Give us this day....

I posted the other day about making a spelt and oatmeal loaf, and Lisa kindly asked for the recipe.  The trouble with me and reciies is that I always tinker around with them, depending mostly on what I happen to have in the cupboard at the time. This is quite a good one, in that the basic formula is there and there is lots of room for doing your own thing with it. It is in fact the Grant Loaf, made famous by Mrs Doris Grant in the 1940s

3lb spelt flour (or wholemeal or white or even thise multi-seed/grain bread flours that you can buy nowdays)

2 tsp sea salt (I don't ever put salt in and it is fine)
2 pints water at blood heat (usually half boiling and half cold works for me)
3 level teaspoons dried yeast (not fast acting kind)

2 level teaspoon honey or black molasses (or whatever sweetener you favour)


Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and set in a warm place along with three greased bread tins until thoroughly warmed.
Place 3 tablespoons of the water in a cup and sprinkle the yeast on top - leave for a couple of minutes
Add the honey, or whatever.  Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes until there is a thick creamy froth.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the yeast together with the remaining water.
Mix well, by hand is best, working from sides to middle until the dough feels slippery and elastic.
Divide at once into the warmed bread tins.
Cover with a cloth and set the tins in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until the dough has reached the tops of the tins.
Place risen loaves in centre of oven heated to 375°F (190°C) or Gas no. 5 and bake for 50-60 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave until completely cool. This bread keeps for about 5 days.

The big key to this bread is that you DO NOT knead it

If I am adding oatmeal then i take out about 3 oz of the flour and add the same amount of  medium oatmeal (not the porridge oats, but if thats all you have about you, then I'm sure it would be fine).
I usually throw in a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds without changing any quantities.
I also quite like sprinking the top of the loaves with linseeds - they come out beautifully toasty, but have also done this with other seeds.

I have been making this bread for several years now and it always turns out well - providing the kitchen is warm - if not, then it takes longer to rise.  Since the snow came in the middle of December, I have been making it twice a week.  I did buy a shop wholemeal once when we ran out and I was being lazy, but we couldn't eat it - it was soooo salty and frankly not very nice.  This makes a lovely nutty dense moist loaf which is very filling.  It takes no time at all to mix up - fast food at it's very best. Give it a try.