Chili spiced Bread

Chili spiced bread is a wonderful flavored accompaniment with strong cheddar or a hearty broth. In this instance I couldn't resist tomato soup, so delicious. The recipe is enough for one loaf and there isn't too much effort involved. As with any home baked bread even flavored you have to allow the bread to rest periodically through out the creation process.

Chili spiced Bread recipe

225g Strong white flour

100g Wholemeal bread flour

200ml tepid water (more if you want a slack dough)

1 teaspoon/5g salt

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil + for brushing

15g dried chili flakes or chopped fresh chilies

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

I have used fresh chili for this bread but you can use dried chili flakes, to give it a bit more depth of flavour and a bite add ground cumin along with paprika. Total prep time including the bake will take around 2 and a quarter hours. As always you have the choice of making this bread with a mixing machine fitted with a dough hook or you can  hand mix. Start off by adding all of your dry ingredients, apart from your dried chili flakes if your using them. Blend them together and make a well in the center, now add your olive oil and water.

Start your machine on its lowest setting and mix for two or three minutes until the dough starts to come together. Increase mixing speed to two and mix for a further five minutes, you want a smooth elasticated dough. Now grease a plastic bowl with some olive oil and place the dough and cover in a warm place for around an hour.

While the bread has its first proof finely chop up two fresh small chilies, discard the seeds, unless you want it ultra hot. Knock back the dough (knock out the air bubbles) work in the fresh chilies and kneed to thoroughly combine, pop back into the plastic bowl and cover, leave for 5 minutes.

Mold or shape your bread dough into a bloomer type loaf and lay onto a baking tray with parchment paper, or greased tray. With a sharp knife slash diagonally then brush with olive oil, proof for another 40 minutes then bake in a preheated oven for around 35 minutes @ 200 centigrade

pre final proof

ready to bake

Chili Chili....