Gluten Free Rustic Four Seed Bread

Recipe

This Gluten Free Rustic Four Seed Bread is the perfect loaf. Soft, fluffy bread studded with nutty mixed seeds and crusted with sesame seeds, a couple of slices will transform your toast, sandwiches, or even garlic bread. Gluten free, dairy free, AND vegan!

Seeded bread is one of my all time favourites. The taste and texture you can get from a loaf with a good mix of seeds is unrivalled in my humble opinion, especially when toasted and slathered with butter and Vegemite!

This loaf is no exception. Based on my brilliant Pane di Casa Style Loaf, it has all the softness and light chewiness with all that flavour of the seeds. What's more, it's very easy to make, even if you're not confident with bread.

How to make Gluten Free Rustic Four Seed Bread

Mixing the Dough

The process for mixing this dough is nothing special. We get the yeast and psyllium ready first, mixing them individually with some of the water and sweetener (in this case honey) and setting them aside while we measure everything else. The dry ingredients, seeds and all, get combined in a large bowl, either for a stand mixer or with a spoon to mix by hand, and then those yeast and psyllium mixtures and the other wet ingredients are tipped in. A bit of mixing and you're done! My only tip is to try and scrape all the way down to the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is mixed in. If you're mixing by hand, start it off with a spoon or sturdy rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together, then get your (clean!) hands in there and knead and squeeze it until it's thoroughly mixed.

First Proof

I coat my doughs in oil to make sure they don't dry out during proving. We just need to drizzle about a tablespoon around and on top of the dough to coat. You can't really go wrong with the first prove, it's relatively forgiving and mostly for flavour, but the dough should double in size.

Kneading

It's important to give the dough a bit of a knead on a lightly floured surface before shaping. This get's all the air out of it and makes it easier to get a good shape.

Shaping the Loaf

To shape the dough we first need a nice, smooth surface on the dough. I just knead mine, folding it over on itself, until one side it smooth. Then, place it smooth side down on the floured surface and press it out into a sort of rectangle shape. Fold the two short sides of the rectangle into the centre, press to stick them down, then fold the top side into the centre and press. Fold the remaining bottom side up and over the top side and pinch all the seams to make sure the loaf keeps it shape - you should have a kind of sausage shape. Flip the dough sausage over so it's seam side and roll it back and forth on the surface until it measures about 9 x 21cm. I like to put a bit more pressure on the ends of the dough to get a slightly tapered result.

Second Proof

The second prove is the more important prove, and also the one that's harder to get right. It takes some practice to learn when your dough is ready to bake but I have some things to look for. Firstly, the dough should at least double in size. Secondly, it's about how the dough feels. It should feel airy when gently prodded, and you shouldn't be able to feel any dense areas. The seeds make it a little harder in this recipe, but you should still be able to feel the little air bubbles inside the dough. Once you think it's airy throughout, it's ready to bake!

Seeding and Scoring

Spray or brush the loaf with a little bit of water and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. I use my hand to gently spread them over the surface of the loaf to get a good coating. Then, use a bread lame or sharp knife to cut the dough all the way down the length, aiming for about 1.5cm deep.

Baking the Bread

The easiest bit! 220ºC is the perfect temperature for this loaf. Hot enough to get a good crust, but not so hot as to burn the seeds. A hot metal tray with a little boiling water in the bottom of the oven helps to get a good rise and crust.

Cooling and Storage

Unfortunately, this loaf is best cooled before slicing. It's not awfully gummy in texture when you cut it hot, but it can tear the bread when you slice it too early. You can, however, cut into it when it's still a little bit warm and it'll be absolutely delicious. The good news is it stores really well in an airtight container for a good four days or so, and if you slice and freeze it it will keep even better! The bread will be best served toasted after about day two, which is similar for all homemade bread.

What can I use this Gluten Free Rustic Four Seed Bread Good for?

You can use this bread for anything and everything! In its first couple of days it makes a great sandwich, but right from day one it also makes fantastic toast. I've even used it for garlic bread with great success!