I just adore this bread which is low in saturated fat and oh so simple and uncomplicated to make. Rich, dark, soft with little bits of walnut throughout to add delicious texture and taste. There is nothing nicer than a slice of this, buttered(not too much!) with a mug of tea, guaranteed to provide instant comfort and brighten up any damp, cold, dreary day. God knows we have had a lot of those recently. If I am honest it is really a cross between a bread and a cake. My daughter adores it too and every time I turn around she is scoffing a slice! An added bonus is that it is so so easy to make – mix the dry ingredients together, mix the wet ingredients together, combine the two and that’s it, could not be easier!

PS – It also freezes very well.

Makes 2 x 1lb loaves or 1 x 2lb loaf

Ingredients
225g / 8oz plain flour
225g / 8oz coarse wholemeal flour
50g porridge oats
1tsp salt
50 g sugar (reduce this to your taste if you wish)
3 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bread soda
1 egg
500 ml milk
2 handfuls walnuts
100ml black treacle

• Preheat oven to 160°C fan, (325°F / gas mark 3)
• Grease tin(s) lightly (or use a ready-made loaf tin liner).
• Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, oats, salt, sugar, baking powder, bread soda and walnuts) together in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine milk and treacle (heating the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds will make this much easier)
• Whisk the egg into the milk and treacle mixture
• Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well (the mixture looks most unpromising at this stage i.e. wet and sloppy, not to mention the colour, but keep the faith and bear with it!)
• Place the mixture into the tin(s) making sure to leave at least 1cm at the top to give the bread room to rise. Be warned – DO NOT FILL THE TIN TO THE TOP or the mixture will overflow and apart from making a mess, it will be impossible to get the bread out of the tin! (I speak from experience!)
• Bake in the oven for approx 50 minutes – you know it is cooked when you tap the underneath of the loaf and it sounds hollow.
• Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
• Put the kettle on and enjoy!