Spicy Seed Bread

This is a recipe I’ve been experimenting with and although this loaf isn’t perfectly shaped, the bread is spot on!  It makes a nice dense loaf, yet not too heavy. And it’s simple!  I knead the dough in the mixing bowl, so there’s no muss or fuss, almost as easy as a bread maker.  Because I measure with my eye-balls rather than measuring utensils, all measurements are approximate, though the basic ration of flour to yeast is accurate.  I’ve also found 3 raisings works best with this dense loaf.

Mix together by hand:

• 500 grams whole grain seeded bread flour
• 1 pkg (7 grams) active dry yeast
• about 2 dessert spoons margarine
• 1/2-1 tsp dried red chilis
• 3 large cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
• about 1 dessertspoonful sugar or honey (if using honey add with water)
• about 2 dessert spoons each:
  • shelled hemp seed
  • pumpkin seeds
  • golden linseed
• about 3/4 cup (100 grams) jumbo rolled oats

Method (and more ingredients)

• Mix all together with your hands, rubbing the fat into the flour and seeds until it’s crumbly.
• Grate 1 medium carrot into the bowl,  and mix in.
• Gradually add about 1/2 cup lukewarm water.  Mix with a fork.  Keep drizzling in lukewarm water until the ingredients come together in a dry clump.  About 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups in total.  This stage takes patience.  Too much water will make the dough too wet, resulting in a heavy bread; too little and it won’t stick together.   Better to start with small quantities and knead with your hand in the bowl.  As you knead the dough, the carrots and garlic will add moisture and the margarine will break down.  You don’t need to use all the water, and you can always add more water if need be!
• Knead for about 10 minutes, folding, turning and punching the dough in the bowl.  You will know the consistency is correct as the dough will form a firm ball and won’t stick too much to your hands, or the sides of the bowl.    Then drizzle a little olive oil down the inside of the bowl and grease the dough ball by rolling it around in the bowl.  You can also knead a little olive oil into the dough and add a bit more oil to grease it.

1st Raising

• Cover and place in a warm spot to rise, about 1 hour.  I use the oven set at about 90-100C.  Too hot and the dough will rise too fast, too cold and it won’t rise.  After about an hour it will have almost doubled in size.

2nd Raising

• Punch down and knead for 2-3 minutes, and set aside to rise again for about 30 minutes.  The dough will double again.

3rd Raising

• Once again, punch down and form a loaf.  Place in greased loaf pan and rise yet again for 30 minutes.
• Bake in a hot oven – about 200C for about 40 minutes.  Run a knife round the edge of the pan and tip the loaf out of the pan onto a wire rack, or set across top of pan too cool.
• Slather with your favorite spread, curl up with your favorite puss, and share the crumbs!

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