#seedy bread

This is for Uncle Peter too. When I discovered that the seed-filled supermarket bread I'd brought you lot up on was, in fact, not wholemeal, but made with white flour and colouring syrup (urgh!!), I developed this bread. Dad now makes it regularly. This makes 4 large loaves. (He cuts them in half and freezes them all.) Choose a day when you're going to be at home lots, then get started first thing in the morning (it has more risings than most bread). It uses a total of 4 1/4 lb (almost 2 kg) flour. You can, of course, omit the seeds.

Get a very large bowl and pour in

48 fl oz (1.345 litres) lukewarm water (for lukewarm, use 1/3 boiling and 2/3 cold)

Add 

4 fl oz (190 ml) runny honey

and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle over

8 teaspoons dried yeast

then stir in

7 oz (200g) dried milk powder

1 3/4 lb (785 g) wholemeal flour

Beat for 100 strokes, then cover with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm place for 30-60 minutes, until doubled.

Add and stir in:

4 fl oz (115 ml) olive or sunflower oil

2 1/2 tablespoons salt

3 oz (85 g) sunflower seeds

2 oz (60 g) sesame seeds

2 oz (60 g) linseeds

2 oz (60 g) pumpkin seeds

2 oz (60 g) poppy seeds

2 lb (900g) wholemeal flour

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and use some or all of a further

8 oz (225 g) wholemeal flour

to knead and turn vigorously for an unremitting 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If you stick a knuckle in it, it will plump straight out again to its previous shape.

Wipe out the bowl, put the dough back in it, cover and leave in a warm place to rise for 1-2 1/4 hours, until doubled.

Tip the dough out onto the table (lightly floured), and punch it down flat, all over. Knead it into a ball again, put in the bowl, cover and rise for 40 minutes - 2 hours, until doubled again.

Take 4 large loaf tins. You could oil them, but I use those pre-shaped paper liners.  (No sticking; no scrubbing!) 

Tip the dough onto the table and divide it into 4 by sawing it with the side of your floured hand. Form each piece into a loaf shape and plop into a tin, smooth side up. Cover and rise in the warm for 20 minutes - 1 hour, until the dough has risen above the tops of the tins.

Bake at 180C for about 30 minutes. Turn onto a rack to cool.