I have been trying to make bread for years. I have tried so many different recipes, and never been happy with any of them. Until Melissa introduced to to this recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen, that is. It’s so ridiculously easy – there’s no kneading, just mixing and rising – and the texture is amazing. I’m seriously obsessed with it.
First step – activate yeast. And while that is happening, stir together flour, spelt flour, salt, and seeds. Melissa uses 1 tbsp each of quinoa, flax, chia, and millet – I don’t like flax seeds very much, so I use 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp each quinoa, chia, and millet.
Then you mix the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and THAT’S IT (at least as far as mixing goes). It’s so stupidly easy. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Butter 2 oven safe bowls (I use 1 qt pyrex bowls) – they really need to be oven safe because you will be baking the bread in these bowls! Also, make sure you butter the rim of the bowl. (Which you can see that I did NOT do in this photo – getting the bread out of the bowls this first time was not fun. Lesson learned!) Using 2 forks, split the risen dough in half and carefully transfer each half to one of the prepared bowls.
Let rise for another 30 min, or until doubled again. It will be beautifully domed on top.
Bake at 425 deg F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350 deg F and bake for another 17 minutes. I don’t know why those temperatures or those times work, but they just do. It’s like magic.
Flip onto a cooling rack (again, much easier if you butter the lip of the bowl), and cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
If you have any left (which, haha, good luck) – you can store it in a ziplock bag for 5 days. It’s best warm and soft the first day, and toasted after that.
Seeded Peasant Bread
adapted from Alexandra’s Kitchen by Smells Like Brownies (definitely check out her post)
makes 2 small loaves
2 cups warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup spelt flour (you can use all AP, if you want)
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup mixed seeds (quinoa, flax, chia, whole millet, or other – see notes above), lightly toasted (I skip this step)
2 tbsp softened butter or oil-based cooking spray
Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm water and let the mixture sit on the counter for 10 minutes. The yeast will begin to activate and foam.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, spelt, salt, and seeds.
When the yeast mixture is foamy and fragrant, pour it into the flour and stir to combine.
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. (An easy way to create a perfect environment for yeast to grow is to heat 1 cup water in the microwave, then stick the dough in the hot, moist microwave to rise.)
While the dough rises, thoroughly grease two 1-qt Pyrex (or other heat-safe) bowls, using either butter or cooking spray.
When the dough has risen, take two forks and punch it down, scraping it away from the edges and bottom of the bowl. Using the forks, divide the dough into two equal portions, pulling apart down the center of the bowl. Scoop up each half of dough and deposit in the prepared bowls.
Let the dough rise again until doubled, about 20–30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425 deg F. Bake the bread in the bowls for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 deg F. Continue baking the bread another 17 minutes, until browned and firm on top.
Remove the bread from the oven and turn it out of the bowls onto a wire cooling rack. If the bread seems pale or soft, return to the oven on a cookie sheet to bake another 5 minutes.
Let the bread cool at least 10 minutes on the wire rack before slicing and serving.
One Year Ago – Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Tomatoes, and Grilled Artichoke Hearts
Two Years Ago – Summer Pizzas
Three Years Ago – Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote
Four Years Ago – Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese