Baking bread

I love baking bread! It's not as hard as I had imagined and it is very satisfying to take that first bite, knowing that there are no preservatives or other nasties, just wholesome ingredients and lots of love. First up I made a fruit, nut and seed wholemeal spelt loaf.

I chose to go with a rustic freeform style loaf, mainly because I have no bread loaf tins :)

Then I made another wholemeal spelt loaf, this time a savoury version with fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, onions, walnuts and seeds.

Once cooled, I sliced them both up into nice thick pieces and popped them into the freezer in bags of 2, giving me easy breakfasts and lunches for the next week.

I adapted the basic recipe from the Feb issue of Super Food Ideas magazine. Here is my version:

7g sachet dry yeast

1 tblsp caster sugar

1+1/2 cups warm water

2 cups wholemeal spelt flour

1 cup plain white flour

1 tsp sea salt

1 tblsp coconut oil

1 cup of mixed nuts and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, linseed, rolled oats, walnuts etc.)

Fruit loaf: 1 cup of chopped assorted dried fruits, 1 tblsp cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice and 1 tsp vanilla. 

Savoury loaf: 1/2 cup dried onion flakes, handful of fresh basil shredded, 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes.

Mix yeast and sugar with the warm water and sit in a warm place for 10 mins or until quite frothy. Meanwhile, sift your flours into a large bowl and mix with the salt, seeds, oil and any fruit or other flavourings. 

Make a well in the centre and add the yeast when it's ready, mixing to a sticky dough. 

Knead the dough on a floured bench for about 5 mins, adding more flour as necessary to stop it from sticking. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and put somewhere warm for an hour so it can double in size.

Punch down the dough and knead it again for around 5 mins. Shape it into a log and place gently on a lined and oiled baking tray. Cover with clingwrap and put it somewhere warm again for 40 mins while preheating your oven to 200 degrees C (400 F) or 180 if you have a fan-forced oven.

Brush the loaf with milk (any variety) and sprinkle with oats and seeds if desired. Bake for 30 to 35 mins. You will know it's done by tapping the bottom of the loaf and hearing a hollow sound. 

Cool on a wire rack.