Chestnut Flour Bread

The inspiration for this bread came from the November , English Country Living.  If you are looking for a classy bread to impress visitors,  this is the one.  Not only is delicious but also easy and relative quick.  Chestnut flour can be bought from a health food store and keeps well.  It also contains very little fat.

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200 g Chestnut flour
300 g White bread flour or Wholemeal bread flour. ( I used Laucke Crusty white Mix )  If using plain bread flour , add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
3 teaspoons of dry yeast.
400 g of warm water
1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Set oven at 200 o C

Place all ingredients in TMX and knead for 4 minutes.  While kneading,  look in hole in lid and if mix is very soft and not kneading but just going around,  add another 1/2 cup of flour.
Leave in TMX bowl or tip into another bowl., cover and allow to double.  It was 25 o and doubled in 30 minutes.
Tip on to well floured silmat and knead a few turns with hands.
Form into a shape that will fit into the lined baking tin. ( I used a cast iron pot with lid )
Cut 4  slashes across dough.
Spray with water and sprinkle with seeds of choice.
Place in warm place to double.
Place in oven and bake with lid on for 30 mins turning 1/2 way through
Remove lid and bake for20 mins.
Test to see that it is baked through by inserting a thermometer, it should reach 200 o F very quickly.  If not cooked , remove from tin and place on rungs in oven for 10 mins.

This was very nice served with Creamed Cheese