Mixed Seed Loaf

by Sarah

On the odd occasion (today being one of them) I come to the end of the week with some left over vegetables that I need to use before placing the next shopping order.  Of course, I could add them into the next week of planning, but sometimes it is nice to start a fresh and have something completely different.

That’s not to mean that I am chucking them out!  No way!  You know I’m not that type!

Multi Seed Loaf Recipe

So to end the week, I am going to rustle up a delicious Chuck it In Vegetable Soup and what a better excuse (other than the fact that it is feeling rather Autumnal today here in Manchester) that to make some bread.  Not just any bread but Mixed Seed Loaf bread!

Well, to digress, I have been experiencing a glut of tech issues over the past few days which culminated with my computer stopping me from being able to do anything whatsoever this morning, so I really kneaded (groan!) to get some frustration out and bread making is perfect for it. Oh, and *touch wood* things seem to be going better with my computer now…

Super Seed Loaf Recipe

So yes, onto the mixed seed loaf recipe.

I have a very comprehensive store cupboard and like to keep an array of flours and seeds in for adding to recipes and to make sure that even when I have nothing fresh, I can rustle something up form what I already always have in the house.

Today, however, I was a little short on my strong brown bread flour so substituted with an extra 50 g of strong white flour instead.  But, to be honest, you can use any mix that you want.

Just to warn you, this does take a few hours to make (with the proving time) but it is most certainly worth it for the smell and taste of delicious bread!  Plus, why not use it as an excuse to whip out a good book or get on with a knitting project? 😉

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

400 g strong brown bread flour (I used 350 g as I was bit short today)

100 g strong white bread flour (I added the extra 50 g to make up for the lacking in brown, but any measure up to 500 g will work)

7 g sachet of easy-bake yeast (I used Allinsons)

1.5 tsp salt

1 tbsp pure spread, margarine or butter

4 tbsp mixed seeds (I used 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp linseed and 2 tbsp pumkin seeds) making sure there are enough for sprinkling on the top later

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

 

 

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Susty Meals - Super Seed Loaf Recipe

Method:

pop your flours  and seeds into a large mixing bowl with the yeast and salt

add the butter end rub it into the flour making sure that the rest of the dry ingredients is well mixed through

make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in 300 ml of tepid water

using a round bladed knife, mix the water through the dry mixture

when it starts to come together, pull the dough together and gather up any dry bits from the bottom of the bowl adding them to the ball

place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the mixture is smooth and elastic (this is the stress relieving bit!)

lightly flour your washed bowl and place the dough back in

cover in clingfilm and put in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size

knock back the dough slightly by kneading 3-4 times (this is to get rid of any large bubbles inside) and shape into a ball

recover with clingfilm and leave for a further 15 minutes

grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper

shape the dough into a rectangle the size of the tip and fold in any loose edges (making the dough smooth in appearance) then place it in the tin

sprinkle with seeds and pat them into the dough

cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes until it has risen 5 cm above the tin

Place a roasting tin in the bottom of the oven and heat to 230 C

put the risen bread into the oven on the middle shelf and add 250 ml cold water to the roasting tin (it will hiss and sizzle, but that’s OK.  The steam is to give the loaf a nice crispy crust…mmmm!)

lower the heat to 220 C and bake for 30 minutes (cover with foil for the last 5 minutes if it starts to brown too quickly)

remove and leave to cool for 3-4 minutes in the tin then cool completely on a wire rack

Break into pieces and serve warmed with some Pure spread, margarine or butter.

There is nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of soup with some freshly homemade bread when the weather gets colder.  It just feels like a hug!

…and if you are wondering why it is a super seed loaf?  Well, it is super because you can use any seeds that you like and any bread flour that you like so long as you hit the measurements.  That is why it is super because if you keep a well stocked store cupboard, you will be able to make this whenever you want to without having to venture out into the cold to buy ingredients! Nice, hey?

*you may notice that there are a few less seeds than in previous pictures! That is because we discovered just how delicious roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds are and they ended up getting eaten before the loaf made it to the table…whoops!  I will be creating a recipe for some new snacks on the back of it though! 😉

Of course, I will share my Chuck it In Veg soup recipe soon too.

Mixed Seed Loaf

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