Bread

So I have baked three loaves of bread in the last three weeks! So good is this recipe that even I, as someone who is not big on bread, have eaten far too much. As you can see they all look a little different and I'm not sure why that is, but the taste is good and it is so simple. I wanted to share the recipe, it is from the Autumn 2010 3191 Quarterly (by the way did you see there will be another year, so great I've already signed up!)

Ingredients
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup whole meal flour (I've been using the callington mill flour)
1/4 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup tepid water
1/2 cup of beer (I've been using cascade pale ale but was talking to my stepbrother and he suggested coopers could be nicer - I tend to agree)
1 teaspoon white vinegar

for the seed crust:
1 egg beaten
anything you like really but I've been using a mix of poppy, sesame and pumpkin seeds.

Combine the flours, yeast, salt and whisk together in a large bowl. Mix in the water, beer, honey and vinegar until the dough comes together. Cover with cling wrap and leave overnight.

The next day turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth (not too many times). Line a pan with baking paper sprayed with vegetable oil (the same size or as close in size to a cast iron pot- that has a lid). Cover with cling wrap and let sit for another few hours (2 or so).

About half an hour before you are ready to bake turn the oven onto 260 celcius and place your cast iron pot and lid in the oven to warm (not the one with the dough). Brush the top of the dough with the egg mix and sprinkle with seeds and score the dough. Take the cast iron out of the oven remove the lid and carefully move the dough on the baking paper into the hot pot. Place the lid back on and place it back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 220 celcius and cook for 30 minutes, after this time carefully remove the lid and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Once cooked remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack. The bread should sound hollow when you knock it on the bottom.

that's it, eat with butter or toasted with butter and vegemite!