North Wales Honey and Oat Loaf

Name: North Wales Honey and Oat Loaf
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Welsh
Ingredients: 350 g strong white bread flour; 100 g rolled porridge oats; 7 g fast-action dried yeast; 1.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 60 ml welsh runny honey; 150 ml warm whole milk; 150 ml warm water; 30 g Unsalted butter; 1 unit Egg

A soft, fragrant loaf enriched with rolled porridge oats and sweet Welsh honey, perfect sliced thick with salted butter.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North Wales

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 10
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 215 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

350 g strong white bread flour — plus extra for dusting
100 g rolled porridge oats — plus 2 tbsp for topping
7 g fast-action dried yeast — one standard sachet
1½ tsp Fine sea salt
60 ml welsh runny honey — about 4 tbsp
150 ml warm whole milk — lukewarm to the touch
150 ml warm water — lukewarm to the touch
30 g Unsalted butter — melted and cooled slightly
1 unit Egg — lightly beaten for egg wash

Equipment

•900g (2lb) loaf tin
•Large mixing bowl
•Greaseproof paper
•Measuring jug
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 215 kcal
fat: 4 g
carbs: 38 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 6 g
calories: 215 kcal

Instructions

1
Grease a 900g loaf tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2
Mix the bread flour, 100g oats, yeast, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
3
Whisk the warm water, warm milk, melted butter, and honey together in a measuring jug.
4
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough.
5
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
6
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
7
Shape the dough into a tight oval log and place seam-side down into the tin.
8
Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and prove for 45 minutes until risen above the rim.
9
Brush the top gently with beaten egg and scatter over the reserved rolled oats.
10
Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
11
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.

Chef's tips

Use a robust local heather or wildflower honey to give the loaf a rich floral aroma. If the crust browns too rapidly in the oven, tent a piece of foil loosely over the top for the final 10 minutes of baking.

Ingredient substitutions

Welsh runny honey → standard clear honey or golden syrup
warm whole milk → semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened oat milk
unsalted butter → plant-based block butter or mild rapeseed oil

Storage

Store wrapped in greaseproof paper in a bread bin at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Toast individual slices under a moderate grill for 1 to 2 minutes until warm and crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using liquids that are too hot, which will kill the yeast and stop the bread rising.
•Slicing the bread while hot, which causes the soft crumb to compress and become gummy.
•Adding too much extra flour during kneading, leading to a heavy, dry loaf.

Serving suggestions

Slice thick and spread with salted Welsh butter and a drizzle of extra honey.Serve alongside mature Welsh cheddar cheese and a tangy apple chutney.Toast under the grill and top with butter and homemade raspberry jam.