FFTO March Challenge - Yeasted Recipe Using Local Flour

I decided to revisit one of the previous FFTO Challenges this weekend and make some more Herb and Onion Bread as I had some more fabulous flour from Lode Mill.  Here's how to make it:

The Fresh From The Oven Challenge back in March was hosted by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours.

The challenge was to bake something yeasted, using flour where you know either where it was grown or where it was milled.  After wracking my brains or a bit, I decided to purchase my flour from Lode Mill which is a working 18th-century water mill in the grounds of Anglesey Abbey Cambridge.

The mill operates on the first and third Sunday of every month (subject to the water level) and is open to the public. It's great for kids (and adults) to see the mill and all it's workings.  As an added bonus the oatmeal and wholegrain flour it produces is available for purchase.

I used the wholemeal flour I purchased to make some Herb and Onion Bread.

180 ml milk

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

180 ml warm water

2 tsp dried yeast granules (or 1sachet instant yeast)

365g plain flour

200g wholemeal flour

1 small onion

1 tsp dill seeds

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2-3 stems parsley

1 tsp sesame seeds

Chop the parsley and rosemary fairly finely and grate the peeled onion – a pickling onion is about the right size. Combine the flours in a large mixing bowl. My favourite formula at the moment is 365g plain, 200g wholemeal flour. If you are using dried yeast, sprinkle it onto the warm water in a small bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes to dissolve. Instant yeast should just be mixed into the flour.

Put the milk, sugar, salt and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts, and then set aside to cool slightly.

Add the chopped herbs, dill seeds and grated onion to the flour, then pour in the dried yeast and the warm milk mixture. (If you have used instant yeast add the warm water now.)

Mix everything well. The dough will be quite sticky. Turn it out onto a floured board and knead it gently for about a minute, then form it into a ball, and put it in a lightly oiled bowl.

Put a plastic cover or a damp, clean tea towel over the bowl and set aside to prove for 1-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size. Instant yeast works a little more quickly than dried yeast and the warmth of your kitchen will also affect the speed of the rise.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF/180ºC and lightly oil a large loaf tin. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, pat it out a little and then roll it into a cylinder and set it in the loaf tin. (Or you could divide the dough in half and bake it in two small tins.)

Leave the bread to rise for about 45 minutes, covered with a cloth. It should just be rising above the edges of the tin.

Brush the top of the loaf with milk or water and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes until it is well risen, a beautiful golden brown and sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom of the loaf.  Set aside to cool on a rack before slicing.