Four Seed Bread - the Staff of Life

My second recipe - I am getting the hang of this.

25^th May 2001

Four Seed Bread

I have made this bread a number of times and it is not consistent. Sometimes it is lovely and other times far too heavy. I think it is a bread that needs to be made very carefully, and definitely needs lots of kneading.

It is beautifully balanced nutritionally, I think at this time I must have been preparing for the end of the world, as I seem to be collecting recipes that are 'all-in-one', or maybe it was a vegetarian part of my life. This bread could be made with some chopped rosemary and onion for eating with soup. Or some sun-dried tomatoes and basil for summer salads – I tried this once and it was delicious. It worked that time!

Oven: Pre heat to maximum and cook for ¼ hour at 425/232/8

then lower to 400/200/6 for 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1.25 pints warm water

2 sachets dried yeast

3 lbs strong organic white flour (brown is too dense for this already dense bread)

2 oz poppy seeds

2 oz sesame seeds

2 oz sunflower seeds

2 oz pumpkin seeds

125 ml sunflower oil

4 tsp salt

1. Put ¾ pint of warm water in a jug with 1 tsp sugar and the 2 yeast sachets. Mix and leave to froth.
2. Add to ½ pint warm water, mix and mix in enough flour to make a batter. Leave for ½ hour covered in a warm place.
3. Add the seeds, salt and oil and mix very well.
4. Then start adding the four to make a good dough.
5. Knead very well for 10 minutes on a floured board and keep adding flour until perfect.
6. Put in bowl and in warm place for 5 hours to double in size. Oil the top and cover with cling film and a cloth.
7. Knock back and shape into 3 loaves, rolls, etc.
8. Leave to prove again for another 2 hours.
9. Put in hot pre-heated oven for 15 minutes then turn down and cook until hollow. Cool on rack.