I added 2 tsp vital wheat gluten for about 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (which is what I ended up using here) as a substitute for bread flour.

Pour the 1 cup of water into a mixing bowl. Stir in the barley malt, wheat flakes and white wheat flour. Mix in 1/2 tsp of the yeast, and cover the bowl loosely with film. The sponge will have the consistency of a very thick doughy batter which will loosen up slightly by next morning. Let this sponge sit at room temperature overnight.

You can proceed by kneading the dough by hand or machine. As usual, I turn to my faithful food processor. The next morning, put the sponge into the bowl of the processor. Add the remaining yeast and about 1 1/4 cups of the bread flour. Mix well and then add the salt, the oil and the honey. Mix and then add enough flour and knead until you have a shaggy dough that begins to hold together and pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until it's cohesive. Give it a rest while you clean out and lightly oil your bowl. Continue kneading for several minutes, adding only enough flour so that the dough from sticking to you or the work surface.

Shape the dough into a ball, and place in a oiled bowl, turning it to coat it all over. Cover loosely and let it rise till almost double in volume. This should take about 1 1/2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough and shape it into a log. Place it in a lightly greased 8 -1/2" x 4-1/2"- loaf pan. Cover loosely and let it rise until about 3/4th in volume. Brush the top of the loaf with some milk and sprinkle oats/ wheat flakes.

Bake it at 190C (375F) for 30 to 40 minutes till the loaf is brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.