Malt and Sultana Loaf

 BreadClub20....the award-winning site for Happy Bakers. 

2021 : World Bread Awards : Winner - Wales

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Malt and sultana loaf is a superb choice for breakfast. Eaten toasted or not, it needs to be generously coasted in butter and enjoyed with a good cup of tea. But of course, that's me. You will find your own perfect accompaniments to this glorious bread...at breakfast or tea-time, the choice is yours. 

INGREDIENTS

675 gms strong white bread flour

30 gms dried milk powder

360 gms tepid filtered water

30 gms golden syrup

45 gms malt extract

5 gms crushed sea salt

65 gms softened unsalted butter

125 gms sultanas

7 gms instant active yeast

For the optional glaze

1 tablespoon caster sugar, dissolved in 

1 tablespoon warm milk

METHOD

1. Place the flour, yeast and dried milk in a bowl and mix well. 

2. In a pan add the tepid water, golden syrup, malt extract and softened butter and mix well. 

3. Combine the items in (1) and (2) and mix thoroughly. 

4. Add the salt and mix thoroughly. 

5. Mix and incorporate the sultanas.

6. Mix and knead until you have a dough. 

If you wish, you can place the ingredients in a stand mixer and mix / knead using a low setting and then increasing it to medium. Alternatively, place the ingredients in a bread machine and create a silky dough by using an instant-start dough programme (e.g. pizza) and then stop the programme when the dough has come together. 

7. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave for one or two hours in a warm place or until it has doubled in volume. It will take its time. Be patient.

8. Gently tip the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and gently knock it back.

9. Prepare the baking containers. If you're baking free form on a stone or metal sheet, using terracotta or a large loaf tin, you'll be familiar with what you need to do to prepare your containers for baking. 

10. Place the dough in the baking tin, cover with a cloth and proof in a warm place for a further hour or until the dough has doubled in volume 

11. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190⁰C and place a rack in the lower half of the oven. 

12. Bake for 35 minutes or until the loaf is hollow when tapped on the bottom. 

13. Place on a rack to cool. If you wish, now is the time to glaze it using a mixture of 1 tablespoon caster sugar dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm milk. Brush the top of the crust and leave to cool.

Happy baking....