Malthouse Loaf

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Ah, I hear you say.....what's 'Malthouse flour'. 

Well, that's easy. Malthouse flour is a blend of organic wheat, rye and barley wheat flours to which has been added malted wheat flakes. 

It's a generic term, these days. You may also come across 'Granary' flour and wonder what is the difference. Again, that's easy. 'Granary' is a registered trademark of Hovis Ltd. 

Before we leave Hovis and their trademarked 'Granary' flour - it's interesting that 'Hovis' is a shortened form of 'Hominis Vis' meaning 'Strength of Man'. Certainly a catchier title than 'Smith's Patent Process Germ Flour' which was the previous name until Herbert Grime won the lordly sum of £25 in 1890 for coming up with the name.

Anyway, back to Malthouse flour. You may well be familiar with malted flours in your own country. Watch out though, the key to a Malthouse flour is the addition of malted wheat flakes. It's not the same as adding diastatic malt or malt powder which is sold as a 'bread improver'. 

Today, I'm using Malthouse Flour from Doves Farm, a company based in Berkshire, England. It's ready mixed so I don't need to worry about adding extra malt flour. 

If you can't locate malthouse or granary flour, why not try blending your own? 

100 % strong bread flour (at least 12%)

15 % rye flour

3 % barley malt flour

Handful of malted wheat flakes

½ teaspoon vitamin C powder

You won't be far off.....

INGREDIENTS

500 gms Malthouse Bread Flour

325 gms lukewarm filtered water

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon crushed sea salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

METHOD

1. Add the water to a large bowl and then add the yeast. Leave for 10 minutes. 

2. Add the flour, oil, sugar and salt. 

3. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Cover and leave for 15 minutes. 

4. Tip out onto a worktop and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until a soft dough has been produced. 

5. Return to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place (above 20⁰C) for one hour or until it has doubled in size. 

6. Tip the dough out of the bowl, knock back and knead again, lightly. 

7. Prepare a baking tin (this recipe will bake 1 x 2lb loaf).

8. Shape the dough and place in the baking tin. 

9. Cover and leave for 40 minutes or until the dough has doubled. Again, use a warm place. 

10. Preheat the oven to 220⁰C and use a lower shelf. 

11. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until golden and hollow when the loaf is tapped on the underneath.

12. Cool on a rack.

Happy baking.