Friday, December 20, 2019

Butternut Squash, Mushroom, and Sage Risotto

This recipe is based on Butternut Squash and Sage Oven Risotto. For the first try I subsituted our faux onion for the onion and garlic as well as cooking it on the stovetop instad of the oven.

The second time I made it I added mushrooms and that really balanced the flavors of the squash and sage. I'm really happy with how it turned out. This recipe makes 10-12 cups of risotto and works very well as leftovers. It's really easy to make-- chopping up the squash is the most time consuming part of the project.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped celery
  • 1/2 tsp asofoetida
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1.2 liters homemade or store-bought no-salt-added vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves, chopped finely
  • 1 kg butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 450 g mushrooms, cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 2 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice

Method
Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pot fitted with a lid over medium heat. Add the celery and asofoetida and cook, stirring frequently, until the celery is lighty browned.

Add the sage and cook until fragrant for a minute or two.

Add the rice and stir until it is mixed in and coated with the oil/celery/sage mix.

Add the squash, mushrooms, salt, and the broth. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, leave covered and turn the heat down to a simmer. Check and stir every 10-15 minutes until the rice is cooked (about 45-75 minutes depending on the rice used). Add salt to taste.

The risotto should be creamy but not too runny. If needed, add up to an additional 230 ml of water.

Serve hot. This reheats well in the micrwave. Top with a hard grated cheese if desired.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Savory Pie: Butternut, Spinach, and Blue Cheese

This recipe is inspired by "Sophie's Four Seasons Individual Pies" from the Great British Bake Off. I thought the filling looked very tasty and the original is already free of onion and garlic.

This is pretty easy to make but somewhat time consuming. You could use a pre-made frozen pie crust to save time.

I baked and mixed the filling ingredients and made the pie crust dough the day before and then did all of the baking the next day.

Makes 1 9-10 inch pie

Ingredients

Pie Crust (or buy a pre-made frozen crust)
500 g all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt (leave out if using salted butter)
250 g unsalted butter
120 ml ice cold water

Butternut Squash Preparation
600 g butternut squash (peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 1cm pieces)
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground coriander or cumin
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ Tbsp honey (if solid, warm so it can be mixed easily)

Spinach Preparation
200 g baby spinach leaves
10 g salted butter

Blue Cheese Mixture
175 g blue cheese or 175 g goat's cheese
2 Tbsp sour cream (or crème fraîche)
¼ tsp salt (adjust to taste), if using goat's cheese start with ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper (adjust to taste)

Tools
9-10 inch pie pan or straight sided pan
Baking parchment
Baking sheet
Roasting pan
Largish mixing bowl
Medium to large saucepan
Colander

Method

Pie Crust

Cut the butter into 1 cm pieces and cut or rub into the flour. If you have a food processor or stand mixer use them to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If not, use your hands to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly mix in the ice cold water until the dough just comes together, you likely will not use all of the water.

Form the dough into a ball, press into a thick disc, wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

If using a pre-made crust, move it from the freezer to the fridge at this point.

After 2 hours (or the next day):
Preheat the oven to 400F

Roll the dough out thinly on a piece of parchment paper. Line the pie tin with the dough, letting some dough hang over the edge of of the tin.

Put the pie tin on a baking sheet (to keep the dough from falling off into your oven), cover the edge of the crust with foil or a pie protector, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the base is golden.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork right when it comes out of the oven to help it lie flat and cut off any extra dough hanging off the edge of the pie tin. Use a sharp knife and work carefully or you might tear a larger piece off than you mean to.

Set aside to cool. Bring the left over dough into a disc, wrap in parchment, and put the the refrigerator to chill.

Butternut Squash Mixture
Preheat the oven to 400F and line the roasting pan with baking parchment.

Peel and de-seed the squash. Weigh out 600g and set the rest aside. Cube the 600 g of squash into 1 cm pieces and put into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Mix the oil, coriander (or cumin), rosemary and honey together and pour over the squash.

Stir the squash until well covered by the oil mixture.

Pour the squash mixture into the roasting pan and spread the squash out so it is only one layer deep.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until just tender. Don't over bake as the squash will be baked a 2nd time in the pie.

Spinach Mixture

While the squash is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Rinse the spinach

Add the spinach to the butter and cook down until all of the spinach is wilted and very dark green.

Move the spinach to a colander and squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can. You can also roll the spinach in several pieces of paper towel and squeeze out over the sink. The more thorough you are with this step the better the pie will turn out.

Leave in the colander to to continue to drain.

Blue Cheese Mixture

Crumble the blue cheese into a mixing bowl, stir in the sour cream and the salt and pepper to taste (taste as you go as the cheese can be different batch to batch).

Final Filling Steps
Preheat the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F/Gas4

Add the spinach to the Blue Cheese mixture and stir until well combined. Add the butternut squash and mix until the squash is evenly distributed.

Roll out the remaining pie dough and make strips for the lattice and edging.

Fill the cooled pie crust with the filling, use the strips of pie dough to make a lattice across the top and around the edge.

Optional: For a shinier finish, beat an egg and brush the across the edge of the crust and the lattice.

Bake for 35-65 minutes. After 30 min start checking every 5-10 minutes. If the crust edge starts to brown to quickly, cover with foil or pie protector. As the pie cooks, look for the filling to start to dry out (if liquid is still actively bubbling up keep baking) and the lattice to brown.

When baked, remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Can be served warm or cold and will firm up more as it cools.

Store in the refrigerator.

Inspired by: Sophie's Four Seasons Individual Pies

Butternut squash, spinach, cheese pie with homemade pie crust in a cake pan.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Soul Cake

I found a Soul Cake Bake project online and while the actual project had closed by the time I found it, I thought it would be fun to try to construct my own recipe using the same 17th Century Soul Cake recipe the project used as the jumping off point for their competition.

It took me four tries to come up with a recipe that was both edible and tasty. I tried to stay as close as possible to the original recipe but did decide to use modern yeast instead of trying to source Ale Barm. From what I read Ale Barm was used as yeast to make bread and other risen doughs.

For each of my test versions I made half a recipe, so as not to waste too much of my ingredients.

The first version I made, I did not knead or prove and I put the wine (sack) straight in-- thinking they might be more like cakes. However those turned out like golf balls, with a doughy middle and dried out, but not really cooked exterior. The flavor seemed promising but tasted very strongly of raw alcohol and since I don't drink, was not very nice.

The second version, I heated the wine to help cook off some of the alcohol taste and I kneaded the dough briefly before letting it prove for about an hour and a half. Then I formed it into balls, cutting a cross in the top of each one before baking. The flavor of these was much better but the texture was still to dense and doughy.

For the third version, I decided to add the spices to the wine while I was heating it, to give a bit more depth to the flavor. I also kneaded it for longer and let it prove for about an hour (it doesn't really grow the same way bread dough does but an hour seems to be about right for it). After the first prove,  I divided the dough in to 4 pieces and added a different dried fruit to each piece (dried apples, currants, blueberries, and cranberries). I then divided each piece into 3 smaller balls, put dried fruit in the shape of a cross on each bun (so I would know which ones had which fruits), let them prove for about 20 minutes and then baked them. This batch was quite yummy.

For the fourth try I doubled the recipe and used just the currants as my fruit as I found that the other fruits didn't taste as good or tended to overwhelm the bun. The dough turned out much more wet that test 3 and while the resulting buns were edible the weren't as good as round 3.

For the fifth and final round I took some of the water out and that fixed the problem.  I baked a batch for a party and folks really seemed to like them.

Here is the original 17th C recipe followed by my final recipe.

Original Recipe
Take flower & sugar & nutmeg, & cloves & mace & sweet butter & sack & a little ale barm, beat your spice & put in your butter & your sack, cold, then work it well all to gether & make it in little cakes & so bake them, if you will … you may put some saffron into them or fruit (Elinor Fettiplace’s Household Book, compiled around 1604)


My Final Recipe

90g brown sugar
40g unsalted butter

400g plain flour

10g fast-acting yeast
50ml warm water

150ml Maderia wine
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp mace

80g currants or other dried fruit

Method

Note; you want the wine mixture cooled and most of the dough ready before you mix the yeast mixture. If you start the yeast mixture too early it will use up some of its rising power before it gets into the dough an if you don't let the wine mixture cool it could kill the yeast. It's a bit of a balancing act with the timing.

Put the wine and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil then set aside to cool. It should be below 90F before it is mixed into the dough. If needed, put it in the refrigerator to cool.

Cream the butter and 85g of the sugar together.

Mix 5g of the sugar in the warm water (between 80-90F) and add the yeast. Let the yeast solution sit until it starts to foam. Don't start the yeast solution early.

Mix the flour into the butter/sugar mixture.

Add the spiced wine to the flour/butter/sugar mixture and stir until just combined.

Add the yeast mixture in last, stir until well mixed, then knead until the dough starts to become elastic.

Prove the dough for about an hour. It won't rise a lot but it does need this resting time.

If you are using a dried fruit other than currants, make sure to cut them up into currant sized pieces.

Knead the currants into the dough and form into 16 balls. Put five currants on the top of each ball in the shape of a cross and flatten the balls into 2cm high discs. They will spring back a bit.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Leave the cakes to rest/prove for 20-30 minutes

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and they sound hollow when their base is tapped.


Inspired by: Soul Cake Bake

Test 3 of my Soul Cake recipe with the four different fruits used.
(from R-L Cinnamon-Apple, blueberry, currant, cranberry)

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Cream Cheese Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

I used the Carrot Orange and Spice Cake recipe as the basis for these Pumpkin Cheese Cake muffins.

Ingredients

11-12 muffin cups

100g unsalted butter
110g light brown muscovado sugar
2 large free-range eggs
¼ tsp orange extract

180g all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

160g pumpkin puree
50 ml juice from an orange
optional 80g walnuts, chopped

Cream Cheese Mixture
4oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp powdered sugar (or to taste)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/360F/Gas 4. Line the muffin tins.

Cream Cheese Mixture:
Make the cream cheese mixture by whipping together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Set aside until the muffin batter is ready.

For the Muffin Batter:
Melt the butter in a saucepan then whisk in the sugar, eggs and orange oil until smooth and well combined.

Add the zest of one orange to the pumpkin puree. If using nuts, add them here.

Sift the flour, baking soda and ground spices into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt and baking powder.

Fold the butter mixture into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the pumpkin mixture.

Scoop the mixture into the muffin tins. Fill each cup ¾ full. Place about ½-1 Tbsp of the cream cheese mixture in the top center of the muffin batter.

Bake for 18-22 minutes

Leave to cool in the pans for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Don't let them fully cool in the tins or the bottom of the muffins might be soggy.

Mushroom Gravy

My simple vegetarian mushroom gravy recipe.

Ingredients
800 g  cremini mushrooms
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp salted butter
2 Tbsp flour
300 ml milk

Instructions
Clean and chop the mushrooms in to roughtly 1/2 in pices and cook in the vebetable oil.

Set the mushrooms aside.

Using the same pan, add the butter and heat until the butter foams. Cook the flour in the butter and musrhoom remnants until it's a golden. Add the 1/3 of the milk at a time, stiring or whisking until well combined before adding the next part of the milk.

This makes about 200 ml of a farily thick gravy.

Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushroms are warm and mixed through the gravy.

Add more milk or water to thin if desired.

Optional: cook up some vegetarian sausage and add it to the gravy.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Vegetarian Pho

This is an onion, garlic, and ginger free version of vegetarian pho. The major changes I made were to replace the onion and garlic with my faux onion and replace the ginger with cardamom. I also tend to make my dishes less salty than they are out in the wild.

Ingredients

Faux Onion
  •  2 Tbsp canola oil 
  • 4 c celery sliced in small pieces 
  • 1 tsp asafetida 

Vegetable Broth
  • 2 c. of the faux onion
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped 
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 
  • 1 lb. cremini mushrooms trimmed and chopped 
  • 1 tsp black pepper 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • 8-10 parsley sprigs 
  • 1 c. celery leaves 
  • 2 bay leaves 

Pho Broth
  • 2 c. of the faux onion 
  • 2 tsp cardamom 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • 1 tsp brown sugar 
  • 3-4 star anise pods 
  • 2 cinnamon sticks 
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 2 Tbsp black peppercorns 
  • 6 c. of the vegetable stock 
  • 1/4 c. soy sauce 
  • 1 c. celery leaves, chopped 
  • 8-10 parsley sprigs, chopped 
  • 1/2-1 lb. cremini mushrooms, diced 

Soy Curls
  • 2 c. soy curls 
  • 2 c. hot water 
  • 1 Tbsp mushroom seasoning

Noodles
  • 1.5 oz thin rice vermicelli per serving (6 oz for four people)*
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp salt 
  • 4-6 c boiling water 

Garnish
  • Parsley 
  • Thai basil
  • Lime, cut in wedges 

Instructions

Faux Onion
  • Heat 1-2 Tbsp canola oil in a pan.
  • Thinly slice 4 cups of celery.
  • Once the oil is hot add the celery and asafetida and sauté until the celery is translucent.
  • Divide into two portions and set aside.

Vegetable Stock
  • In a pot that can hold 4 qts of liquid, reheat 1 portion of the faux onion until the pan starts to sizzle. 
  • Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, mushroom, salt and pepper. 
  •  Cook until the vegetables are browning and releasing their juices. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Cook for anywhere between 15-45 minutes depending on how much time you have and how deep you want the flavor to be. 
  • Add 10 cups of water, the parsley and the bay leaves Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down until the broth is simmering. 
  •  Simmer for an additional 15 minutes to an hour, again depending on how much time you have and how deep you want the flavor to be. 
  • Strain the broth through a mesh strainer. Set the broth aside for the Pho. The vegetables can be saved to be eaten if desired or discarded. 

Pho Broth
  • In a pot that can hold 4 qts of liquid, reheat 1 portion of the faux onion until the pan starts to sizzle. 
  • Add the cardamom and stir until combined with the faux onion mix. 
  • Add the salt and sugar, continuing to stir 3-5 minutes 
  • Add the star anise, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and peppercorns and stir for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. 
  • Add 10 cups of the vegetable stock, the soy sauce, the parsley, celery leaves, mushrooms, and one cup of water. 
  • Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Simmer for 30-60 minutes or until you are happy with the flavor. 
  • Strain the broth through a mesh strainer and return the broth to the pot. 
  • Adjust seasoning as needed and turn the heat down low to keep the broth warm, or let cool and store in the fridge for future use.

Soy Curls
  • Soak the soy curls and mushroom seasoning in the hot water for 2-3 minutes.  
  • Drain the water from the soy curls.
  • Heat up a pan. If needed add a bit of oil, or use the pan dry. Add the soy curls and sauté until browned.
  • Chop the finished soy curls into roughly 1 inch lengths.

Noodles
  • Put the rice vermicelli in a sieve inside a bowl large enough to immerse the noodles in water.
  • Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. 
  • Pour the water over the noodles and soak. Start checking at 3 minutes and leave in the water until just tender. 
  • Drain and rinse the noodles in cool water. 

To Serve
  • Divide the noodles and soy curls between four bowls, and add broth over the noodles and soy curls. 
  • Garnish with parsley, Thai basil, and a lime wedge. 
*Note: I used fine rice vermicelli as that is what we had in the house when I made this.

Inspried by Vegetarian Pho

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Brownies


Ingredients
  • 35 g unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 115 g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla
  • 200g sugar
  • 64 g sifted flour
  • 50 g pecan pieces (optional)
Method
  • Line a 9 x 9 inch pan with baking parchment or use butter and flour to keep the brownies from sticking.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  • Melt the butter and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 
  • Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. 
  • Spread batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.
  • Set aside, wait until they cool to cut and eat them.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Savory Pumpkin Carrot and Orange Spice Cake

This is a savory variation of Carrot, Orange, and Spice Cake that I came up with when I had some leftover pumpkin puree. This recipe makes enough batter for two - 9 inch round cake pans.
Ingredients
  • 1 - 15 oz/425g can of pumpkin puree
  • 100 g walnuts, chopped (optional)
  • 100 g  grated carrots
  • 1 orange, zest and juice only (about 75ml juice)
  • 20 g molasses 
  • 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier
  • 1 tsp orange extract
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 340 g all purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 200 g unsalted butter
  • 4 large free-range eggs
  • 20 g brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/360F/Gas 4. Line the base of two round 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Grate the carrots, zest and juice one orange and add the juice and zest of one orange. 

Combine the can of pumpkin puree, nuts, grated carrots, zest and juice of the orange, molasses, Grand Marnier, orange extract, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg and mix thoroughly. 

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan then whisk in the sugar, and eggs until smooth and well combined.

Add the butter mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined.

Add the flour mixture in and stir until the flour is well mixed in.

Pour the combined mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 - 70 minutes, or until a skewer or knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle (check after 40 minutes and cover the top of the cake if the cake is browning too fast).

Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before eating. This is a pretty moist cake so it is important to cool it completely as it on a wire rack to let it finish cooking as it cools.


Savory Pumpkin, Carrot, Orange, Spice Cake


Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Vegetable and Mashed Potato Pie




Makes 2 - 9 inch pies

Ingredients 

  • 2 - 9 inch pie shells
  • 5-6 large potatoes (russet or yukon gold)
  • 3T butter 
  • milk
  • 1T olive oil
  • 1 lb mushrooms
  • 2 c dry soy curl
  • 4 large carrots
  • 2 c frozen peas
  • 3 c water
  • 1 tsp dill
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp thai basi
  • ½ tsp yellow mustard seed, ground
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 2 T cornstarch
  • 2 T Soy sauce
  • ¼ c warm water


Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 200F and pre-bake the pie shells for 8-12 minutes or until the dough starts to dry out a bit. Set aside to cool.

Make the mashed potatoes: Peel and cube the potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the potatoes, add a pinch of salt and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Mash the potatoes using a mixer and add the butter and enough milk until they are the consistency you like. Set aside.

Soak the soy curls in hot water for 1-2 minutes or until softened.

Cut the mushrooms up into ½ inch pieces.

Heat the oil in a large fry pan.

Fry the soy curls until they start to brown, then add the mushrooms. Use medium to medium-high head and stir occasionally until all of the mushrooms are well cooked.

Put three cups of water into a saucepan and add the spices. Bring to a boil and add the carrots. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let the carrots cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the peas to the saucepan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then take the saucepan off of the heat.

Mix the Soy Sauce, cornstarch, and ¼ c warm water. Stir until well combined.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Add the soy curls and mushroom mix to the peas and carrots mix and stir until well mixed. Bring the mixture back up to temperature on the stove.

Add the soy sauce/cornstarch mixture to the combined vegetables, cook for 3-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Divide the vegetable filling between the two pie crusts. This should make just enough to fill both to the brim.

Top with mashed potatoes and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the pie crust has browned and the potatoes are starting to color.

Let cool for a few minutes before serving as the filling will be very hot.

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Scandinavian Rye Bread

This is my go-to bread recipe and I have found it is very adaptable. I've used it to make Dill, Walnut and Chocolate chip, and white loaves. 

Ingredients for Rye Bread
  • 175ml full-fat milk
  • 175ml water
  • 2 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
  • 7g fast-action dried yeast
  • 250g rye flour
  • 200g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tbsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp caraway seeds
  • sunflower (or other neutral) oil oil, for greasing
Alternate breads: 

Chocolate Chip Walnut
  • Substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
  • omit the caraway seeds
  • use ½ t. salt
  • when kneading for the 2nd prove/rise add in: 
    • 50g chopped walnuts 
    • 50g chocolate chips.
  • The 2nd prove/rise may take longer
Dill
  • substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
  • use 1T Dill in place of Caraway seeds
Pumpkin
  • omit the water
  • omit the rye flour
  • use 450 g of white bread flour
  • add 150 g pumpkin puree
  • add 50 g shredded carrot
  • add 1 tsp Grand Mariner
  • add 1 tsp of orange extract or the zest of one orange
  • add 1 tsp cinnamon
  • add ½ tsp cardamom
  • add ¼ tsp cloves
  • add ¼ tsp nutmeg
Wheat 
  • substitute wheat flour for the rye flour
  • omit the caraway seeds
  • use ½ t. salt
White
  • substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
  • omit the caraway seeds
  • use ½ t. salt

Instructions
  • Put the milk, water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring constantly, for just a few seconds until the liquid is lukewarm and the sugar has dissolved. 
  • Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl. 
  • (Note you can also microwave the milk and water and then add the sugar, or you can add warm water to cold milk to bring it up to temperature. The goal is to get the mixture to just about body temp (96-98F).
  • Stir in the yeast and leave for 5-10 minutes until there is a light froth floating on the surface.
  • Put all the flour, rye and white, in a large bowl, stir in the salt and caraway seeds, then make a well in the center. 
  • Pour the warm yeast mixture on to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon and then your hands to form a soft, spongy dough.
  • Turn the dough out on to a well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic; or, if you have a stand-mixer, use a dough hook to knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
  • Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with oiled cling film/plastic wrap.
  • Leave to rise in a warm place for about 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.
  • Put the dough on a floured work surface and knock it back with your knuckles, then knead for another minute.
  • Shape the dough into a fat oval, round loaf, or putting it into a loaf tin; pulling the dough from the top and sides and tucking it underneath to make a neat shape.
  • For shaped loaves: place the loaf on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, cover it loosely with the oiled cling film/plastic wrap. For bread in a loaf tin: cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap. Leave either type to prove/rise for a further 40–50 minutes until it has doubled in size once more. 
  • Once the loaf is done proving/rising a second time, score the top of the loaf 2-4 times. 
  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Bake the loaf in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes or until it is well risen and the base sounds hollow when tapped sharply. 
  • Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. (This is very important! The bread is still baking during this time. Cutting into it too early can result in an undercooked loaf).


Originally found at: Scandinavian Rye Bread (Hairy Bikers)


Dill Loaf, round with 2 cuts in the form of an X
Dill Loaf