Seed Bread; Brown and White.

I went through a patch where I didn't buy bread, I just made my own, but the last time I bought yeast, it was Hovis instant dried yeast and the bread made from it was totally tasteless so I was waiting until I got nicer yeast and got out of the habit!

I used to be intimidated by yeast bread making. My mother always made her own brown bread and our neighbour when we were kids taught me how to make her own white soda bread so these we not a mystery. But when I did start using yeast, I was so gobsmacked at how easy and quick it was and how amazing the results are, I was hooked.

This recipe is a multi-purpose recipe, I use it for pizza bases and you can do any type of bread with it. This idea of cooking bread in rolls came from an artisan bakery I was in one time in Cork, but I have seen all the famous chefs do a version.

These quantities make the two loaves in the picture. if you use 20cm tins. Although a bigger tin works too, it just makes the rolls a little wider and shorter.


You will need

1kg strong white flour
1Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
3 7g sachets of instant yeast or I use Allinson's dried active yeast. (go by quantities and instructions on the tin)
600ml blood warm water

Mix the flour and salt together with your hand and make a well in the centre
Add in most of the water, the sugar, and the yeast and stir it with your hand (leave one hand out of the mixing process, you'll need one hand that is not covered in dough.) Add the water as you need, until the all the flour has been picked up and you have a dough. Put onto the worktop with a sprinkling of flour and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is pliable and elastic and has a silky texture.

Put into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. (30 - 45 mins)

Preaheat to oven to 200 c
Punch the dough to deflate it, and knead again for a couple of minutes.
Then divide the dough into 16 pieces and form each piece into a rough roll shape.
Place eight into each cake tin (floured) with one in the centre and seven surrounding it.
Leave aside to prove covered by a teatowel.

When risen a little again, brush the rolls with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds.
I used poppy, sesame. sunflower and pumpkin seeds here.
You could also add herbs, cheese, bacon, or really any flavouring you fancy here.


Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes at 200c keeping an eye on it. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.




This time, I replaced quarter the white flour with strong brown flour. I put 500g white in one bowl and 250g white and 250g brown into another bowl.  I made two mixtures, using half the rest of the ingredients in each and continued as above. It means I have half brown and half white in each wheel of rolls.

This is a great recipe for school lunches and it freezes really well covered in cling film