Something Healthy

At least I think it's healthy... it my opinion, if it has seeds, then its healthy.

I was home sick the other day and I felt the need to do something slightly productive. So whilst watching Downton Abbey for the millionth time, I to and froed from the lounge to the kitchen, punching and flavouring my what-I-call (thanks to Miranda) 'Healthy-Seedy Bread'.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1/2 cup wheat germ (I just used natural bran)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup each of sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds (or any seed you can find)
• 2 cup high-grade flour (wheat flour)
• 1 cup all purpose flour

I think people can become quite daunted with the idea of making bread - but really, you've got it ALL wrong! Making bread is easy!

Well, within reason.

And it is incredibly rewarding - once you've done it once, you won't go back...





Method:

1.  Place water, yeast and honey in bowl of stand mixer (it is possible to do this with hand mixer too) and use a spoon to dissolve the yeast and honey. Let it sit for 5-10 min or until the mixture starts foaming. 
2. Once yeast is ready, add oil, salt, high-grade flour and bran. Knead with the dough hook, adding a little flour as you need, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. The dough should be soft and supple, just not sticky. Continue to knead for 10 minutes.
3. Once kneaded, lightly spray with oil and place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and set it somewhere warm (once again I did my 'over-the-sink' heating system).
4. Let this rise till double the size - normally about an hour. 
5. Turn the dough onto the bench and mould it into a loaf shape, gently placing it in a loaf tin (I ended up making two smaller loaves, so don't worry about the size). 
6. Once again let this sit, covered, somewhere warm for another 45 minutes.
7. Put the oven to 190'C.
8. Gently sprinkle water on the loaf, scatter some more seeds on the top, and then wet it again.
9. Pop it in the oven for 45 minutes or until it has a beautiful colour on top, sounding relatively hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Such a delicious toast bread. Please eat with lashings of butter.

~A