BREADS

SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH BREAD

Nutty wheat is a popular flour in South Africa. Comprising white bread flour and a percentage of digestive bran, it is rich in vitamins and minerals. However, it may be substituted with any other flour for this recipe. Poppy seeds are a good source of calcium while sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E.

• 600 g nutty wheat flour
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 4 tsp sesame seeds
• 4 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1¾ cups lukewarm water
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• TOPPING
• 1 Tbsp raw oats
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. Grease a large loaf tin. Combine all the ingredients, except the topping, and spoon into the tin.
2. Mix the oats and sesame seeds together, and sprinkle over the dough. Leave to rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 40 minutes.
4. MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF

BREAD WITH PUMPKIN AND SESAME SEEDS

Pumpkin, one of Africa’s best-loved vegetables, via its seed is also a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, essential in any healthy diet. Sesame seeds are full of magnesium and calcium, so all in all, this is a very healthy bread. It is also delicious and can be served with any simple meal, or even on its own dipped in olive oil. It is claimed that the Mediterranean habit of dipping bread in olive oil began in North Africa and spread from there to Spain, Italy and Greece.

• 200 g brown bread flour
• 100 g semolina
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 180 ml water
• 3 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast

1. Grease a medium-sized loaf tin. Combine all the ingredients and spoon into the tin. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 40–60 minutes. You will know when it is ready when it has doubled in volume.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 40 minutes.
3. MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF

CHEESE AND CHIVES BREAD

Spread with butter, this delicious savoury bread is good enough on its own, or you could serve it with extra cheese.

• 500 g white bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 6 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 100 g cheddar cheese, grated
• 50 g butter, softened
• 1½ cups warm milk

1. Grease a large loaf tin.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar, yeast and chives. Stir thoroughly until well combined, then add three-quarters of the cheese and the remaining ingredients. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to a bowl dusted with flour, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour. Knock the dough down and knead again. Place it in the prepared loaf tin and leave to rise again, until it doubles in size. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 40 minutes.
5. MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF

RAISIN BREAD

This healthy bread, with its slightly sweetish taste, is the ideal accompaniment to serve with a simple breakfast.

• 2 cups nutty wheat flour
• 1 cup white bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup digestive bran
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 1½ cups seedless raisins
• 1½ cups warm milk
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 50 g butter, softened

1. Grease a large loaf tin.
2. In a bowl, sift together the nutty wheat flour, bread flour and salt, then add the bran, yeast and raisins. Combine the milk and honey, then add to the dry ingredients, along with the butter. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly for 8 minutes. Place in a bowl and dust with flour, cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 1 hour. Knock the dough down and transfer to the prepared loaf tin. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 40 minutes.
4. MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF

TRADITIONAL WHITE BREAD

Many people in Africa still prefer white bread to brown bread and with the aroma of this newly baked bread permeating the house, who can blame them? The recipe instructions are for two large loaves, but you could make one extra-large loaf if you prefer.

• 1 kg white bread flour or cake flour
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 400 ml warm milk
• ¾ cup warm water
• 70 g margarine or butter

1. Grease 2 large loaf tins.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add the sugar and yeast. Combine the milk and water and mix in the margarine or butter. Pour this into the dry mixture and mix. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth. Transfer the dough to a bowl, dust with flour, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in volume. Knock the dough down and divide it between the prepared loaf tins. Leave to rise for 40 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Brush the tops of the dough with a little milk and bake for 40 minutes. MAKES 2 LARGE LOAVES

COUNTRY BREAD WITH OLIVE OIL

Baking bread with olive oil is typically North African. This style of bread has found its way south over the years.

• 500 g brown bread flour
• 100 g cake flour
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 180 ml warm milk
• 100 ml olive oil

1. Grease a baking tray with oil, then dust with a little flour.
2. Sift the bread flour, cake flour and salt into a large bowl, then mix in the yeast. Dissolve the sugar in the milk then stir in the olive oil. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and mix. Turn out onto a floured working surface and knead until smooth. Transfer the dough to a bowl, dust the top with flour, cover and leave to rise for 1 hour. Divide the dough in half and shape each into a round loaf.
3. Place the loaves onto the prepared baking tray and press them down slightly with the palm of your hand. Cut an ‘X’ into the tops and dust with flour. Leave to rise until they double in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. MAKES 2 SMALL LOAVES

SPECIAL CORNMEAL BREAD

Because mealie meal (corn or maize meal) is so nutritious and a staple food in most African countries, cornmeal bread is very common throughout the continent.

• 150 g mealie meal
• 100 g white bread flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1½ Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 50 g butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 150 ml buttermilk
• 150 ml milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease a medium-sized loaf tin.
2. In a bowl, combine the mealie meal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl, lightly mix together the butter, egg, buttermilk and milk. Fold this into the dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 25–30 minutes.
4. MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF

EGYPTIAN BREAD WITH VEGETABLES AND NUTS

In Egyptian cuisine, bread is part of most meals and in rural homes a meal may offer little more than bread and beans.

• 50 g butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 200 g white bread flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped cashew nuts
• 1 tsp chopped fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, basil)
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper

1. Grease a medium-sized loaf tin.
2. In a pan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add a little more water. Spoon into the loaf tin and leave to rest for 1½ hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF

OATS BREAD

Oats, a popular African grain, make for a great energy-boosting bread with a lovely nutty flavour. Simple to make, this loaf has a very high carbohydrate content.

• 150 g raw oats
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g white bread flour
• 200 g wholewheat flour
• 320 ml water
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• extra oats for sprinkling

1. Grease a large loaf tin.
2. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients (except the oats for sprinkling) together, then knead the dough until smooth. Transfer the dough directly to the prepared loaf tin, cover and leave to rise until approximately double in volume. Sprinkle with the extra oats.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 1–1½ hours.
4. MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF