Look no further. This gorgeous, rustic loaf is so simple, nutritious and a game changer if you avoid gluten and struggle to find that perfect alternative properly good toast. Here is your winning ticket!
My boyfriend who is the hardest of judges even said this beat his regular bread (win!)
Check?
Perfect crunchy crust? Check ✓
Doughy, centre? Check ✓
Top flavour and all that jazz? Check ✓
Oh and there’s no proving needed, just grab a bowl, measuring jug, a baking tray and clear a workspace to get baking. Let’s go!
Ingredients:
350g self raising flour (I used Doves)
2 tsp bicarb soda
Pinch of salt (1/2 tsp)
1 dessert spn sugar
1 tsp ground turmeric (optional and barely detectable)
1.5 tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
300ml butter milk with a twist: (1 tbsp ACV or lemon juice mixed with 180ml whole milk, 100ml cashew milk and 2 dessert spn bio-live yoghurt – I used Yeo Valley)
50-70ml cold water (as needed)
GF rolled oats to sprinkle on top + a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Preheat oven to 220c and very lightly grease a baking tray.
In a mixing bowl, add the GF flour, bicarb, salt, chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, ground turmeric and the sugar.
Mix well and set aside.
In a measuring jug, make your buttermilk: Add 1 tbsp of ACV or lemon juice and then pour the milk(s) and yoghurt in. Stir well and leave for 5 minutes.
In the main mixing bowl, add the buttermilk to the dry mixture and stir together, forming a soft dough.
Add in the water a little at a time, mixing well. Don’t worry if the mixture is a little wet, the next step will even things perfectly…
Heavily flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it. Knead gently over the floury surface, making sure everything is well combined. Add extra flour if the mixture is still rather wet.
Shape the dough into a rough circle and gently move onto the baking tray.
Drizzle the loaf with olive oil, a handful of GF porridge oats and a little sea salt.
Bake for 40-45 minutes in centre position until golden on top.
Let cool and slice into portions
*Can be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing the whole loaf before freezing if you choose to do this so you can toast portions as and when needed and keep it from going off.
*You can use white or brown bread flour as an alternative to self raising – just add an extra 1/2 tsp baking soda if so.
*I recommend using electric scales for precision
*Vegan? – Use soya/cashew milk and plain soya yoghurt for the buttermilk.