Spelt bread

I love using spelt flour in cakes and breads, it gives the unusual nutty flavour. Combined with seeds makes a delicious and healthy loaf. 

Ingredients:

• 400g spelt flour
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp dried yeast
• splash of olive oil
• 1tsp maple syrup
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 1tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, linen seeds etc)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then mix until smooth.  Knead the dough by hand or in a stand mixer until stretchy and smooth. This should take about 10 minutes in a mixer or twice as long by hand. 

Transfer the dough into a greased loaf pan (20cm x 10cm)  and leave to rise about 60-80minutes. Sprinkle with some extra seeds.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for about 45 minutes, baked loaf should sound hollow then tapped underneath. 

Leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Olive and jalapeño bread

Delicious bread made with half spelt flour half white bread flour, with green olives and spicy jalapeños.  It is so good I can easily eat it on its own!


Ingredients:

• 250g strong white bread flour
• 250g wholemeal spelt flour
• 2tsp dried yeast
• 5tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp salt
• 250ml-300ml lukewarm water
• 200g jalapeño stuffed green olives (or 200g green olives + small handful of jalapeños)

Combine flour, yeast, olive oil, salt and water in a large bowl and mix until combined.  Add chopped olives and knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

Place back in a bowl, cover with fling film and leave until doubled in size (about 50-60 min).

Knead the dough quickly for couple of minutes, then shape into a loaf and place on a lined baking sheet.  Cover with a clean cloth and leave until doubled in size (about 30 minutes).

Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the loaf.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C and just before placing the bread in the oven, throw about 1/2 cup water on the oven floor (bottom of the oven) to create steam.

Bake at 220C for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 190C and bake for further 25-35minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

Take out the oven and leave to cool.


Enjoy!

Honey oatmeal bread

Recipe from Anne's Sheasby 'Bread' book for this delicious, soft honey and oat bread. It is so delicious I am sure I will make it again!


Ingredients:

• 550g strong plain brown flour
• 2tsp dried yeast
• 115g rolled oats (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 2tsp salt
• 15g unsalted butter
• 150ml warm milk (plus extra for glazing)
• 2tbsp honey
• 225ml warm water (I used about 150ml more)

Place flour, yeast, oats, butter, salt and honey in a bowl.  Add warm milk and 225ml warm water and begin to mix.  If the mixture seems too dry add more water (I added 150ml) and continue to mix.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and stretchy.  Place back in a bowl, cover with fling film and leave until doubled in size (about 50-60 min).

Knead the dough quickly for couple of minutes, then shape into a loaf and place on a lined baking sheet.  Cover with a clean cloth and leave until doubled in size (about 30 minutes).

Brush the loaf with a little bit of milk and sprinkle with oats.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C and just before placing the bread in the oven, throw about 1/2 cup water on the oven floor (bottom of the oven) to create steam.

Bake at 220C for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200C and bake for further 20-25minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

Take out the oven and leave to cool.


Enjoy!

Wholemeal multi seed loaf

Basic wholemeal bread recipe it was a basic wholemeal bread recipe before I added all those seeds! Poppy seeds, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linen and chia.. bread packed full of seeds and full of flavour. The more seeds the better (for me!) but you can leave them out if you prefer, or add only the ones you like- or have in the cupboard!


Ingredients:

• 115g strong white bread flour
• 225g strong wholemeal flour
• 1tsp salt
• pinch of sugar
• 1tsp dried yeast
• 15g unsalted butter
• 225ml lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2tbsp golden linen seeds
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1tbsp chia seeds

Place both flours, yeast, seeds, sugar, salt and all the seeds in a large bowl and mix until the seeds are evenly distributed.  Add the butter and water and mix until the dough comes together.

Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and stretchy (about 10-15 minutes), then place back in a bowl, cover with cling film or a cloth and leave to rise, until doubled in size (45-60 minutes).

Knead the dough quickly, then shape into a loaf and place in a greased and floured (900g/ 2lb) loaf tin, cover with a cloth and set aside until doubled in size (about 30 minutes)/

Pre-heat the oven to 200C and splash a little bit of cold water inside the hot oven (about 1/4 cup), or throw in few ice cubes, to create steam.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180C and bake for further 15-20 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped underneath.  

Take out the oven and leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Eight-strand plaited loaf

Whenever I am looking for a great bread recipe I like to reach for Paul Hollywood's  'How to bake' book.  This recipe is a simple one, don't let it scare you away!  If you have not made bread before find  'How to make a perfect loaf?' in my baking tips. You should at least make it once- it looks stunning!


Ingredients:

For the loaf:

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 7g fast action dried yeast
• 10g salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 340ml water

Additionally:

• 1 lightly beaten egg
• pinch of sea salt

Place the flour in a large bowl, add yeast on one side and salt on the other.  Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Add the olive oil and water and mix.  When all the ingredients are combined turn onto a floured surface  and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is silky and stretchy.

Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to ride for about an hour, until doubled in size. 

When risen, quickly knead the dough and shape into a bowl.  Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll out each piece into a strand about 40cm long.

Lay the strands out, stick them all together at the to and number them from 1-8 from left to right.  Every time you move any strand it will take the new number in the row.

Step 1: place 8 under 7 and over 1
Step 2: place 8 over 5
Step 3: place 2 under 3 and over 8
Step 4: place 1 over 4
Step 5: place 7 under 6 and over 1

Repeat steps 2-5 until all the dough is braided.

Tuck both ends of the loaf underneath to give a tidy finish.

Place the loaf onto a lined baking tray and leave to prove for an hour, until well risen.

Brush the loaf with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt.   Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Leave the loaf to cool before cutting.

Enjoy!

Rustic multi-seeded loaf

Quick and easy, delicious multi grain loaf.  Perfect even for beginners in bread making.  Recipe comes from bbcgoodfood.com.  If you have never made bread before, read 'How to make a perfect loaf?' in my baking tips HERE.

Ingredients:

• 500g wholemeal (or mixed grain) bread flour
• 2tbsp linen seeds
• 1tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1tbsp poppy seeds
• 7g dried yeast
• 1tsp salt
• 300ml warm water
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1tbsp clear honey

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a jug combine all of the wet ingredients and pour into the dry mixture. Mix to form a soft dough, then knead on a floured surface until smooth and stretchy.  

Place the dough in a large bowl and leave to rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Knead the dough quickly and shape into a loaf (or place in a 1.2 litre loaf tin), cover with a cloth and leave for about 20 minutes.  

Pre-heat the oven to 190C and place a small tray with boiling water on the bottom of the oven to create steam.  

With a sharp knife make few slashes across the top and brush with water, you can also sprinkle some seeds on top if you like.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes,  the loaf it ready then tapped on the bottom makes hollow sound.  Take out the oven and leave to cool before cutting.

Enjoy!

Roquefort, sun-dried tomato and rosemary fougasse

A  fougasse is a leaf- shaped loaf from the South of France.  It can be made plain or flavoured with your favourite ingredients: herbs, cheese, fruit - anything you like.

This recipe makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 2tsp salt
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 300ml water

Additionally:

• 4tbsp fresh rosemary
• 100g roquefort cheese
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes

Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl.  Add water and knead.  The dough should not be sticky, but soft and light.
Roll the dough out, sprinkle with two tablespoons of chopped rosemary, crumbled roquefort cheese and 4 chopped, sun-dried tomatoes.  Shape into a ball and knead for couple of minutes.
Dived the dough into two same size balls, then roll out into oval shape, then place on baking tray (floured or line with paper) and cut four slashes on each side of the loaf, to make it look like a leaf.
Open out the slashes (or pull the dough slightly from both sides) as they will close up a little when the dough rises.
Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes and leave for 30-45 minutes to rise.
Pre-heat the oven to190C and place a small baking tray filled with water, on the bottom of the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!


Find 'How to make a perfect loaf?' in my baking tips- here.

Jamaican corn bread

The easiest bread you can ever make. Unlike most breads, this one doesn't contain yeast but baking powder, which means there is no rising.  The mixture is very much like a cake- there is no kneading required.  Just mix all ingredients together and bake! Corn bread is very soft and has unordinary taste and most delicious smell.  The recipe comes from www.jamaicans.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup cornmeal (fine)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4tsp baking powder
• 3/4tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 vanilla extract

Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Add milk, eggs, vanilla and oil and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 200C.

I used 30cmx10cm bread tin and baked for 20minutes. If you are using a slightly smaller tin, bake for extra couple of minutes.  Bread is ready when golden brown on the outside and inserted skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool. Best served with butter.

Enjoy!