This is a really simply overnight dough recipe that produces a reliable loaf of bread. Similar to Sourdough in texture but for ease it is made with Easy Bake yeast. The Linseeds give a beautiful depth of flavour (be warned you will be finding stray Linseed in your kitchen for weeks afterwards!)

Overnight Linseed Bread

Recipe by Bay Tree Baker

Servings

10-12

servings

Cooking time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 3g Easy Bake Yeast

• 400g strong white bread flour

• 100g Rye flour

• 20g honey (optional)

• 30g Linseeds for dough

• 30g Linseeds to coat

• 8g salt

Directions

• Day one
• Add yeast into a large bowl and add 360g tap water (doesn’t need to be warm) stir to combine and break up any lumps
• Add honey, flours, Linseeds and finally, salt. Give it all a good mix until all the flour has been combined(I tend to use a silicon spatula as they are easy to clean but it’s fine to use your hands if you prefer.
• Leave to sit for 30 mins
• After 30mins the flour will have absorbed some of the water. This is a no-knead recipe so you all your messy work will be done in the bowl and not on your worktop.
• To build strength in the dough we are going to fold it. This basically means taking the corners, gently pulling upwards and over the dough over, turn the bowl and do the same again for a few rotations. Enjoy the process, you don’t need to be too exact, you are just gently building strength.
• Leave the dough for 30 mins and then repeat the folding.
  
• Cover the bowl (cling film, or a plastic shower cap) and put it in the fridge overnight. The dough will need at least 12 hours in the fridge, but if you leave it until the following evening it will be fine, really, this is a very forgiving recipe.
• The following day
• Remove your dough from the fridge and dust your worktop lightly with flour. Empty the dough onto the worktop and gently pull the sides out to form a rough square, fold the four corners over to the middle of the bread and then flip it over.
  
• Now do your best to form a ball with your hands, tucking the dough under itself as you go. Be gentle here as you want the gas bubbles in the dough to help it rise in the oven.
• Cover the ball of dough with the linseeds. You may find it easier to fill a bowl with linseeds and upturn your dough into it, adding more linseeds by hand to any gaps you find.
• Cover with a t towel and leave to prove.
• Proving time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and may take anywhere between 1 or two hours, but you are looking for the dough to have risen roughly doubled in size.
• Now do your best to form a ball with your hands, tucking the dough under itself as you go. Be gentle here as you want the gas bubbles in the dough to help it rise in the oven.
• I cook the bread in a dutch oven (a large cast iron pot with a lid big enough to easily fit my dough).
  
• Preheat your oven to 230oc with your cast iron pot inside.
• Once your oven is heated you are ready to coat and cook your bread.
• Gently place your dough on a piece of baking paper leaving enough spare at the side for you to lift the dough in and out of the cast iron pan.
• Score a 1nch deep cross on top of your bread (this will prevent it bursting out at the sides during baking).
• Now gently lower your dough on it’s paper into the pan, put the lid on and cook in the oven for 25mins
• After 25mins remove the lid, reduce oven temp to 200oc and cook for a further 30mins until golden in colour. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Leave on a cooling rack until completely cool (if you can wait that long!)

Recipe coming soon.

This cake is a chocolate lovers dream! The beautiful hit of dark chocolate and just the smallest hint of coffee to balance out the bitterness. What more could want? I’ve used salted butter here to further enhance the flavour but you can use unsalted if you prefer.

Chocolate Espresso Cake

Recipe by Bay Tree Baker

Servings

10-12

servings

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 180g fine dark chocolate (no more than 70% cocoa solids)

• 1 small espresso shot

• 140g salted butter

• 5 free range egg yolks

• 200g caster sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 90g plain flour

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 180oC
• Grease and line a 23cm diameter spring form cake tin
• Melt the chocolate gently over a low heat in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  
• Add the coffee and stir very gently to combine. When the chocolate has melted add the butter and keep stirring until it has melted.
• Meanwhile beat the egg whites till stiff, then gently fold in the sugar.  Mix the baking powder with the cocoa powder and flour.  Remove the chocolate from the heat, stir in the egg yolks, then slowly, firmly and gently fold the melted chocolate into the egg whites.  Lastly add the flour and cocoa mixture.
• Fold the mixture with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out any air. Be careful not to overmix.
  
• Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake for 30 – 35 mins
  
• Leave to cool in its tin then turn out.

Recipe coming soon.

Dream Cake originates from Denmark, the bottom layer is a batter sponge that is light as a cloud. The topping is a rich coconut sugar mixture, the perfect compliment to the simple base. This recipe is pretty straightforward but the finished cake is surprisingly sophisticated. Makes about 12-16 slices and it keeps really well for a few days in an airtight box. A small slice will satisfy even the sweetest tooth.

Danish Dream Cake

Recipe by Bay Tree Baker

Servings

12-16

servings

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• For the sponge

• 3 medium eggs

• 225g caster sugar

• 225g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 150ml whole milk

• 75g melted butter

• For the topping

• 50g butter

• 75g desiccated coconut

• 125g dark brown sugar

• 40ml whole milk

• A pinch of salt

Directions

• Grease and line a 23cm diameter cake tin
• Preheat your oven to 175oC
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract until light and frothy
• Fold the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Add the milk into the melted butter and then add this into the batter.
• Fold in gently until combined, being careful not to overmix.
• Pour the batter into your cake tin and bake in the oven for 35-40mins
• While the cake is cooking you can begin to make your topping. Simply add all the ingredients into a saucepan and gently melt on a low heat, stirring to combine.
• Remove the cake from the oven just before it starts to brown, carefully spread the topping over the cake in a even layer and then return to the oven for a further 5 mins.
• When the topping starts to brown, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin a little before placing on wire rack to cool completely (it’s best to leave the cake in the paper to cool so you don’t loose any of the delicious topping!).

As soon as autumn rolls around I find myself making a batch of these lovely buns most weeks. More bready than cake, a lovely light dough is gently spiced with cinnamon and a small amount of sugar to give it a hint of sweetness. They last for about three days and then they are just as lovely when toasted and buttered.

Spiced fruit buns

Recipe by Bay Tree Baker

Servings

8

servings

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 7g easy bake yeast

• 500g Strong white bread flour

• 25g light brown sugar

• 
  25g unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 50g mixed dried fruit

• 275g water

• 7g salt

• 1 beaten egg to wash the tops

Directions

• In a large bowl, add yeast, flour and butter. rub the butter into the flour until it is all combined
• Add the sugar, cinnamon salt and water and mix to combine.
• Either by hand or using a stand mixer, knead the mixture until it forms a soft springy dough
• Add your dried fruit to the dough and knead it in until all the fruit is combined evenly.
• Cover the dough and leave to double in size (around 2 hours)
• Place your dough on a lightly floured worktop
• Divide into 8 equal pieces and shape into balls
• Place on a lined baking tray, cover and leave to double in size
  
• Preheat your oven to 200oC
• Once the buns have doubled in size, brush the tops with beaten egg
  
• Place in the oven and cook for around 20 mins or until golden on top
• Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool

Recipe coming soon.

Recipe coming soon.

This poppy seed plait is otherwise known as cloud bread in my house because when you cut a slice is fluffy and white in the shape of a cloud. This is family favourite in my house and it’s an absolute treat to have a fresh slice with butter and jam. It’s an enriched recipe with butter and milk so makes a really lovely white loaf that is perfect for bacon sandwiches too! When toasted it smells amazing and has a brioche-like taste.

With 700g of flour it is a big loaf but it can usually last us the majority of the week (if we aren’t too greedy!)

Poppy seed Plait

Recipe by Bay Tree Baker

Servings

10/12

servings

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 7g grams of Easy Bake Yeast

• 400ml milk
  50g salted butter

• 700g strong white flour

• 1 tsp caster sugar

• 1 egg for glazing

• 2 tbsp poppy seeds

Directions

• Add the butter and milk to a saucepan and warm on a low heat until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Add the yeast, flour and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Add your milk and butter mixture once it is lukewarm.
• Mix with a large metal spoon or a spatula to combine.
• Knead the mixture to form a soft dough. You can either do this in a stand mixer or bay hand.
• Cover and leave to prove until double in size (around 2 hours)
• Lightly dust your worktop with flour and empty your dough on to it.
  
• Gently form your dough into a long oblong shape and then, using a knife or bench knife, divide it into three logn sections.
• Press the three ends of your dough together and then form a plait, tucking the ends underneath the loaf.
  
• Cover the dough with a t towel and leave to prove until double in size.
• Preheat your oven to 200oC
• Place your dough on a baking sheet, brush to top with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds
• Bake at 200oC for around 30-40 mins or until the top is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
• Place on a wire rack to cool