~ * Home Made Bread * ~



Its a cold wet day here at the little homestead, and I decided to fill the house with the smell of baking bread..mmm. I found one of my first hand written cookbooks and my tried and true recipe for bread. I got this recipe from a bread making workshop I attended many moons ago, when I was a young wife. The workshop was led by an old dutch woman, and she made beautifull bread, using a 'sponge batter method '. It's got to be one of the easiest recipes I've ever used, and when my children were younger, I used to bake this bread twice a week, (3 loaves each time...phew :0)..glad I don't have to churn that much out anymore. I also went through a phase of grinding my own wheat by hand !!!!! crazy ? (yes). My impatience got the better of me, and instead of waiting and saving for the electric model, I got half way with the saving, and bought a hand cranked one. Note to self: patience pays of, impatience never does !! So now the hand grinder is yet another thing in the 'shed', in its box, sigh....So anyway thats a little story about my bread making history..I hope you'll try this recipe :0)

'Wholemeal Bread'

500g white flour

1 egg

1 Tablespoon of sugar

1 1/2 pints warm water (900ml)

3 teaspoons dry yeast

1. Mix all with a whisk in a large crockery bowl. Cover with cling film, and wrap in a warm towel. Leave in a warm place for 30 minutes. The batter should have small bubbles on top. Now add:

2lb (1kg) stoneground wholemeal flour (I use organic)

1 T sesame seeds, 1 T linseeds, 2 T sunflowers seeds

1 Tablespoon sea salt

3 Tablespoons Olive oil or rice bran oil

2. I add the flour in batches, stirring vigurously with a wooden spoon, add all other ingredients (first). Turn out onto a floured bench and knead for about 5 minutes. When the flour is all incorportaed and the dough smooth and elasticy, put it in a large bowl, which has been wiped around inside with some olive oil, just to help it not stick as it rises.

3. Cover with cling film, and wrap with the towel again. Place in a  warm place for an hour.

4. Punch the risen dough down in the bowl.

Turn it out, divide into loaves. I cut it in 3, 2 larger loaves and 1 smaller. Grease the tins well and sprinkle seeds inside for a crunch crust. Place dough in tins. Brush loaves gently with some milk, and sprinkle with more sesame seeds.

 Leave covered lightly with a damp tea towel for about 20 minutes, or until risen to the top of the tins.

5. Bake in the centre of a hot oven, about 200 C for 40 minutes. The loaves are cooked, when they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Once cooked, I place the loaves on a cooling rack and cover with a clean tea towel. This helps the crust to soften a little.
Tip: Cool loaves, slice to desired thickness, then freeze.