Here’s a very nice quick and easy loaf. It has a good strong flavour and a pleasant soft, crumbly texture.

Makes: 2 small/medium loaves or 1 large one

Level: Very simple, quick and easy

Time: Baked and cooling, well within an hour

Need: No special equipment, but a plastic dough scraper is useful

Ingredients

400g/14oz wholemeal spelt flour, plus extra for dusting
100g/3½oz plain white flour
About 25g/1oz poppy seeds
2½ tsp baking powder or bicarbonate soda
large pinch salt
50g/1¾oz butter – melted
Up to 375ml/13fl oz buttermilk or natural/Greek yogurt or milk/lemon juice mix (300ml milk + 25ml lemon juice – mix and stir five minutes before needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C / fan 210°C / 475°F / Gas 8 – 9. Place a baking stone or a tray inside to heat up.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter and buttermilk/yogurt then stir and/or use your hands until just combined to a sticky dough.

3. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Shape into rounds using your hands and lift onto pieces of baking parchment. Dust with flour then mark a deep cross in the top of each.

4. Using the baking parchment, lift the loaves onto the pre-heated baking tray or stone and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until crusty and golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. (Add about 5 – 10 min. for one large loaf)

5. Cool on a wire rack and do your best to resist cutting and eating too soon.

I wish you every success with your bread making. I hope you have a go at this one and enjoy making and eating a lovely loaf. If you want to see more of my bread recipes click This link.

Here are some quite different breads that you might want to try:

Garlic Boxty Bread