Fruit and Nuts

I don't normally show you half a loaf of bread...but this one got eaten so fast that I couldn't get a shot of the whole loaf. This was an experiment in baking, always a risky venture, that came out good. I was inspired by a great loaf of Four Seed Bread from Chattanooga's Niedlov's Breadworks. I looked at my local Walmart for the same  variety of seeds/nuts and came up with a trail mix that sorta filled the bill. It had a few more ingredients...raisins, dates, cranberries, soy nuts, pepitas or pumpkin seeds. OK it was nothing like the four seeds in the Neidlov's loaf, but it sounded good.


 A plain white bread dough just didn't seem right so I thought about adding whole wheat or ground flax meal, and decided instead to add molasses. Wha?
Well, I had molasses and didn't have the other ingredients.
Here's the recipe:
12oz warm water
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 heaping tablespoon molasses ( I really just poured a glop of it into the water)
and I added the zest of an orange which is totally optional.
Let that foam up while you mix the flour.
3 cups bread flour
3/4 cup trail mix
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Dump the dry ingredients into the wet, stir it up into a dough, cover and let rise while you knit or paint or do laundry. Or all three.
Maybe four hours later, check to see if it has risen to like the 7 cup line on an 8 cup Pyrex measuring   (which is what I  use to mix and rise my dough). At this point turn out the dough on a floured surface, and gently roll it into a loaf shape, placing it on a baking sheet covered with sesame seeds, or cornmeal, or parchment paper, which is all to prevent the dough from sticking to the sheet. Give the dough four or five cuts with a sharp knife, and cover with a towel for a second rise. I put mine in an unheated oven, since the house was rather cold. After about an hour or longer (whenever you have the time to bake it) preheat the oven (take out the bread!) to 425F and while it is coming to temperature, brush a beaten egg over the loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and a bit more salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes. I baked mine for 20 but I think it could have gone longer as it came out very moist. The crust was tender, not crunchy like the usual loaves I make.
I didn't have high expectations for this bread but was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was. Dave raved. Nuff said. I had it toasted for breakfast this morning and it was so yummy.
I am going to make it again today...perhaps tweaking it a bit. Maybe add cinnamon.
+++++++
Here's the latest painting...
Paint Play #5.
Acrylic on paper, 9x12". This started out as a monoprint done quite some time ago. Then I had some paint on my paper palette which is like waxed paper, and I placed it on the base paper, and ran a brayer over it, then pulled it up to reveal the print. Yesterday I painted into the print, bringing up the color and details. It is a very satisfying way of working.
I will be mounting this, as soon as I can buy a 9x12" canvas.
Looks more like my work...click for detail and click again for a really close look.