Apple Streusel Loaf

If there is something that occupies the kitchen counter in abundance, it has to be apples. As much as I advocate getting your five a day, there is only so much apple crumble one can consume. As the months are getting chilly, I thought that the perfect way to incorporate this basic fruit (admit it) was in a simple cinnamon loaf with a crunchy golden topping: and there was born an apple streusel loaf!

Servings: 5-6 slices
Prep+cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients for the loaf

• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp soft unsalted butter
• 2 small eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 85g soft brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Ingredients for the streusel topping

• 50g plain flour
• 50g brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soft unsalted butter

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven at 180°c. Grease and line a 20 x 10cm loaf tin.
2) Make the topping by rubbing in the butter to the dry ingredients and leave to one side.
3) Saute your apples in 75ml water. You don't need to add sugar, the apples will become sweeter as they soften. You are aiming to make a pulp texture with only half the liquid remaining at the end.
4) To make the loaf, whisk all wet ingredients first and then fold in powder ingredients. Strain the apple pulp and stir into the mix.
5) Spoon the mixture into the lined tin, cover with the  and bake for 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden, springy and peeling away from the tin.
6) Leave to cool before serving.

Note: If you are short on time, you can skip sautéing and use 4 tablespoons of store bought apple sauce instead.