Muesli loaf

Name: Muesli loaf
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients: whole milk 150ml, plus a splash for glazing; honey 4 tbsp; dried active yeast 1 tbsp; spelt flour 450g; rolled porridge oats 50g, plus a little extra; dessicated coconut 50g, plus a little extra; oat bran 50g; bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp; ground cinnamon 2 tsp; salt 1½ tsp; dried apricots 75g, chopped; dates 75g, chopped; sultanas 50g; dried cranberries 50g; mixed nuts 100g, pecans and almonds); sunflower seeds 25g, plus a little extra

1 hour 15 minutes + rising + proving
serves 12
Easy

This recipe for muesli loaf makes a dense, nutty loaf a little like soda bread. Packed with oats, coconut, nuts and fruit, we think it's great for breakfast.

September 8, 2015 at 10:40 am

Ingredients

whole milk 150ml, plus a splash for glazing
honey 4 tbsp
dried active yeast 1 tbsp
spelt flour 450g
rolled porridge oats 50g, plus a little extra
dessicated coconut 50g, plus a little extra
oat bran 50g
bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp
ground cinnamon 2 tsp
salt 1½ tsp
dried apricots 75g, chopped
dates 75g, chopped
sultanas 50g
dried cranberries 50g
mixed nuts 100g, pecans and almonds)
sunflower seeds 25g, plus a little extra

Method

Step 1

Warm the milk and honey in a small pan (or in the microwave) to hand-hot, then stir in the yeast and wait for it to bubble and froth.
Step 2

Meanwhile, mix the flour, oats, desiccated coconut, bran, bicarb, cinnamon and salt in your biggest mixing bowl. Tip in the yeasty milk mixture plus 200ml of hand-hot water and mix everything together to a sticky dough. Cover the bowl with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
Step 3

Tip the dried fruit, nuts and seeds into the bowl with the dough and knead in until evenly distributed. On your worksurface, use a little flour to help you shape the bread into an oval loaf. Carefully lift onto a baking sheet dusted with a little more bran or flour. Cover lightly with oiled clingfilm again, and leave to double in size. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Step 4

Glaze the loaf with a splash more milk and scatter with some extra porridge oats, coconut and sunflower seeds. Use a floured knife to slash the top a few times (it helps the loaf to cook evenly) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden, well risen, and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap its base. Glaze the loaf with a splash more milk and scatter with some extra porridge oats, coconut and sunflower seeds. Use a floured knife to slash the top a few times (it helps the loaf to cook evenly) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden, well risen, and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap its base.
Step 5

Cool on a wire rack before eating on the day with butter and marmalade or jam, or toasted over the following week.