Ingredients

570g strong wholemeal flour (I use Shipton Mill's 100% organic wholemeal flour)

50g bran

50g sunflower seeds

50g sesame seeds

50g pumpkin seeds

50g linseeds

2 tablespoons olive oil

480g hand-hot water

25g dark brown soft sugar

1 teaspoon salt

200g wholemeal sourdough starter (assuming 40:60 ratio flour:water, as per the guidance in the 'Focus On' sourdough section elsewhere on this website).

Method

Mix the dry ingredients and the oil in a large bowl. Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water, and add this to the mix, followed by the sourdough starter. Mix thoroughly, to give a soft, sticky dough. Divide between two buttered 1kg loaf tins, cover and leave to prove; proving time depends on a number of factors including the ambient temperature and the activity of your starter, but the dough should ideally get close to the top of the tins. I normally leave it for a few hours at around 20°C, but it should need less time at higher ambient temperatures. Bake for about 40 mins at 200°C (180°C fan) - putting a tray of boiling water in the oven at the same time will help the bread to rise more during baking.