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Malted seeded cob loaf

Ingredients

300 g / 10 3/4 oz organic white bread flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

25 g / 1 oz soft butter

75 g / 3 oz organic light rye or wholemeal flour
625 g / 1 lb 5 oz organic Light Malthouse flour or Three Malts and Sunflower flour

4 tbs seeds (I use a mixture of toasted sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and poppy seeds, toasting really adds to the flavour)

Optional - 2 tbs malted wheat flakes, or just use more seeds

2 1/2 tsp fast-action dried yeast

600 ml hand-warm water

Method

1) Add salt and sugar to white bread flour, then rub in butter - easiest to blitz for 30 seconds in a food processor.

2) Tip into large bowl - or stand mixer - and add rye/wholemeal and malted flours, wheat flakes, seeds and dried yeast. Stir well to mix. Add lukewarm water, mix, then knead for 10 minutes in stand mixer or on very lightly-floured surface until smooth and elastic.

3) Oil the sides of the bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm (or a - clean! - showercap) and prove in airing cupboard or warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.

4) Knock back, knead very briefly, divide into 2 and shape into 2 cobs, place on large floured baking sheet or side by side in a floured roasting tin.
Or shape to fit 2 floured 1.2 litre capacity loaf tins, about 23 x 13 x 5.5cm.

5) Dust with flour and cover very loosely with a clean tea towel. Prove in airing cupboard/warm place for another hour and a half, until well risen.

6) Preheat oven to 230 C conventional/ 210 C fan / 450 F. Put loaves into oven, reduce heat to 220 C conventional / 200 fan / 425 F and bake for 25 minutes. Check bottom of loaves sound hollow when tapped, remove from tin and leave on rack to cool. Timings may differ slightly, depending on your oven.

N.B. For 2 medium loaves, use 1 1/2 tsp each salt and sugar, 200g white flour, 15 g butter. Add to 50g rye/wholemeal and 500g malthouse flours, 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast, 3 tbs seeds and 1 tbs malted wheat flakes. Add 450 ml lukewarm water. Method as above, but bake for 22 minutes.