This is so good just as it is or you can serve it with butter and honey or wedges of cheese if you like. Great toasted too and it freezes well. I like to freeze slices that I can whip out and pop into the toaster when someone fancies a snack. Malt extract, by the way, is lovely syrupy stuff that you can use in small quantities in baking instead of refined sugar. And I’ve realised that there’s nothing weird about buttermilk you’ll find it in most supermarkets. Spelt flour is great but you can also use wholemeal which is cheaper.
Ingredients
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
- Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and a teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Whisk the malt extract and buttermilk together in a jug until well combined and the mixture is a light honey colour.
- Pat the pieces of apple dry with kitchen paper and add them to the dry ingredients along with the raisins. Make a well in the centre and pour in the malt extract and buttermilk. Mix thoroughly, as quickly and as firmly as you can. The mixture will be quite sticky.
- Pile the mixture on to the centre of a baking tray and shape it into a round about 22 cm in diameter. Smooth it over with a palette knife (it’s easiest to work up from the sides to the top and centre) and gently press down any raisins or pieces of apple poking through so they don’t burn when the bread is in the oven. Score a cross on the top of the dough.
- Bake the bread in the oven for 30–35 minutes until it is well risen and the crust is a rich golden brown. It should sound hollow when tapped on the underside. Delicious hot from the oven or when cooled.