Seeded Oatmeal Apple Loaf

Can't you just imagine biting into this crusty, seed coated loaf of Seeded Oatmeal Apple Loaf? Made with a dose of sourdough starter and shredded apples for a sweet tang, the low rising loaf is perfect for smearing with peanut butter for breakfast.

With the blustery winds and snow outside courtesy of this week's weather, I felt like there was no better reason to get into the kitchen and bake my favourite thing - bread. It helps that mom is a bread-lover (or is it fanatic?) since I haven't eaten "real" bread in over a decade, and her weekly request allows me to be as creative as I care to be! This time I was inspired by a recipe that appeared in my feed reader using not only the Fall flavours of apples and oats but a favourite ingredient in my house - sourdough. With a bushel of local apples in our cold cellar begging for a use (other than the ubiquitous apple pies and squares mom creates each season), I pilfered a few and got to work!

This recipe is not a true sourdough - as in it uses yeast for a leavening boost. The sourdough does add a wonderful tang to offset the nuttiness of the seeds and oats and the sweetness of the apples, although not an obtrusive one (I love straight sourdough, but I wanted the other flavours here). The seed crust is, in my opinion, the best part of this recipe as it adds a great crunchy texture to the moist crumb and leaves "bits" to pick off the cutting board when you slice it! The loaf has a high hydration due to the apple, soaked oats, sourdough and extra water, so it does not rise overly tall - when I make this again I'm going to try putting it in a springform pan to see if I can get some height. However, the low rise does have one side benefit - a long slice is just wide enough to fit perfectly in your mouth, bruschetta-style! So load up your slices, toasted or not, with slices of Cheddar (a la Canadian apple pie) or peanut butter and honey (mom's favourite) and enjoy!

Seeded Oatmeal Apple Loaf
Adapted from Angie's Recipes
Makes 1 large loaf
100 g large-flake rolled oats
200 g boiling water
400 g grated apple (I left the peel on, your pick)
100 g cool water
200 g fed sourough starter
4 g instant yeast
550 g whole wheat bread flour
1/2 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsp seed mix (mine had a mix of hemp, chia, and flax seeds)

1. In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer), combine the oats and boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. Add the apple, cool water, sourdough starter and yeast, mixing well.
3. Add the flour and the salt and mix with the dough hook in a stand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon) for 8 minutes, until a sticky dough is made (it shouldn't really be "kneadable").
4. Scrape into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour.
5. Stir down and let sit 3 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, grease a large bowl very well.
7. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover and let rise until almost doubled.
8. Heat the oven to 410F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
9. Turn out the loaf onto the lined tray and sprinkle with seed mix (loaf will spread out and flatten, this is ok!).
10. Bake for 45 minutes, until crusty and testing 190F in the centre.