Archive for Bread

Onion and kalonji bread

Kalonji seeds (sometimes called nigella seeds) are little black seeds used a lot in Indian cookery.  Apparently they're the seeds of the rather poetically named 'Love-in-a-mist' plant.  They're often used to sprinkle on naan bread, but here I've used them to enhance the flavour of a wholewheat onion bread.  You can buy them in specialist food stores and in most large supermarkets.  I made the bread in a bread machine, but the recipe could easily be adapted for hand baking.

1 3/4 cups warm water

3 tbsp dried skimmed milk powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

4 cups wholewheat flour

1 1/2 tsp fast action dried yeast 

3 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tbsp malt extract

75g crispy salad onions (ready-fried onions, sometimes sold as 'onion crispies')

2 tsp kalonji seed

1. Add the ingredients in the order specified in your bread machine's instructions (generally this means addding the water first, then the flour, and the yeast and other ingredients last, the idea being that the yeast doesn't come into immediate contact with the water).

2. Cook the bread on your machine's 'wholewheat' setting.

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Walnut bread

I got the idea for this bread after eating the wonderful Poilane pain aux noix in Paris. This savoury bread recipe is intended for a bread machine, but could be adapted for hand baking. Baking using a bread machine isn't as fun as doing it by hand – you don't get to vent your frustration on the dough – but it's certainly quicker.
Eat this bread with a strong cheese (such as a blue cheese or good gruyere) marmite, marmalade or whatever takes your fancy.
Makes 1 large loaf

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp dried skimmed milk powder
4 cups wholemeal bread flour
1 1/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid powder (vitamin c)
2 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp malt extract
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Use the 'wholewheat' setting on your bread machine, adding the ingredients in the order specified in your bread machine's instructions. With most bread machines you'll have to either use the special nut dispenser for the walnuts, or add them when the machine beeps during the second kneading.
Bon apetit!

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