Wholesome Loaf

ThIs incredibly tasty loaf has a real “feel good” about it and I like to give it a quick easy butter glaze when it comes straight from the oven to enhance its rustic charm !  

Wholesome Loaf

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For the dough:

300g strong white bread flour or strong brown flour for a darker loaf

100g dark rye flour

100g Wholemeal bread flour

2 tbsp mixed seeds (pumpkin,. Sunflower, sesame, poppy)

10g Salt

7g dried yeast

1 tbsp black treacle or golden syrup or maple syrup

1 tbsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil)

280-320ml water

 

Used butter paper for the glaze (optional)

 

Extra flour for dusting

 

Preparation

Start by making the dough. Either by hand or using the dough hook of a machine mix together the dough ingredients and adding between 280 and 320ml water, sufficient to form a dough. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic - this will take around 10 minutes in a machine and 15-20 minutes by hand.

Grease a roomy mixing bowl and pop the dough into it then cover with a shower cap or cloth and allow to double in size. This will take around an hour in a warm place.

Take the risen dough from the bowl and reshape into a circle, twisting the dough so that it tightens more and more into itself. This way you will achieve a round loaf rather than a flat one.

Place the dough ball onto a baking sheet lined with reusable baking parchment and leave to prove for 50 minutes. I place my loaf in the microwave and keep the door shut – it saves having to cover the bread.  Alternatively, after shaping the dough place into a 2 lb loaf tin and leave to prove for 50 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and after the proving time – give a spray of water then pop into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until well browned. Take the loaf from the oven and rub over the surface with a used butter paper – the glaze is amazing !