Sesame seed Bloomer

A wonderfully fresh baked Sesame seed Bloomer that fills your home with that delicious just baked smell. Baking bread in your home brings enormous satisfaction and once you have mastered the basics it's a cinch. This Sesame seed Bloomer is made with very little effort and is as standard as you can get, using strong flour, salt, sugar, yeast, butter and water. The real difference with tasty bread is achieved by patience, allowing the bread to rest improves the flavour. Many people prefer to make their bread by hand... nothing wrong with that, but with a decent mixing machine fitted with a dough hook you can do just as good a job without the tired arms.

Sesame seed Bloomer recipe

500 grams Strong white flour (good quality flour)

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon caster sugar

7 grams dried fast bake yeast

15 grams unsalted butter (you can use vegetable or olive oil)

300ml water tepid (take the chill out of the water)

Sesame Seed Bloomer Method

Put all your ingredients except the dry yeast and water into a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, mix until blended thoroughly, now add your dried yeast. Start the machine off in slow speed and add your water, allow the mixture to start forming a dough and once it starts to come away from the sides of the bowl increase the speed to 2 and mix for a full five minutes. You will now have your bread dough, wrap the top of the mixing bowl with cling film and leave to prove (rise) for 2 hours. Its very important that you allow the dough at least 2 hours to prove as this will enhance the flavour.

After two hours Knock back the dough by hand, this will knock out all the air, now mould the dough into a Bloomer shape and place onto a floured baking tray. Place the bloomer in a warm place to rise for an hour, you can use your grill with the door closed or put a light tea towel over the bloomer (keep away from drafts).

Turn your oven on 40 minutes into the last prove (rise) and set the temperature at the highest your oven will go, typically 240˚C this is for the first five minutes, and will give you the elements for a shiny crusty bloomer.

Once proved for an hour brush the top lightly with water and sprinkle some sesame seeds over the bloomer, slash the top of the loaf several times with a sharp blade. Have your oven as high as you can get it and have a jug of boiling water ready to fill a small roasting tray at the bottom of the oven. Place your Sesame Seed Bloomer into the oven and quickly pour the boiling water into the roasting tray at the bottom of the oven, then again quickly shut the door, this will allow the steam from the water to do its job of giving the bloomer a nice shiny and crusty appearance. Bake for around 40 minutes... sorted!

Wholemeal Bloomer

Wholemeal Bloomer recipe
320g Strong white flour
200g wholemeal bread flour
12g salt
5g caster sugar
15ml live oil
15g dried yeast (easy bake)
350ml tepid water