I make this or a variation of it every week. I tend to cook it in a 1lb loaf tin, because I have an old Hovis one and it amuses me but I have doubled it and baked it in a 2lb tin. I like this recipe because it’s quick to mix up.

Tip: grease the tin REALLY well. Lard, beef fat or even vegetable shortening works best as it clings to the sides and corners of the tin. If you don’t, you will have a fight.

I use a mix of ground seeds; flax is a constant as it gives a good texture but I change up the other seeds and the additions.

The cocoa is for colour but if you feel like adding in a bit more with some some nuts and dried cranberries it makes a very good fruit loaf.

It’s not an airy loaf, please don’t be disappointed, but it’s relatively easy and keeps very well. Plus it doesn’t use eggs so if you use vegetable shortening it’s vegan.

You will need:

Scales, a large mixing bowl, a well greased 1lb baking tin, and a coffee/spice grinder if you want to grind your own seeds.

A stand mixer is not necessary but the more you knead it, the better a rise you get.

Ingredients

• Flax seeds, ground: If you buy ready ground, keep them in the fridge as they go stale fast. I buy whole then grind as I need them.
• A mix of other seeds, ground: I’ve used sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, and you can probably use chia, but I haven’t tried that yet.
• Ground almonds: Shop around; prices vary. I do like the Purima brand.
• Vital Wheat Gluten: This gives it the rise, but obviously makes the bread not suitable for coeliacs. You cannot substitute this.
• Oat fibre (optional): NOT oat flour, oat fibre is low carb. It’s also as fine as icing sugar, so be warned.
• Dried yeast: The kind you just add straight in.
• Olive oil: I only ever use extra virgin, but use what you have.
• Salt: Whatever salt you want.
• Cocoa: For color. The more you add the darker the loaf.
• Sweetener of your choice: If you want a slightly sweet bread, but this is optional.
• Chopped nuts: If you fancy them.

Method

Set your bowl on the scales and zero them.

Add in 3 tbs ground flax into the bowl. Don’t zero the scales.

Add 6 tbs of whatever mix of other ground seeds you have.

Check what everything weighs, then add in enough ground almonds to bring it up to 135g.

Zero the scales again, and add 125g vital wheat gluten (or 100g wheat gluten and 25g of oat fibre if using.)

Then add 3 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast, sweetener if using and whatever nuts/dried fruit you fancy. Today I added in 3 tbs sesame seeds.

Mix it all briefly then mix in 250g of warm water.

Stir well until no dry ingredients remain.

Give it a good knead to activate the gluten. It’s sort of sticky and bouncy.

The more you knead, the better the rise but often I don’t bother.

Shape into a rough oblong and pop into the prepared tin.

Smooth the top and make sure it reaches the corners.

Cover and leave to rise for an hour in a warm room. If you used a stand mixer it might rise over the tin a little.

Bake at 185C fan for 40 minutes.

Let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack. Don’t slice it until it is cooled completely. Low carb loaves cook for a while as they sit.

This loaf had 1 tbs cocoa and a 25g sachet of mixed nuts and fruit.

This one was plain; no cocoa, no nuts and I used a stand mixer.

For this one I doubled the recipe. Bake it for 50 minutes.