Mixed Seed Bread

I don't make bread very often. In fact I seem only to make bread if I realise, after I've been shopping, that I need bread. I used to own a bread maker but didn't like the shape or the consistency of the bread it made and so sold it recently to free up some of my very small kitchen bench.

I've tried a few bread recipes over the years, but keep coming back to the Mixed seed bread recipe from my Wizz Mix Professional instruction book. I rarely follow a recipe exactly, and this is no exception. I follow neither the ingredients list or the methodology to the letter. The original recipe specified far more salt and sugar than was either necessary, or I felt comfortable with. I also use whichever seeds I have on hand. Here is my version. Note I always weigh the flour and water rather than use cup measurements:

2 cups (300g) bread flour
2 cups (300g) wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons milk powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp raw sugar
1 tsp bread improver
2 tsp dried yeast
2 tsp oil (I use sunflower)
up to 440ml water
8 tbsp seeds (I normally use a combination of whole linseeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas and a tasty little ground mix of soy, linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds, pictured below)
extra bread flour for kneading
extra seeds for the top if you like

1. Combine flours, milk powder, salt, sugar, bread improver, yeast and seeds in a large bowl. If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook you can use it for the next step. If not, it's time to get your hands dirty!
2. Slowly add the oil and then the water to the dry ingredients. Only add enough water to bring the ingredients together to a soft dough. I never use the full 440ml, normally more like 400ml.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and pliable.
4. Place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm area to rise until it doubles in size.
5. Knead the dough again for another few minutes.
6. Shape the dough into a roll and place into a lightly greased, large loaf tin. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and leave in a warm area until well risen (40-50 mins). Remove plastic wrap.
7. Spray or brush a little water on the top, add extra seeds if you like and bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 30-40 mins or until golden brown.
8. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.
   

This bread is lovely. The almond mix really adds to the flavour, it's as large as a commercial loaf and slices beautifully as it is quite dense. I'm not entirely convinced of the necessity of either the bread improver or the milk powder, but given I nearly always make this in a rush, when I NEED bread, I haven't had the opportunity to remove them and see what happens. I'll add it to my "to do" list one weekend soon.