Lavender Nutty Loaf

by Abu Bakar Latip
(Malaysia)

As promised before, I will try to contribute healthy recipes for those who are interested in good and balance healthy diet.

Today I would like to guide you on one of my specialty home-made bread. A full delivery of wholesome sourdough bread. Just a basic nutty loaf, with all the finest ingredient which are readily available in our pantry or you may need to purchase some of it from the grocery close to your home. No frills and no funny stuffs such as preservative, additive, essence and those chemically food enhancer which are very bad to our health. So, today we will be baking a delicious nutty bread or we name it " Lavender Nutty Loaf".

Lavender Nutty Loaf

Ingredients:
5 Cups of high protein flour
1 cup of Chatiaka Flour or Semolina
1 Cup of non-flavored Oat flake
1/4 cup of powdered almond
1/4 cup of dried slice Hazel nut
1 tsp lavender seed
3 tablespoon of brown sugar
2 teaspoon of fine salt
1 cup of low fat milk
1/2 teaspoon of yeast or baking powder
1 cup of lukewarm water
2 tablespoon of olive oil

Procedure:
1. Sprinkle the yeast into 1/2 cup of lukewarm water. Lets it rise for about 10 minutes.

2. Heat up the low fat milk in a sauce pan until lukewarm - don't over boil. Lets it cool down for a while. Than pour into dough bowl.

3. In a dry saucepan, heat up the pan with lowest flame, pour the oat flake and consistently stir until brown, be careful not to burn the flake. Turn of the flame and lets it cool off.

4. When the yeast rise, pour it over the milk and stir slowly into an even mix.

5. Add the chiataka flour or semolina flour into the mixing bowl.

6. Add in 1 cup of the high protein flour.

7. Add in the brown sugar (brown sugar an unpolished white sugar, not gula merah)

8. Add in the salt.

9. Add in the browned Oat-flake into the mix.

10.Add in the powdered almond, hazel and lavender seed.

11. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

12. Add in the remaining flour.

13. Add in 1 table spoon of olive oil or you may use any vegetable oil.

14. Slowly and steadily knead the mix until its turn into a dough. 10 minutes of kneading will do.

15. Let it stay in the mixing bowl, cover with a clean wet towel and let it rest for about an hour.

16. Time to attend to other chores around the house. You have an hour. Or you may just take a rest and relax.

17. 1 hour - time up, turn and heat up your conventional baking oven, adjust your tray to the middle level of oven. Turn the knob to 190 degree centigrade.

18. On a clean kneading board, divide the dough into 3 equal portions. (2 portion for pounder bread and 1 portion divide into 5 equal portions for bun)

19. Knead the portion one by one for about 5 minutes - sprinkle some flour into the baking pan to prevent sticking. Place one portion each into a rectangular baking pan. The remaining portion of 5 buns place it on a flat baking pan. All the above dough must allow to rest for about 10 minutes, covering with clean wet towel.

20. Before you put the baking pan into the oven, make a regular interval of incision on top of the dough. Glaze it with olive oil or any vege-oil, sprinkle the slice hazel nuts on top.

21. This is important, by now your oven should be fully heated, take 1/2 cup of water and pour into the oven water pan - be extra careful. The water may sizzle up, why? the steam release out will be absorb readily by the dough, thus make your bread soft and nice.

22. Bake for about 30 minutes.

That's it.

2 loaf of "Lavender Nutty" and 5 buns. You may eat it for breakfast with coffee or dip into cream soup or just for a snack during tea time or coffee break.

For me, it's dinner time for 2 adults and 3 growing kids, dipping it into a creamy mushroom soup or potato light cream pottagee.

Of course no rice tonight!!!

Any issue just write in the comment and will try to assist.