I remember lazy Sunday mornings when I was covered in flour, with messy hair, and without any intention of showering. After the bread was out of the oven, I cut out the perfect piece and spread it with butter and jelly. A simple meal at the weekend is not complete without an egg, good coffee, and some jam.
We discovered it when we lived in Portland. West Coasters are serious about their coffee, and we found it to be heartstruck.
Its name is the Heart. The quaint black and white coffee shop is nestled in a small strip of Burnside. It has huge windows, a giant roaster exposed in the middle of the store, newspapers scattered in a mess, hipsters who are blase, and the best lattes on the planet. What does this have to do with the bread? There’s a lot to it.
Heart Coffee, like most Portland businesses, supports local businesses, so they only carry the freshest baked goods in the area. Heart Coffee carries homemade whoopie pie, cinnamon rolls, giant muffins wrapped in berries and with plump berries gushing from the sides, and our favorite, muesli bread.
Muesli is a mixed granola that can be fruit, nuts, or seeds. Few people know that muesli on toast creates a euphoric blend of flavors with a sensational crunch. Butter and honey on your toast will make it a perfect breakfast.
John and I invited friends to jHearts for coffee at HeartHearty Sunday morning before going to church. Sometimes, no one was awake, and it was sometimes too loud for you to understand yourself. We were the only ones who showed up. There was always a freshly baked loaf of muesli waiting to be toasted and served with soft butter, local honey, and thickly sliced.
I was reminded of why it is smart to place the raisins in the middle of the bread. They will become crisp and need to be dusted off before you eat them. This little trick is a great way to save money. You’re welcome.
This batch was a great success. The outside is crunchy, and the inside is warm and soft. The nuts and fruit add sweet, crunchy notes. It was delicious with honey and butter. Once it has set for a couple of days, the base is perfect for a French toast Bake (recipe coming soon).
Ingredients
- Warm water, 1 1/2 cups
- 3 cups of unbleached white flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- Half a tablespoon of salt
- Fast-acting Yeast (3/4 Tbsp per pack)
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
Instructions
- Mix warm water (like bathwater or 110 degrees Fahrenheit / 43 C), salt, yeast, and flour together in a large bowl. This will result in a rough, sticky dough. If you are using a stand mixer, mix at medium speed for approximately one minute. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a spoon and stir until everything is well combined.
- Then, lightly spray the bowl or tin with olive oil or nonstick spray. Cover the bowl and let it rise in the fridge for two hours. Alternatively, you can let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours and then in the refrigerator for 2 hours. To save time, I went directly to the fridge.
- As the dough rises, place the raisins in a small dish and cover with water. Let the raisins soak for 20 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and set aside. This will prevent the raisins from burning or popping out of your bread.
- After the dough has risen, sprinkle it lightly with flour. Transfer to a floured work surface. After a few kneadings, add pumpkin seeds, raisins, and almonds. Knead the mixture until it is just combined.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking stone or lightly oiled baking sheet. Sift flour on top to keep the dough moist. Rest for 45-60 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). On the lowest rack of your oven, place a cast-iron or metal pan (not Pyrex or glass) and 1 cup of hot water.
- If you are ready to bake the bread, cut it 2 or 3 times, about 1/2 inch deep, with a knife.
- Pour hot water into the shallow pan beneath the rack and place the bread in the oven. Close the oven quickly if you see it bubble up.
- Bake the bread between 25 and 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the bread and let it cool on a cooling rack. Keep leftovers at room temperature in a zip-top bag.
