Recipe Video: No Sugar Malt Loaf

May 25, 2017
by Jacqueline Whitehart

This malt loaf is baking perfection. Eat it for breakfast or have it as a filling snack. You can’t get better.

This moist and fruity malt loaf is one of my daughter’s favourite recipes. She prefers it to even chocolate chip cookies and brownies. What’s really unbelievable is that there is no sugar – just the natural sugar in the dried fruit and the amazing malt extract.

Fans of my granola recipe have heard me go on and on about malt extract before. It’s a cheap and much over-looked alternative to sugar and sweeteners. In the UK the best place I have found to purchase it is Holland and Barrett, but it can also be found on Amazon etc.

You can also buy the much more expensive rice malt syrup which has a near identical taste. The reason malt is relatively cheap is that it is a by-product of the brewing industry – it is pure barley malt. This means that it does contain barley gluten, so it is not suitable for coeliacs. However, it is fine for those of us that try to avoid wheat.

And now apart from the amazing flavour, I’ll tell you the little secret about malt extract. The primary sugar / carbohydrate in malt is maltose. Normal sugar – caster, granulated, brown etc is 50% fructose. Fructose is processed only by the liver and is highly addictive. Other sugars like lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (malt sugar) are digested more slowly and are more satisfying – so we are less likely to reach for a second slice.

If you are baking and using malt instead of sugar you’re in for a richer and more satisfying taste.

Traditional (No Sugar) Malt Loaf

Beautiful with a generous spread of real butter. Individual slices can be wrapped and frozen. Defrost for one hour before eating.

Makes 10 slices • Ready in 1 hr 30 minutes (including soaking time)
100g (1½ cups) All-bran (or oat bran) (270 cals)
100g (4tbsp) malt extract (310 cals)
100g (½ cup) sultanas (golden raisins) (275 cals)
50g (¼ cup) dried apricots, chopped (94 cals)
50g (1¾oz) dried figs, chopped (114 cals)
50g (1¾oz) dates, chopped (62 cals)
250ml (generous 1 cup) semi-skimmed milk (115 cals)
100g (¾ cup) wholemeal self-raising (wholewheat self-rising) flour (310 cals)

• Put the All-bran, malt extract and dried fruit into a bowl and mix together well. Stir in the milk and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F and line (or lightly grease) a large loaf tin.
• Sift in the flour and mix well. Scoop the mixture into the prepared loaf tin (loaf pan) and bake for 35-40 minutes. Turn out of the tin immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack.