The inspiration for this bread came from the November , English Country Living. If you are looking for a classy bread to impress visitors, this is the one. Not only is delicious but also easy and relative quick. Chestnut flour can be bought from a health food store and keeps well. It also contains very little fat.
200 g Chestnut flour
300 g White bread flour or Wholemeal bread flour. ( I used Laucke Crusty white Mix ) If using plain bread flour , add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
3 teaspoons of dry yeast.
400 g of warm water
1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Set oven at 200 o C
Place all ingredients in TMX and knead for 4 minutes. While kneading, look in hole in lid and if mix is very soft and not kneading but just going around, add another 1/2 cup of flour.
Leave in TMX bowl or tip into another bowl., cover and allow to double. It was 25 o and doubled in 30 minutes.
Tip on to well floured silmat and knead a few turns with hands.
Form into a shape that will fit into the lined baking tin. ( I used a cast iron pot with lid )
Cut 4 slashes across dough.
Spray with water and sprinkle with seeds of choice.
Place in warm place to double.
Place in oven and bake with lid on for 30 mins turning 1/2 way through
Remove lid and bake for20 mins.
Test to see that it is baked through by inserting a thermometer, it should reach 200 o F very quickly. If not cooked , remove from tin and place on rungs in oven for 10 mins.
This was very nice served with Creamed Cheese
