Wholemeal Walnut & Seed Bread

I'm a complete novice when it comes to 'proper' bread making.  My first attempt involved making a Doris Grant Loaf which turned out fine but it didn't make the aforementioned 'proper' level as it doesn't involve kneading. As I was thinking about what to bake this morning I thought it was about high time I actually graduated up to this next level. Walnut bread is one of my favourites so when I came across this recipe on BBC Good Food I decided this was the one to try. I'm pleased to say that it has turned out well despite a slightly anaemic looking crust (all advice welcome!).  We just had it for dinner with some delicious Spicy Chicken & Puy Lentil broth that Mr CB made.  It is quite dense but was so good eaten warm from the oven with lots of butter.


The Recipe


500g strong wholemeal flour
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 tsp salt
around 350ml warm water
mixed seeds (eg pumpkin & sunflower or whatever you fancy)
50g walnut pieces


1. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix together then make a well in the centre. Gradually add the water mixing it together until is forms a slightly wet dough. Use as much water as needed, which may not be the full 350ml. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead, while also adding the walnuts and seeds,  for around 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size. 
2.  Heat oven to 220c/gas 7.  Knock back the dough and then form into an oval, roll round in some more seeds, and place in a lighted oiled loaf tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for around 30 mins.  Bake the bread for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 190c/gas 5 and continue to bake for 30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack before eating (if you can!).

Doris Grant Loaf

So this recipe is from Lorraine Pascale's book Baking Made Easy although I actually got it from watching her TV show. I then got wondering who Doris Grant was and why the loaf was named after her. Doris Grant campaigned for use the of fresh, natural ingredients and minimal processing of food. Her obituary in The Telegraph is really interesting. It contains this quote which I think is brilliant: "In attacking agene, which was added to flour to make the bread easier to bake, she declared: "If you love your husbands, keep them away from white bread . . .If you don't love them, cyanide is quicker but bleached bread is just as certain, and no questions asked."

As a result of her interest in this area she started baking her own loaves of bread which became known as the Doris Grant Loaf. The key difference with this loaf is that it doesn't require any kneading. This came about by error - one day when she was making the bread she realised she'd forgotten to knead the dough. She then made up 2 versions of the loaf - kneaded and unkneaded - and asked her friends to tell her which one they preferred. They preferred the unkneaded version and therefore the Doris Grant Loaf below was born.

The recipe can be found here.