Five Seed Bread 0

I made this today.

It was a complete ad lib effort inspired by a reference in the first Corinna Chapman story by Kerry Greenwood. Although there is a book of Corinna Chapman recipes available, the recipe for this “Seed Bread” is not in it; in the book, Corinna, who is a baker by trade, states that it is her secret recipe, and I reckon it is.

The book also refers to “kibbled wheat” and “kibbled oats” as part of the secret recipe. “Kibbled wheat” appears to be what in the States we refer to as cracked wheat; “kibbled oats,” steel-cut oats. I didn’t have any on hand and, frankly, I’ve never been a big one for oats, except in the form of oatmeal cookies.*

I must say, my experiment was quite successful and I look forward to trying it again. The finished product is quite savory. You can click the picture above for a larger image, in which you can see the seeds embedded in the loaf. Perhaps I’ll even give the oats and wheat a try.

Ingredients:

• 1 cp. warm water
• 1 packet yeast
• 1 1/2 cps. white flour, approx.
• 1 1/2 cps. rye flour, approx.
• 1 tbs. each dill seed, fennel seed, sesame seed, caraway seed, or to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander (the reference in the story referred to coriander seed, but I didn’t have any of that, so I ad libbed)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. light brown sugar

Procedure:

1. Dissolve yeast in water and proof.

2 Add seeds, salt, and sugar.

3. Add white flour and stir well.

4 Add rye flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each, until dough is stiff and firm enough to knead.

5. Pour out on floured board and knead until firm and springy. If the dough feels a little sticky, knead in additional flour as needed.

6. Pour a bit of olive oil into a bowl and coat dough with the olive oil, then cover and allow to rise (approx. 1 1/2 hours, depending on heat and humidity).

7. When dough has approximately doubled in size, shape into a loaf and place in loaf pan or on cookie sheet and allow to rise for approximately 20 mins.

8. Place in oven preheated to 400 Fahrenheits and bake until a knife inserted into it comes out clean (approx. 30 mins.). If you wish a crustier loaf, place a pan of hot water in the oven and, after the bread has started to cook, brush the top of the loaf with water a couple of times, say, at the 10 and 20 minute marks.

Makes one loaf.

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*I have the same feelings about oats as Dennis the Menace once expressed about carrot cake when he said, “Nothing this good could come from carrots.”