Sunflower Seed Bread | Eggless Baking

An easy way to add seeds and nuts to the diet is to bake it into bread. While there are all kinds of sweet breads that include seeds and nuts, its great to have a savory option that includes these nutritious and tasty ingredients too. Sunflower seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition. they are packed with minerals and vitamins and are a great addition to our diet. Here I add these seeds into one of my favorite bread recipes to add flavor and provide a satisfying crunch too. 

This bread is great for making sandwiches, but it is best toasted and eaten warm with lashings of salted butter!! Perfect for cold and soggy winter mornings. It also makes great grilled cheese - pair with a cup of tomato soup for a hearty supper.

Ingredients: 

3 3/4 cups bread or all-purpose unbleached flour 
7/8 cup rolled oats 
11/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk 
11/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp salt
11/4 tbsp instant yeast 
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (for the dough)

2 tbsp sunflower seeds (for topping the loaf)

Method: 

1. Soak the oats in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
2. Use 1/2 cup of milk proof the yeast. To do this, warm the milk in a bowl till lukewarm. Add the honey, then stir in the yeast. Cover immediately with a plate. Set aside for 5-7 minutes. At the end of that time the yeast should be frothing/bubbling. 
3. Add the remaining quarter cup of water to this mix. Stir well.
4. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the flours, and salt together. Pour in the soaked oats, and then the prepared yeast and milk mixture.
   
5. Mix well, until all of the flour is hydrated. If the flour appears too sticky at this point add an extra tablespoon of flour.
   
6. Knead by hand for 5 minutes or in a stand mixer for 3 minutes. Add half the oil, knead again for 2 minutes. Finally add the sunflower seeds. 
   
7. Knead gently or mix until the sunflower seeds are distributed evenly throughout the dough.
8. Turn the dough out into an mixing bowl that is greased with the remaining oil. Cover the bowl of dough and allow it to rise for 1 hour. 
   
9. Then remove the dough from the bowl and flatten it gently.
10. Turn around and roll it over. Place it back in the greased mixing bowl. Cover and let it rise again for an hour. 
11. Knock the dough down, then shape it into a loaf. Place this in a greased loaf tin. Brush the top of the loaf with water. Cover and let rise for 35-60 minutes. The loaf should have risen above the top of the pan.
12. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining sunflower seeds.
13. Bake on the centre rack of a preheated oven at 375F for 35-45 minutes or until the top of the loaf is nicely browned, the bottoms of the loaf make a hollow sound when tapped. 
    
14. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Then turn out the loaf to cool completely on a wire rack.
15. The bread will slice better when it is cooled. However if you would like to eat the bread still warm from the oven, allow it to sit on the rack for about 20 minutes before you slice it.

Good to Know

• This recipe make a good size loaf of bread.
• The rising times for the dough will vary considerably. This in part is dependent on the temperature of the room as well as the season. 
• If you are in a warmer climate, check the dough after 25-30 minutes. We want the dough to rise, not ferment! In a colder weather, find the warmest spot in your kitchen and allow extra time for rising.
• In hot weather, you can skip the second rise - Step 10. 

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:) 

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