• Fennel, rye & raisin bread

    A must try bread recipe!

    PREP TIME 20 minutes + 1.5 hours rising | COOK TIME 40 minutes | SERVES 10 | VEGETARIAN

     

    INGREDIENTS 

    • 3 tsp (10 g) dried yeast
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 baby fennel bulbs
    • 2 ¼ cups wholemeal spelt flour
    • 1 ½ cups rye flour
    • 3 tsp sea salt flakes
    • 3 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
    • 140 g raisins

     

    METHOD

    PLACE yeast, honey and 1 ½ cups lukewarm water in a jug; stir until yeast dissolves. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir in the oil.

    FINELY grate 1 fennel bulb; squeeze out excess liquid. 

    USE a mandoline or vegetable slicer to shave the second fennel bulb into very thin slices.

    SIFT flours into a large bowl; add husks left in sifter to the bowl. Stir in salt, 2 tsp of the fennel seeds and the grated fennel. 

    ADD yeast mixture; mix to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. 

    FOLD raisins gently into the dough. Place dough in a large oiled bowl; cover and stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    TIP the dough out onto a well-floured surface and punch down to remove the air. 

    SHAPE into a 30cm oval; place on a large sheet of baking paper and slide onto an oven tray. Cover; stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

    PREHEAT the oven to 220°C. Place an oven tray in the oven to preheat.

    SPRAY the top of bread with oil. Place shaved fennel on top; sprinkle with remaining fennel seeds. 

    QUICKLY and carefully slide the bread with the paper onto the hot tray. Bake for 40 minutes, covering with foil if it starts to overbrown, or until browned and it sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

     

    FOOD TEAM TIP: Enjoy this slightly sweet savory bread as is or with a little butter. It would also be delicious with goat’s cheese or cream cheese. 

     

    Fennel, rye & raisin bread

    Serves: 10
    Prep Time: 20 minutes + 1.5 hours rising time Cooking Time: 40 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3 tsp (10 g) dried yeast
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 baby fennel bulbs
    • 2 ¼ cups wholemeal spelt flour
    • 1 ½ cups rye flour
    • 3 tsp sea salt flakes
    • 3 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
    • 140 g raisins

    Instructions

    1

    Place yeast, honey and 1 ½ cups lukewarm water in a jug; stir until yeast dissolves. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir in the oil.

    2

    Finely grate 1 fennel bulb; squeeze out excess liquid. 

    3

    Use a mandoline or vegetable slicer to shave the second fennel bulb into very thin slices.

    4

    Sift flours into a large bowl; add husks left in sifter to the bowl. Stir in salt, 2 tsp of the fennel seeds and the grated fennel. 

    5

    Add yeast mixture; mix to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. 

    6

    Fold raisins gently into the dough. Place dough in a large oiled bowl; cover and stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    7

    Tip the dough out onto a well-floured surface and punch down to remove the air. 

    8

    Shape into a 30cm oval; place on a large sheet of baking paper and slide onto an oven tray. Cover; stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

    9

    Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place an oven tray in the oven to preheat.

    10

    Spray the top of bread with oil. Place shaved fennel on top; sprinkle with remaining fennel seeds. 

    11

    Quickly and carefully slide the bread with the paper onto the hot tray. Bake for 40 minutes, covering with foil if it starts to overbrown, or until browned and it sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

     

    Made this fennel, rye & raisin bread? Tag us @foodandhomesa #cookingwithFH on Instagram!

     

    ALSO SEE: Buckwheat with rye bread garlic mushrooms

    https://www.foodandhome.co.za/recipes/buckwheat-with-rye-bread-garlic-mushrooms

    Feature image: Aremedia