LIVING (^) | EATING WELL
The addition of autumnal fruit and
sweet, warming spices to this
deliciously moist rye loaf makes it
a wonderful breakfast option – or
teatime treat.
Makes 1 large loaf
2 tsp butter or oil for your loaf tin
150grye sourdough starter
- OR-
7g instant yeast
FOR THE DOUGH
300g rye flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp freshly ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
Freshly ground seeds from
8 cardamom pods
1 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp maple syrup or molasses
150ml water
3 pears
125g walnut halves, roughly
chopped
1 To get 150g starter for this loaf,
mix 4 tbsp rye (or white) sourdough
starter with 75g dark rye flour and
150ml water. Whisk until smooth.
Cover with a cloth and leave at room
temperature for 8–12 hours.
2 Oil a large loaf tin (roughly W13cm x
L26cm x D8cm). Mix the sourdough
starter or yeast with the flour, spices,
salt, syrup or molasses and water to
form a soft, sticky dough. Grate two
pears and fold in with the walnuts.
3 Spoon the dough into the oiled loaf
tin – don’t fill more than ¾ full, as it
needs room to rise overnight. Flatten
the dough with a spatula and sprinkle
a little flour on top. Cover and leave in
a warm place for 8 hours.
4 Preheat oven to 220C/Fan
200C/Gas 8, 20 mins before baking.
Slice the remaining pear vertically and
arrange overlapping slices on top, and
drizzle over a little honey or molasses.
5 Bake for about 45 mins, but check
after 30 mins and if too brown, reduce
oven temperature to 190C/Fan 170C/
Gas 5 for the last 15 mins. Turn out
and cool on a wire rack.Sticky rye pear
& ginger loaf
Get your timing right and
it’ll be sticky ginger loaf
for elevensies. Opposite:
crumpets are just a step
up from pancakes and
taste amazing fresh
from the pan»