan, gently heat the tea and

beer until bubbles just start to break the

surface. Add the dried fruit, remove the

pan from the heat and leave to stand for

15 mins.

2 Preheat oven to 150C/Fan 130C/Gas 2,

making sure the shelf is in the middle. Grease

and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with an oversized

piece of lightly dampened and scrunched

baking parchment.

3 Stir the malt extract and sugar into the beer

and fruit mixture until the sugar is fully

dissolved. Still stirring, add the beaten eggs.

4 In a separate bowl, mix together the flours,

bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Add

Mild beer, tea and dried fruit combine

in this rich malt loaf, redolent with

childhood memories. Try it toasted

or simply sliced but, either way, don’t

stintonthebutter.

the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients,

stirring vigorously until well blended, then

leave to stand for 15 mins.

5 Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf

pan and bake on the middle shelf of the

oven for 50 mins, or until a skewerinserted

in the middle comes out clean. The loaf is

likely to look a bit collapsed but don’t

worry, it’s part of the character.

6 Remove from the oven and leave to cool

for 10 mins in its pan on a wire cooling rack.

7 While the cake is still cooling, warm the

finishing malt extract and extra 25ml beer

together in a saucepan over a low heat.

Don’t allow it to boil. Remove from the heat.

Poke holes into your loaf with a skewer and

brush the cake liberally with the malt and beer

mix, allowing each application to seep into

the holes. Leave to cool.

8 Lift the cake out of the tin, still in its baking

parchment. Wrap it in more baking

parchment and then tightly in cling film.

If you can manage it, leave in a cool, dark

place for at least three days before enjoying.

Recipe fromThe Beer Kitchenby Melissa Cole

(Hardie Grant). Photography: Patricia Niven

MAGNIFICENT MALT LOAF