Wholemeal Loaf with Fava Bean Flour

Wholemeal Loaf with Fava Bean Flour

by Carol Kearns

As well as devising cake and biscuit recipes for the EDP Norfolk Magazine, Carol Kearns - who does the beautiful illustrations for our packaging - has developed this fabulous every-day loaf recipe using Hodmedod’s British grown and milled Fava Bean Flour.

"I’ve been making this loaf the same way for years now – indeed it’s one of the few recipes I can make from heart, I’ve baked it that often. However, I’ve recently started experimenting with fava bean flour as a flour improver and have been surprised by the difference it makes: the finished loaf has a much lighter texture (something much prized in a wholemeal loaf) and the crust has an divinely nutty taste.

I started by replacing just 5% of the wholemeal flour but now substitute a full 20% of the flour in the recipe with the fava bean flour."

This recipe uses fast action dried yeast so is easy to make and only requires one proving. It tastes delicious, adds substance to a sandwich or a salad, is a great accompaniment to a bowl of soup and is absolutely fantastic toasted. It keeps well too and can be frozen for up to a month.

Preparation time: 60-100 mins | Cooking time: 35-40 mins | Total time: 95-140 mins | Oven Temperature: 220C : Gas Mark 7

Makes a 2lb/900g loaf

Ingredients

  • 120g Fava Bean Flour
  • 480g Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1½ tsp (or one 7g sachet) Quick Yeast
  • 2 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
  • 400ml hand-hot Water
  • A small amount of dairy-free Butter

Method

  1. Begin by toasting the fava bean flour by cooking it in the oven on a small baking tray at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 10-15 minutes. Tip the toasted flour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, use the butter to grease a 2lb/900g loaf tin.
  3. Combine the wholemeal flour, salt, sugar and yeast with the toasted fava bean flour. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and enough of the water to bind the ingredients together. Using a wooden spoon, draw in the dry ingredients to form a soft dough. When it is almost mixed use your hands to form the dough into a ball.
  4. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth. Form the dough into a rectangle with the short end nearest to you. Pull the edge furthest away over to fold the dough in half. Pinch the edges together. Place in the greased loaf tin, seam side down.
  5. Cover with a damp clean tea towel and leave to rise until it has doubled in size (this can range from 45 minutes to 1½ hours depending on the ambient temperature). Towards the end of the rising time, pre-heat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.
  6. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35-40 minutes. Remove the loaf from the tin and cool on a wire rack. It should sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles - if it requires further cooking, return it to the oven, without the tin and lying it on its side, for a further 5 minutes.



Carol Kearns
Carol Kearns

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