Fruit Malt Loaf – this easy malt loaf recipe comes together in just minutes. Filled with dried fruit and a touch of dark ale. Delicious served warm out of the oven with a hot cup of tea!
How could it be possible to get in the kitchen to bake? I had to make this fruit malt loaf. It wasn't even an option to not turn on my oven.
What are your thoughts on malt? I like it...I like chocolate malts. I almost couldn't remember the name!! Whoppers! Yes, I like Whoppers.
Those little milk chocolate malt balls that my kids will not fight over at Halloween (PS This bread isn't made with Whoppers). They will happily pass them over to me and maybe, if I'm lucky, a tiny bag of Swedish Fish!
So back to MALT! Do you like the flavor? I had to ask my mom. She's here as I'm typing this post and here are her thoughts, "What are my thoughts on malt? It tastes like root beer. It's an off flavor. It's a turn-off. Some people like malt candy. Chocolate malt. Malt beer. And your brother likes that chocolate malt drink. What do you call it?" I respond, "Ovaltine?" She responds, 'Yes, Ovaltine. Just the smell of it gives me the creeps. They used to advertise it all the time years ago. I believe root beer is made with malt. You know who likes to use malted vinegar? Old timers. You go to a fish-fry and see the elderly people with a side of malted vinegar for their fish."
More from mom, " Why are you talking so much about malt?"
Me, "Because this bread I made is made with malt."
Mom, "But I can't taste it."
Me,"Because I only used a couple of teaspoons."
Mom,"Well, good thing. Because I wouldn't have tried it if it tasted like malt."
Sometimes, well maybe more than some, I feel like I'm talking with George's mom from Seinfeld. Really, it's eery how similar they are with their conversations.
What is malt?
Here you go straight from wikipedia:
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air.
Any of a variety of cereal grains, including rice, wheat, oats and rye can be used to make malt. The most common by far, however, is barley, which is the primary grain used in the production of most beers and the majority of malted whiskeys.
So you have malt vinegar, malted whiskey, Ovaltine, malted milk balls.
More on malt:
It's found in different products (some we already went over) including flours, malted milk, malt whiskey and malt balls.
There are two types of malt powder -- diastatic and nondiastatic. The former involves the process described above, in which active enzymes transform starches into sugars. This type of malt powder can be used when baking bread to ensure that it will rise. Nondiastatic malt powder has no active enzymes, and is commonly used in drinks for flavor.
I used this barley malt syrup as a sweetener in my bread. Here's what it says on King Arthur Flour's about barley malt syrup:
Malt syrup (barley malt syrup) is made from malted barley that is ground and then briefly treated with an acid to dissolve the enzymes, sugars and vitamins. It is then heated with water to form the mildly sweet, concentrated liquid we know as malt syrup.
Although dark-colored like molasses, its flavor is much milder. To create a more "bagelly" bagel (moister and chewier, with a shinier shell), commercial bagel bakers add a small amount of malted barley syrup in place of ordinary sweetener.
What is all this malt talk really all about?
#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Cake Duchess and runs smoothly with the help of Heather of girlichef, and the rest of our fabulous bakers.
- Chocolate Malt Baked Donuts from The Redhead Baker
- Chocolate Malt Sweet Rolls from HostessAtHeart
- Danish seeded rye bread with malted flour from The Bread She Bakes
- Demi Baguettes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Fruit and Malt Loaf from Savoring Italy
- Laugenbrezel from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Malted Guinness Beer Bread from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
- Strawberry and Date Malted Loaf from Cheap Ethnic Eatz
some notes recipe: I've been eyeing this recipe for a while. I think even before Heather chose malt as our #TwelveLoaves theme! I came across it on an Italian blog and then realized it's the same exact recipe as this British one from Dan Lepard.
What can I use instead of dark ale?
If you don't have dark ale, you could use whatever your favorite beer.
What can be used in place of golden syrup and treacle?
I slightly adapted Mr. Lepard's loaf: I didn't have golden syrup and treacle, and used honey instead. I am in love with dried plums (prunes)in baking recipes, and so are my kids! If you have an aversion to them, just use raisins!
This is a really great breakfast bread or a snack bread. Here's what Dan Lepard says about it, " original British "energy bar" - a block of solid carbohydrate that's packed with sugar, bound together with butter and ale, almost devoid of healthy bits - and tastes great. It will keep well wrapped in greaseproof paper, and is best served with a wedge of cold unsalted English butter. The oats are a bit cheeky, so leave them out if you prefer."
I didn't find the oats to be cheeky and loved them!
Some other loaf recipes to enjoy:
Fruit Malt Loaf
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons malt
- ¼ cup dark ale
- 1 egg
- 1 cup dried plums chopped (or raisins)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour the parchment paper (or spray with baking spray or olive oil).
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flours, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk together.
- In a small pan, melt the butter. Add the honey and the barley malt syrup. Stir it around gently.
- Remove from the heat, add the dark ale, whisked egg and the chopped dried plums (or raisins).
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir together with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
- Spoon and smooth into the loaf pan, sprinkle a handful of oats on top, and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the loaf pan.
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