Dorothy's Seeded No Knead Bread
This bread can be made in the morning or evening. It needs at least 8-10 hours of rising time but can also be left to rise for 24 hours. It won't overrise or collapse within that time. You need a pot of approx 22cm diameter, with lid. I put a circle of baking parchment in the base of the pot, and grease the sides of the pot before use. The advantages of this recipe are: Uses little yeast. This suits some peoples’ diets. Doesn’t take much time to handle Gives a loaf with very good keeping qualities
Makes 1 Loaf or use half measures and make a smaller loaf in a pan measuring 18cm dia x 9cm deep (7" x 3")
Ingredients
600ml cold water
400g strong white bread flour or plain flour
200g whole-wheat, wholemeal, rye or whole spelt flour
(alternately use 600g of a ready mixed bread making flour mix if you have that)
100g porridge oats or oat bran
100g mixed seeds
1 tsp salt
1/3 tsp dried yeast or 5g fresh yeast
Extra seeds and oats for rolling the dough - 2-3 tbsp total
Preparation
Put the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.Add the cold water and stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Do not attempt to knead the dough. It will appear very sticky and ragged. Only mix long enough to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Cover the bowl (I use a large dinner plate) and put it to rise on the kitchen bench (no need to put it in an especially warm place) and leave it to rise for a minimum of 8 hours.
When ready to bake the bread, take a spatula or bench scraper and turn /flip /fold the bread dough over in the bowl. This just prepares the dough for its final rising in the oven. Cover the bowl again.
Put the prepared pot (lightly oiled and with a circle of baking parchment in the base) on the bottom shelf of the cold oven, and turn on the oven to 250 C.
When the oven has reached 250 C, sprinkle the bench with a selection of grains, seeds and porridge oats. (Sunflower, flax, sesame, etc) Tip the dough out onto the seeds, flip it over to coat well.
Now take the red-hot pot out of the oven, using thick oven gloves, and place it on a heat-proof trivet or something else that protects the bench. Remove the lid (careful of the heat!) and lift and drop the dough into the pot. You may hear it sizzle as the dough hits the oiled surface. Replace the lid and place the pot back in the oven.
Immediately, lower the temperature to 200 C, and bake for 45-55 mins. Remove the lid the last 10 mins to get a crispy crust.
Check for doneness by knocking on the bread as usual.
Tip the bread out onto a cooling tray.
Tempting to taste straightaway but wait at least 30 mins before tasting!
I usually cut the loaf in half and cut small slices. It cuts best that way, in my opinion.
The bread has good keeping qualities, and in my household there's never a scrap left!