Homemade Sunflower Seed Bread

Four words. Homemade. Sunflower. Seed. Bread. Now this was a huge accomplishment for me as it was my very first time making bread! I have made dinner rolls before, but never a whole loaf of bread. Even though I was super nervous about it, it actually turned out pretty darn perfect! So, I think it’s time you jump on the bandwagon and learn how to make bread at home with me! Plus, guess what? NO BREADMAKER REQUIRED!

It’s so much more fun to make your own bread at home. Especially when you end up with a delicious, golden brown loaf topped with sunflower seeds. The crust came out with just the right crispness. The texture on the inside is delightful, soft and fluffy.  The aroma that wafted through the kitchen as it bakes, also didn’t hurt. Not one bit. It’s what I like to call pure joy. I seriously cannot get over how it turned out. Proud home cook right here!

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Yeast

What terrified me most about baking bread was yeast – I have this misconception in my head that it’s going to be so difficult to work with, well no. I was wrong. It turns out that it just isn’t that scary at all.

The main to things to keep in mind when working with yeast is:

1.  make sure you’re using good yeast,  and
2. be careful with the temperature.

If yeast is stored in a warm area (either at your home or in a warehouse), the temperature could kill the yeast, even before the expiration date. Dissolving yeast in hot water will do it too, so watch out for that! It’s best to use warm water.

On the flip side, when setting your dough to rise, make sure the room is not too cold. The low temperature will prevent the dough from rising as well. Ideally, you want the temperature to be slightly above room temperature (at least 75-80ºF (24-26ºC)). Alternatively, you can rise your dough in a preheated oven set at 100-120ºF (around 40-45ºC).

So go ahead and take the plunge and try to bake your own loaf of homemade sunflower seed bread. You will be pleasantly surprised! And remember, there are not too many things better than the smell and taste of freshly baked bread enjoyed in the comfort of your own home!

Homemade Sunflower Seed Bread

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★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
• Prep Time: 20 minutes + 1 hour wait time
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: -25574541.6667 minute
• Yield: 1 loaf
• Category: Bread

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Description

Delicious, golden brown loaf of homemade sunflower seed bread is soft and fluffy on the inside, and crispy on the outside. There are not too many things better than the smell and taste of freshly baked bread enjoyed in the comfort of your own home!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (not hot!)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, divided
• 1 cup plain, all-purpose flour + some more for dusting
• 3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, all-purpose flour, and wholemeal spelt flour. Bring it all together to make a soft dough – you can use your hands or a wooden spoon.
3. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead, dusting with flour as needed. Knead for around 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic (be patient and use the full 10 minutes as this will pay off with light, airy bread!).
4. Once kneaded, place dough in a bowl, cover with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Ideally, you want the temperature to be slightly above room temperature (at least 75-80ºF (24-26ºC)).
5. Add salt and sunflower seeds (reserving 1 tablespoon for crust) to the dough and stir in.
6. Grease a 5×9-inch tin with some oil. Push the dough into the tin firmly, pushing out air. Cover and let it rise again, about 30 minutes.
7. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of sunflower oil, scatter with the remaining tablespoon of sunflower seeds, and bake for 60 mins, until well risen and golden.