In recent months, during and following lockdown it’s become very difficult to buy certain types of bread flour.
For months flour supply in many supermarkets became non-existent and it became a case of buying whatever you can get rather than what you wanted.
One of the flour types which has been difficult to find is Granary flour and for Granary fans like me, this is sad times! but what is Granary flour and is there an alternative you can use instead?
Granary flour is a trademark of the Hovis brand and it’s made using a combination of white and wholemeal flour along with malted wheat flakes and malted barley flour. The malted wheat is slowly toasted to create a rich and nutty flavoured bread with a nutty texture. Other flour brands produce Granary alternatives which can be identified by the term ‘malted flour’.
Read on to find out more about Granary flour and the alternatives you can use if Granary is unavailable.
Granary flour alternatives
To find an alternative to Granary bread flour, look for flours which are called malted or contain malted grains.
Bread-making at home has become increasingly popular and with more flour providers coming to the forefront.
Supermarkets are stocking an increasing amount of artisan bread flour made by smaller producers and some using traditional techniques.
You might be able to find a malted flour in your local supermarket and many are available online. Here are some malted flour brands which I recommend as an alternative to granary flour (including links to buy):
Shipton Mill light malthouse flour, they also sell malted flakes separately so you can create your own mix – available online directly from Shipton Mill
Allinson country grain also has a similar texture to granary – available at Tesco.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
Tips for using Granary or malted flour to make bread
Granary or malted flour usually contains a degree of wholemeal flour along with whole grains, which tend to be thirsty and will continue to absorb water throughout the kneading process – you may need to add a bit more water to the recipe.
Add a bit of butter to the mix (around 40g) – this will help to create a soft bread texture and will help your bread stay fresher for longer too.
Seeds work really well in Granary bread – add some to the dough and use them as a crunchy topping on the loaf.
Try making Granary or malted crusty bread rolls – these make a great side dish to many dishes (my favourite with these rolls is prawn cocktail), they’re amazing eaten warm with lashings of real butter.
Try this Hovis Granary bread recipe
I hope this post has helped you to find out more about Granary bread and what you can use instead if it’s unavailable.
If you want to have a try at making a Granary or malted loaf, see the recipe via the link below:
Making homemade bread is so rewarding, but it does take time and a bit of effort, so it’s understandable that you don’t want to waste one little bit of what you make.
Because homemade bread isn’t pumped full of additives, it just doesn’t last the same as shop-bought bread.
There are lots of new products and gadgets which have come to the market to keep bread fresh, but do they really work or should we just freeze excess bread instead? But does fresh bread freeze well and will it be as fresh as the day it went into the freezer?
The answer is, yes, homemade bread does freeze well, providing the bread is still fresh when it’s frozen and wrapped well it will remain fresh once it’s been defrosted. Homemade bread can be frozen as a whole loaf or in sections or slices for two to three months. You can also freeze other bread types such as rolls and pizza bases.
Read on to find out more about the best way to freeze homemade bread along with tips and advice to achieve maximum freshness from freezing and how you can make bread in batches for freezing.
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Freezing fresh bread
The best way to freeze homemade bread is to freeze it when it’s very fresh. With anything when it’s frozen there will always be a degree of change in structure, so it helps if what goes into the freezer is very fresh, to begin with. If you put stale bread in the freezer, stale bread will come out.
To do this you need to know if you’ll be using all of the bread within two days once you’ve baked it.
Anything longer than that and the bread will be going drier and drier and unless you’re using it for toasting it’s just not going to be as nice as it was in the first 24 hours – whatever you do to keep it fresh.
If you don’t think you’re going to get through it then freeze it fresh so it’s still good when you need it next.
Can you freeze bread in slices?
Bread can be frozen in either full loaves, in sections or slices as long as it’s wrapped up well.
If you don’t use much bread, then freezing it in small batches of slices can be a really good way to have a few fresh slices of bread when you need it.
How should you wrap bread for freezing?
To keep bread as fresh as possible while it’s in the freezer it needs to be wrapped well.
The best way to do this is by placing the bread inside plastic food bags which can be sealed tightly in some way, such as a zip-seal or tie top.
If you’re freezing slices of bread place them on top of each other in batches depending on how many you will use for at any one time and place in a sealed bag.
Try to freeze the bread in a space in the freezer where it can’t be squashed or damaged while it’s in there.
If you don’t have plastic food bags, you can also wrap the bread in a few layers of freezable clingfilm.
How to freeze bread without plastic
I understand that not everyone likes to use plastic packaging, although plastic does work well, you can use a paper alternative.
You can buy various sizes of paper bags from Amazon, there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re using paper:
The paper can get damp and tear in the freezer – keep it separate in the freezer from other items and consider double bagging.
If you’re wrapping bread in paper it may not stay fresh for as long as plastic-wrapped in bread – in this case, it is best to use it less than two months.
Other alternatives to freezing bread without packaging are wrapping securely in foil or using a reusable sealed box. I wouldn’t suggest the box option for freezing bread slices though because they could easily dry out.
Keep bread and raw meat separate in the freezer
When I first started a food business I had a lot of chats with our environmental health officer about the best way of doing things when it comes to food hygiene.
I always remember him telling me that you should store food in a freezer or deep freeze in the same way you use a fridge.
He said that one one of the biggest mistakes people make is keeping bread in the same drawer as raw meat and fish because the bread will never be cooked so once it’s defrosted bacteria will have the right conditions to thrive.
At the time, I’d never really thought of freezing like that – but now it makes complete sense.
So to be safe and to avoid cross-contamination, make sure the bread is properly sealed and kept separate from raw meat and fish.
How long does bread keep in the freezer
If it’s sealed and not exposed to the air, bread can be kept in a freezer for up to six months, but for optimum freshness and to prevent damage, I would use the bread within two or three months of freezing.
Whether the bread is whole, sliced or rolls will also affect how long you can keep it in the freezer, for example, a whole unsliced, sealed loaf is likely to stay fresher for longer than two slices of bread in a small bag.
If you freeze a lot of bread or you make it in batches for freezing, I recommend writing the date you froze it on the packet so you can use it in date order.
What is the best way to defrost bread?
The best way to defrost bread is simply by getting the bread out of the freezer and leave it sealed in the bag in a cool place to defrost.
If you don’t have much time to wait and the bread is sliced, you can place the slices you need on a plate and cover with cling film and leave it for around 30 minutes at room temperature.
You can also place frozen bread directly in a toaster, it may just take a minute or so more to toast than usual.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
How to make homemade bread in batches for freezing?
Making and freezing homemade bread in batches is a great way to save time so you always have tasty bread to hand just when you need it.
You don’t have to go all out, just making a double batch will save you making it next time, or you could just keep a get out of trouble loaf for when you forgot to buy bread for breakfast the next day and you don’t want to go out to the shop.
If you do want to go all out, then pick a baking day to make a bulk of dough and make the bread of your choice.
How long after you’ve baked bread should you freeze it?
Bake the bread when it’s as fresh as possible but make sure it’s fully cooled before you wrap it and place it in the freezer.
If the bread is still warm and producing steam it will go soggy when it’s wrapped up and it’s also not good for the temperature in your freezer.
If you’re slicing the bread for freezing, to maintain the right texture, make sure the bread is completely cool before slicing.
Freezing homemade pizza bases
I just wanted to tough on freezing homemade pizza bases before wrapping up this post, because doing this is a really good way to save time in future and to make a quick but delicious pizza when you’re in a rush.
Making pizza bases can be really time-consuming and also if you only want to make one pizza you can have a lot of dough left.
So while you’re making your pizza dough batch, make some extra and bake them for a few minutes in a high oven so they are firm but still pale and only part-baked.
Allow the bases to cool down fully, wrap them up and freeze. When you need your base, pull it out of the freezer and allow to defrost for a bit (they defrost very quickly). Then you just need to add your toppings, bake and enjoy!
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I hope this post has given you some helpful tips on the best ways to freeze bread. You might also find the following post useful:
Although sourdough is made using an ancient process, it’s only become a very fashionable way to make bread in recent years.
Also known as artisan bread, sourdough is popping up everywhere you look, from micro-bakeries to the supermarket shelf.
If you’ve never made sourdough or looked into the process of how it’s made you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. So what’s the difference between sourdough and normal bread?
The difference between sourdough and a ‘normal bread’ made from yeast is the fermentation process and the artisan methods that go into making it. Instead of yeast, sourdough is leavened using a sourdough starter which creates a slow fermentation in the bread dough. Sourdough uses simple ingredients and has a unique flavour and chewy texture.
Read on to find out more about the differences between a sourdough and yeast bread ingredients along with more information about the artisan techniques which are used to create sourdough bread.
So, what is a sourdough starter?
Although the sourdough process can seem a bit daunting, it’s actually really simplistic, it just requires time and nurturing to create what is effectively something amazing from something that’s so basic.
It all starts with a sourdough starter, which is the basis of sourdough bread and what creates the fermentation process which yeast would do in regular bread dough.
The starter is usually made in a jar by mixing a small amount of flour and water together, the jar is then sealed and left to ferment.
Fermentation occurs when microorganisms feed on the carbohydrate found in the flour, turning it into alcohol or acids.
The sourdough starter is regularly ‘fed’ with more flour and water to boost the fermentation process and increase the starter.
During this process bubbles of gas develop in the starter, regular feeding helps the sourdough starter become more and more active.
In some cases starters can become so active the lid can burst off the jar or it can spill out.
It can take two or three weeks for a sourdough starter to become read for use. Once the sourdough starter is ready, it can be used in the sourdough recipe to act as a raising agent in the dough instead of yeast.
You can use any type of bread flour in the starter, wholemeal flour tends to ferment better than white flour, but white will still work too.
Some bakers use grapes or apple to boost the process, personally I like to use just flour and water to keep the ingredients as basic as possible.
What’s the difference between yeast and a sourdough starter?
The fermentation process in yeast is actually similar to the fermentation process in sourdough, but the difference is you don’t need to add the additional yeast ingredient to the dough mix.
Yeast also contains microorganisms which ferment, produce by-products and gas bubbles which help the dough to rise.
Using yeast to make bread is much quicker than using sourdough, especially if you use a fast-acting dried yeast.
As soon as it’s added to the dough and kneaded, it’s active and ready and can make the dough double in size within an hour if the room is at the right temperature.
Sourdough can take many hours to rise and prove to the right level, but it’s this very slow fermentation process which creates all the flavour.
What ingredients do you need for sourdough
The beauty of sourdough bread it that it can be made using just three ingredients which are flour, water and salt for flavour.
The sourdough starter is made from flour and water and you just need to add that to more flour and water along with some salt to create an amazing sourdough loaf.
It’s sometimes difficult to believe that something which looks and tastes so good can be made from such simple ingredients, but this is what makes sourdough a truly artisan process.
Other ingredients can be added depending on the recipe, but I just wanted to explain how good sourdough can be in it’s purest form.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
What different techniques are used to make sourdough
Before making a sourdough loaf, it’s best to feed the sourdough starter the day before you use it to bake it become more active.
Sourdough starters can be kept in the fridge when not being used to keep it dormant and stop it from going off.
If you’ve been storing a sourdough starter in the fridge you’ll need to take it out 24 hours before it’s used to liven it up.
An amount of sourdough (around 300g) depending on the recipe is added to more bread flour, water and salt and kneaded as usual.
The dough is then left to rise for many hours before it’s knocked back and proved (proofed or risen again).
Before proving the dough for a second time, the sourdough is often shaped and placed into a proving basket where it can prove into the shape of the final loaf.
This prevents the dough from spreading out as it rises for many hours. Using a proving basket also helps to create a decorative effect on top of the dough.
Creating patterns on sourdough bread
Creating patterns on sourdough bread is becoming a form of art and there are many YouTube channels dedicated to bread artwork which is created using a simple razor-like tool called a lame.
As well as being decorative, the patterns and lines which are slashed onto the top of a sourdough loaf also have a functional purpose, in that they help the bread to expand as it’s baked in the oven.
Although patterns and slashes can be made on many types of bread dough, it has become a mark of the sourdough especially when it’s made to be sold.
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I hope this post has helped you learn a little bit about the differences between sourdough and normal bread.
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Many types of bread are leavened (risen) with yeast, but if for some reason you can’t eat yeast or would prefer not to then what are your options for bread which doesn’t contain yeast? The good news is there are many options when it comes to yeast-free bread.
Below are just some varieties which can be made without using yeast as a raising agent:
Yeast-free sourdough bread
flatbreads such as wraps or chapatis
Irish Soda bread
Australian Damper bread
Yeast-free banana bread
Read on to find out more about bread which don’t contain yeast and what ingredients or techniques are used to raise the bread instead. I’ll also explain why some bread doughs generally need yeast to rise.
Why do certain breads contain yeast?
Yeast is a microorganism which is used in many types of bread recipes and also for brewing beer.
When it’s used in bread dough it helps to create a fermentation process and produces gas bubbles which help the dough to expand and grow.
Yeast comes in either a fresh or dried form and it’s generally the best way to produce a higher rise in bread than other leavening (rising) methods.
There are other options though, and I’ll go on to explain them next.
Yeast free sourdough bread
Sourdough is an artisan and very pure way of making bread that doesn’t contain any yeast.
You can buy sourdough in speciality bread shops, market stalls, deli’s and some supermarkets or you can make it from scratch at home.
If you have a yeast intolerance, it’s still worth checking the ingredients as some supermarket bread may still contain some yeast and the sourdough element is used as a flavour rather than a rising agent.
Where sourdough is made properly it’s made using a sourdough starter which is usually made from flour and water, although in some cases additional ingredients such as apple may be added to boost the fermentation process.
The sourdough starter is then fed with more flour and water over time and becomes a bubbly lose dough-like ingredient which is added to dough ingredients and helps the dough to rise.
In many cases, sourdough bread can be made using just three ingredients, which are flour, water and salt – although additional ingredients can be added.
The rising process of sourdough takes much longer than bread which is risen using yeast. This longer process produces a crusty bread with a unique sourdough flavour.
If you can’t eat yeast, sourdough is a good replacement for yeast type bread and you can use it in many ways, including:
Sandwich bread
Toast and toasted sandwiches
As a side dish to a main meal
For croutons
and many more.
You can also use the sourdough process to make other yeast-free bread types:
Sourdough focaccia style bread
Sourdough baguettes
Sourdough garlic bread
Pizza bases
Sourdough ciabatta
You can also use various types of bread flour to create a sourdough starter and within the dough ingredients or you can experiment with a mix of flour types. There really are unlimited options when it comes to using the sourdough process.
Yeast-free flatbreads
This might sound like I’m stating the obvious, but some flatbreads get their ‘flat’ look because the dough which is used to create is not allowed to rise before it’s used.
If you can’t eat yeast for a specific health reason and you’re looking to buy yeast-free flatbread style bread, make sure you check the ingredients because there are many flatbreads which generally use yeast in the recipe.
Flatbreads which usually contain yeast are:
Naan bread
Pitta bread
Pizza
Sandwich style flatbreads
Focaccia
As a general rule, where a bread type has a puffed-up type look, then it probably contains yeast.
Flatbreads which don’t usually use yeast in the recipe are:
Chapatis
Sandwich or tortilla wraps
No-yeast flatbread
These flatbreads are quick to make and are usually made from just flour, yeast and salt. No rising is required and in most cases, these types of flatbread are cooked in a pan rather than an oven.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
Irish soda bread is a quick and easy yeast-free bread which is made using baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda) as the rising agent in the dough.
soda bread dough doesn’t need to be given time to rise, you just combine the ingredients, shape and bake.
You can make soda bread using white or brown flour and you can add more flavours to the dough such as cheese and onion.
Soda bread is often made using buttermilk as the liquid element of the bread and this helps to create a soft and creamy looking texture.
It’s quite a heavy bread, but it does work well as a side dish to soup and stews.
Find out how to make Irish Soda bread via the link below:
Australian damper bread is very similar to Irish Soda bread, but it’s usually made with a self-raising flour as the leavening agent rather than baking soda.
Damper bread was traditionally baked in a fire, so it’s a perfect bread to try on a camping trip inside a dutch oven (or stoneware style) lidded pot or pan.
Like Irish Soda bread, you can add additional flavours to make the bread more interesting and flavoursome.
Yeast-free banana bread
Most banana bread recipes are yeast-free, although there are some recipes out there which do use yeast – the majority don’t.
Banana bread is more of a moist cake-like recipe which is usually leavened using baking powder or self-raising flour.
You can add extra ingredients to banana bread to create more flavour and texture, including nuts, dried fruit and spices to create a warm flavour.
Try one my yeast free banana bread recipes via the links below:
Advice on what liquid to use in bread can be confusing, but once you understand the basics surrounding the science behind bread ingredients it makes it much easier to achieve the outcome you want from your homemade bread.
In this post, I’ll explain the different results you can achieve by using water and milk as a liquid in bread dough. So is homemade bread better if it’s made with milk or water?
If you’re looking to make bread with a crispy crust and a chewy texture then it’s better to use water instead of milk. If you want to make a soft bread with a soft crust then milk will help you achieve this. Milk contains fat which helps to create a softer bread which generally stays softer for longer than a bread made with water.
Read on to find out more about the different bread textures you can create by using milk as an ingredient in bread dough.
What does milk do in bread
Adding milk to bread will change the texture of the crumb and the crust. The table below shows the differences you will see when you substitute some or all of the water content with milk v’s bread made with water.
Bread made with milk
Bread made with water
Softer crumb
Chewier crumb
Whiter looking bread
more aerated texture
Softer, thinner crust
Crispier and thicker crust
Stays softer for longer
Tends to go stale quicker
Heavier more filling bread
Lighter bread
Sweeter flavour
More savoury flavour
In the image below the bread on the left is an example of a loaf I made which contains milk and the loaf on the right was made using water.
You can see the differences in colour, the texture of the crumb and the thickness of the crust.
How to add milk to bread dough
Adding milk to bread dough can be done in the same way as adding water.
As with water, when you’re adding milk it needs to be just warm or tepid and not cold straight out of the fridge.
If milk is cold it will shock the yeast and make the raising process very slow. I find that using milk in dough can also slow the rise down slightly even when the milk is the right temperature because the dough is slightly heavier.
How much milk should you use in bread dough?
Milk can be used to replace all of the water in the recipe or you could just replace part of it to make the bread softer while keeping the bread a bit lighter than it would be with all milk.
If you’re looking to make a milk loaf, then use all milk to replace the water element of the recipe.
I like to use half milk and half water for bread rolls and burger buns, because that way you get a lighter fluffier roll which is still soft inside and out.
You may find that milk bread has a much heavier feel and it’s more filling than bread made with water.
Milk bread also has a sweeter flavour because of the natural sugars found in milk. In this case, it’s probably not a good idea to add additional sugar to the dough because it will produce bread which is very sweet.
Which milk should you add to bread dough?
The milk you use in your bread is really up to you and the outcome you’re looking fro from your loaf.
Skimmed milk will produce a lighter less creamy looking loaf, where as a full fat or high fat content milk will produce a heavier, yet softer bread which is more filling and will be higher in calories.
I tend to use semi-skimmed milk to achieve a texture which is somewhere in the middle.
Some bakers prefer to use milk powder in their dough instead of milk and this works in the same way as milk by helping to produce a soft loaf.
It’s worth noting that if you go down the milk powder route you will still need to use water as the liquid element of the dough.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
Buttermilk is a nice ingredient to use in baking and can be used with milk and water in bread dough and in some cases on its own as the liquid element of bread dough.
It is heavier than milk, but it works well mixed with water or milk and it helps to produce a soft and creamy bread texture with a nice flavour.
Buttermilk is often used in soda bread to help create it’s distinctive texture, to find out more, you may like to read ‘how to make soda bread’.
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I hope this post has explained the differences between using milk and water in bread dough and how you can use either to produce different textures and bread types.
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In today’s post, I’m going to be discussing bloomer bread, what it is and how you can use it along with some tips on how to make the best bloomer.
Bloomer bread is an oblong-shaped white loaf with rounded ends which is made using strong white bread flour, yeast and water. The loaf is shaped by hand and diagonal lines are slashed across the top of the loaf before baking to create the classic bloomer bread look.
Read on to find out more about bloomer bread and it’s uses and tips on how to make the best bloomer.
Why is bloomer bread called bloomer bread?
Bloomer bread got its name from the process used for the proving process of the dough. Proving is the name for rising the dough for the second time in the intended bread shape.
Instead of rising bread in a bread tin and relying on the support of the bread tin to keep it in the correct shape, the bread is allowed to ‘bloom’ as it rises on a baking tray.
This is where the term ‘bloomer’ came from and it’s a technique used for similar loaves in the current day.
Bloomer bread flavour and texture
The freeform rising process used to prove the bloomer bread dough helps to create a crusty bread with a soft crumb.
The shaped bread can be left to prove for longer on a baking tray than a bread tin dough can be left. Longer rising helps to create a crispier crust with a stronger bread flavour.
Where did bloomer bread originate from
Bloomer bread is said to have originated from London bakeries and dates back to world war II. Although some sources say bloomer bread dates back further than this.
Bread was a staple part of the diet in wartime as many other foods were scarce but flour was generally available, although mixed with other types of flour.
Is bloomer bread made with white or brown flour?
Although you tend to see more white bloomer loaves, it can be made using various type of bread flours depending on personal taste and the outcome you’re looking for.
Here are just some bread flours you can use (other than strong white bread flour) to create a bloomer style loaf:
Wholemeal or brown strong bread flour.
Granary bread flour or a malted alternative.
White or brown spelt flour.
Rye flour or a rye/wheat mix (but be aware it doesn’t rise that well)
You can also use a mix of white and brown flour to create a lighter brown loaf.
Tips on how to make a good bloomer loaf
How to create the bloomer bread shape
Creating the classic bloomer shape is done by hand after the dough has risen (at least doubled in size in a bowl for the first time).
Follow the steps below to shape the bread:
Once the dough has risen, scrape it onto an oiled or lightly floured surface.
Flatten the dough out slightly and with your fists to create a rough rectangular shape.
Start folding the dough in on its self from each side to create an oblong shape.
Repeat until you have a tight and smooth top.
Turn the bread over so the seams are facing down and do some final shaping with the sides of your hands.
Place on an oiled baking sheet and leave to prove until the dough has doubled in size.
Creating slashes in bloomer bread
Bloomer bread has distinctive diagonal slashes across the top of the loaf. As well as looking decorative, these slashes are also functional too as they help the bread to expand as it rises.
The dough is slashed after it’s proved on the baking tray and slashes are around an inch (2.5cm) apart.
The best way to slash the dough is by using a sharp serrated knife or small bread knife. If the knife isn’t serrated, it tends to drag the dough which can cause the dough to deflate.
Slashes don’t need to be too deep (around 1/2cm), the deeper you go the wider the grooves will be on the finished loaf.
I like to leave the bread to rise for another 10 minutes before I place it in the oven to help the dough regain any lost rise after it’s slashed.
How to create softer bloomer bread
Bloomer bread traditionally has a crusty outer crust and a soft crumb interior. Good crusty bread can be achieved by using a basic flour, yeast, salt and water recipe.
When well risen and proved, you can create a light crumb with just these basic ingredients, while cooking the bread at a high heat will create a dark golden crispy crust which is full of flavour.
The downside of using just the basic flour, yeast, salt and water technique is the bread won’t last that long and will generally go dry after 24 hours of baking.
You can create a softer bread which lasts longer by incorporating some fat into the recipe and the best way of adding fat to a bloomer dough is by adding some butter to the dough recipe.
The amount of butter you add depends on the amount of flour used in the recipe. If the flour content is 500g, I use 30-40g of softened butter in the dough mix.
You can also achieve a soft dough by replacing some of the water content with milk. Milk helps to create a softer dough with a creamy colour.
How to stop a bloomer dough spreading as it rises
One of the main problems you can encounter when proving a bloomer loaf is the dough spreading instead of rising up. There are a few ways you can prevent this from happening:
Don’t make the dough too wet – although good hydration is good for texture, if it’s too wet it will become difficult to handle.
Create a good tight top when shaping the loaf – a good shape will help the dough to rise upwards instead of spreading.
Don’t let the dough over-prove – if the dough proves too far it can start to collapse back in on itself. The dough should be well risen but not to airy that it starts to sink.
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
Because bloomer bread traditionally has a crispy crust and a soft centre, it works well as an accompaniment to soups and stews.
A good-sized bloomer creates slices which work well as sandwich bread for any kind of filling.
Homemade bloomer bread also makes a really good toasted sandwich or crispy toast with jam or marmalade.
Enriched bloomer bread
Bloomer bread dough can be enriched to make the flavour and texture of the bread more interesting, especially if you’re making a smaller loaf. Here are some ingredient ideas you can add to enrich the dough:
Spelt flour with mixed seeds – Spelt flour has a unique slightly sweet yet nutty flavour. Use a brown spelt flour with a large handful of mixed seeds to create a nutty textured bread which is full of flavour.
Add Medertarainian flavours such as sun-dried tomatoes and or chopped olives.
Cheese and onion – use a flavourful cheese along with some caramelised red or brown onion.
Until next time…
I hope this post has helped you to learn more about bloomer bread and it’s uses – give the bloomer shaping technique a try, it’s well worth it and you’ll be impressed with the outcome.
