NO-KNEAD GRAINY BREAD
This super easy no-knead grainy bread was inspired by Annabel Langbein’s Busy People’s Bread. It’s quick enough to whip up on a weeknight, is full of goodness and tastes a bit like Vogel’s bread.
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years now. I don’t normally have the patience to make bread, so this no-knead option that rises while it’s in the oven is perfect.
Unlike some breads, it keeps you full for much longer as it’s packed with good grains, nuts and seeds. It’s especially delicious toasted although, like Vogel’s bread, it does take a while to toast. My favourite topping for breakfast is smashed avocado, baby spinach and a poached egg, with a sprinkle of dukkah on top and a few cherry tomatoes on the side. Yum!
Feel free to switch out the nuts and seeds according to your preferences – this is a pretty versatile loaf. Let me know what you think!
NO-KNEAD GRAINY BREAD
This super easy no-knead grainy bread was inspired by Annabel Langbein’s Busy People’s Bread. It’s quick enough to whip up on a weeknight, is full of goodness and tastes a bit like Vogel’s bread. Makes 1 loaf.
Ingredients
BREAD
- 1 cup boiling water (250ml)
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 cup cold water (250ml)
- 3 tsp yeast
- 1 1/4 cups high grade white flour (190g)
- 1 1/4 cups wholemeal flour (190g)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (65g)
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces (60g)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (70g)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (35g)
- 1/4 cup linseeds (40g)
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Place honey and boiling water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve honey. Add cold water, then stir in yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 60ºC (140ºF) fan bake. Grease a 23cm x 13cm x 7cm (9in x 5in x 3in) heavy-duty loaf tin with butter. You can also add a strip of baking paper in the middle, overhanging at the sides (this helps to pull the loaf out after it has cooked).
Add flours, oats, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, linseeds, chia seeds and salt to yeast mixture. Stir until combined (the mixture will be a wet batter). Pour into the prepared tin and level out. Sprinkle with sesame seeds then make a few cuts in the top of the loaf with a sharp knife – this helps it to rise evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes (this is the rising stage). If the bread starts to extend past the top of the tin before 20 minutes is up, move on to the next stage. Don’t open the oven.
Increase oven to 210ºC (410ºF) fan bake and cook for a further 35 minutes. Once cooked, the loaf will sound hollow when tapped and should be brown all over.
Carefully remove from the tin straight away and place on a cooling rack. Slice bread once cool. See recipe notes for slicing and storing recommendations.
Recipe Notes
DRINK MATCH: A cup of English Breakfast tea is perfect with this bread!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Unfortunately I don’t have a gluten-free alternative for this loaf. Have added it to my recipe development list!
INGREDIENT NOTES / SWAPS: You can change out the nuts and seeds according to your preferences. Leave out the walnuts completely if you prefer. Black sesame seeds or poppy seeds make a nice topping for the loaf (use them in addition to or instead of the white sesame seeds).
STORING AND REHEATING: This loaf keeps well for a few days – store in the fridge if the weather is hot and humid. I find it easiest to slice the day after it has been made. Usually I slice the whole loaf in one go and store in resealable bags in the freezer. I find thinner slices taste and toast better. Bread tastes best toasted once it is a couple of days old.
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16 Comments
Hi. I love this recipe and eat it in place of shop bread for toast daily. Do you know what the nutritional breakdown is of this recipe? I am embarking on a low processed food diet and need to keep track of the carb / protein / sodium etc count.
Thanks
Hi Liz, thanks for your feedback! Glad you are enjoying this recipe 🙂 Unfortunately I don’t have the nutritional information for my recipes at this stage, but there are quite a few free tools online that you could use to calculate this. ~ Josie
What a great adaptation to Annabelle Langbein’s bread! Much easier to handle (I assume the addition of chia seeds make it less sticky) and just the right amount of yeast. So quick to throw together too. Perfect!
Thanks so much for your kind feedback Petra!
Have you any tips for making this recipe with fresh yeast? I have made it twice and both times it rose, but not very much, and it came out a bit doughy and smelling quite strongly of yeast. I know it’s supposed to be a dense bread but I just want to make sure. It was still very tasty, especially toasted! The yeast converter I used said 3 tsp of dry yeast could be replaced with 25g of yeast, which is what I would have guessed based on the quantity of water. Does that sound right to you?
Hi Karin, I haven’t made this bread with fresh yeast so unfortunately can’t say for sure. That conversion does sound about right, and I believe fresh yeast can give off more of a yeasty smell and flavour. Next time you could try leaving it at the lower temperature for longer, until it has risen to the top of the tin. While it is a dense bread, it shouldn’t be doughy. Good luck! ~ Josie
Hi Josie, this is my absolute favourite bread that I make nearly every week!
How long do you think they dry mix would keep in a big jar? I like the idea of making it up for friends who have had babies etc so they just mix it with water honey and yeast.
Would the seeds go rancid?
Hi Rose, thanks for your message and sorry for my delayed reply!
So pleased you are enjoying this bread 😊
That’s a great idea! The dry mix should keep well in an airtight jar. If the ingredients are fresh to start with, I would think a minimum of 3 months (likely longer), as long as it is kept in a cool place out of the sun.
~ Josie
Hi Josie
After years of avoiding baking bread because it’s never been very successful, it’s brilliant to have such a great recipe, which is quick, easy and tastes amazing!
Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes now! 😊
Hey Emily, thanks so much for your review and sorry for my delayed reply! I’m so glad to hear you’ve been enjoying this bread 😊 hope you are all keeping well!
Hi, just made this bread and it is brilliant. I love the idea of mixing everything together and proving on a low heat in the oven. My bread came out much darker than in your picture, but I think it is because my oven runs very high so next time I might not take it up to 220 degrees, But I will definitely be making this again, so thanks for sharing.
As a personal preference, I will leave out the walnuts as I find the taste a bit overpowering. I am quite keen to try this with rye flour and add some acidity. I was thinking of replacing the cold water with a water/yoghurt mix, do you think that would work or will it damage the yeast?
Thanks!
Hi Rene, thank you for your comments and I’m really sorry for such a delayed reply! So pleased to hear you like this bread 🙂 Did you try it with rye flour and yoghurt? I think you could reduce the quantity of water by half (a mixture of cold and boiling), then proof the yeast and add 1 cup yoghurt when you add the flours etc. Let me know how it works out! ~ Josie
Absolutely love love love this bread! So easy and yummy.
That’s great to hear, Emma 🙂 so glad you are loving this!
This is the easiest and yummiest bread recipe I’ve used. Has quickly become a staple in our home!
Yay! I’m so pleased to hear that Melanie 🙂 thanks so much for letting me know.