Stout & apple wheaten bread

apple beer bread loaf cake stout wheaten

N/A

makes 3 loaves

Source

Ingredients

60g butter , cut into small cubes, plus more for the tins

1 large apple (or 2 small ones), peeled, cored and diced

175g plain flour

450g wholemeal flour

90g medium oatmeal

2 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 tbsp muscovado sugar

175ml good-quality stout

5 tbsp treacle

400ml buttermilk

oat flakes, pinhead oatmeal or sesame seeds (or a mixture of all three) to sprinkle over the top

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter three 1lb loaf tins. Toss the apple with 2 tbsp of the plain flour. Mix the flours and oatmeal with 1 tsp salt and the bicarbonate of soda. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips. Stir in the sugar.

Make a well in the middle of the mixture and gradually pour in the stout, followed by the treacle, then the buttermilk. Mix the liquids in with a butter knife as they are added, also working in the floured apple – work quickly and be careful not to overmix.

Divide the mixture between the loaf tins, sprinkle over the oats or seeds. and bake for 35-40 mins. To test whether the loaves are ready, remove one from the tin and tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it’s ready; if not, return to the oven for a little longer. Turn the loaves out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.