Pumpkin Seed, Walnut & Cranberry Wholewheat Loaf

Ingredients

300g coarse wholemeal flour

100g plain white flour

80g dried cranberries

A good handful of pumpkin seeds

A good handful of walnuts

7g dried yeast

1tsp sugar

1tsp salt

360ml warm water

Directions

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in a bowl or jug. Add the yeast and allow it to dissolve and activate. You'll know it's ready when it froths up on the top of the water.

Mix the flour and salt into a big bowl. When the yeast mixture is frothy, pour into the flour and stir it well to mix it though. This will be a very wet dough. Don't worry - it is meant to be. Toss the cranberries, seeds & nuts in a little plain flour, stir into the dough. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to proof for one hour. it will roughly double in size in that time.

While it is proofing, warm the oven to 220c. Put a cast iron casserole in and heat that up at the same time. After 1 hour, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Again, it will be very wet - don't freak out - it is meant to be. Sprinkle it with a little more flour.

Now fold it back on itself about four times to form a soft ball of dough. Line a bowl with grease proof paper and carefully pop the dough in to that. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 15 mins.

After 15 mins, carefully take your casserole dish out of the oven, it will be very hot, and pop the dough, still in the paper, into the dish. Cover and put it back in the oven. The fruit & nuts mean that this loaf needs a little more time to bake. Bake for 35 mins. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15-20 mins to get the crust nice and golden.

After 15-20 mins, take it out. Remove from the dish and importantly, remove the paper, before allowing the bread to cool on a rack. I can hardly resist cutting this loaf open & lashing on some butter before it cools. It is so, so good.