Sunflower Seed Bloomer/Batch Loaf

Week 6 of the 2013 baking challenge. I’ve got so many ideas its hard to settle on which one to make! Eventually I opted for an easy batch loaf perked up with a handful of sunflower seeds. Fantastic as bread, better still toasted for breakfast it turned out 🙂

I’m quite in awe of the baking process – the magic of a few very simple ingredients, given time and care, turning into a wonderful fresh loaf of bread. Looking forward to the next experiment already!

Sunflower Seed Bloomer (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, soya-free, vegetarian and vegan)

makes 1 loaf

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 2 tsps dried yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsps dairy-free spread
• 2 tbsps sunflower seeds
• 300ml hand hot water

– Tip the flour and salt into a large bowl.
– Rub in the dairy-free spread with your fingertips
– Stir in the yeast and make a well in the centre.
– Pour in the warm water and bring together to a dough (using a mixer with dough hooks makes this easy, but it can easily be done by hand with a little more patience!). Mix in the sunflower seeds.
– Once it has become a dough ball, turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
– Leave on the lightly floured surface, cover with a large bowl and let double in size.
– Knock back the dough, press out to a rectangle with your knuckles. Bring each end into the centre.
– Turn 90 degrees and press out to form a large rectangle.
– Starting at a short end, tightly roll up.
– Place seam side down on a lined baking sheet. Seal the ends of the cylinder with the side of your hand.
– Make 5-7 slashes along the top of the loaf. Cover with cling film and leave to rise (double in size)
– Turn the oven on to and place a baking tin in the bottom of the oven
– Take the cling film off the dough. Pour a little water into the container in the oven and bake the bread for
– The loaf will be done when it’s golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.