Name: Carrot Bread
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients: 350 g plain flour; 150 g wholemeal wheat flour; 250 g carrot; 7 g dried yeast; 280 ml water; 1 tablespoon honey; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1.5 teaspoon salt; 50 g sunflower seeds; 0.5 teaspoon ground caraway; plain flour; olive oil; sunflower seeds; rolled oats

Step by step process

Preparing the carrot and yeast

1
Start making your carrot bread by preparing the carrot: peel it and grate finely. Leave the grated carrot in a bowl for a few minutes so it releases some juice, which you will incorporate into the dough.
2
Pour lukewarm water (about 35 °C) into a small bowl, add honey and dried yeast. Stir gently and leave for 10 minutes until a foamy cap forms on the surface - this means the yeast is active.
TIP:
Dissolve dry yeast in lukewarm water (35-40 °C) with sugar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Foam and a sour smell indicate active yeast. The water must not be too hot (yeast will die) or too cold (activation will slow down).

Making the dough

3
Sift the plain flour into a large bowl, then add the wholemeal flour, salt, ground caraway, and sunflower seeds. Briefly mix with a wooden spoon to distribute the salt evenly.
4
Add the activated yeast mixture, olive oil, and grated carrot with its juice to the bowl. Work everything together first with a spoon, then by hand into a smooth, soft, and slightly sticky dough - knead for about 10 minutes.
5
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or cling film and leave the dough to rise in a warm, draught-free place for 60-75 minutes, until it doubles in size.

Shaping and second rise

6
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently press out the air, and shape it into an oblong loaf to fit your bread tin.
7
Grease the bread tin with a thin layer of olive oil and place the loaf inside seam-side down. Lightly spray the surface with water, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and oat flakes, and gently press so the topping sticks.
8
Cover the tin with a kitchen towel and leave the loaf to rise for another 30-40 minutes, until the dough fills the tin nearly to the rim. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C (top and bottom heat).

Baking

9
Before placing in the oven, score the surface of the loaf lengthwise with a sharp knife to a depth of about 1 cm - this allows the dough to rise evenly.
10
Place a heatproof dish with hot water on the bottom of the oven - the steam helps create a crispy crust. Put the tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 200 °C.
11
After 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180 °C and bake for a further 25 minutes, until the loaf turns a beautiful golden-brown. The finished loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cooling and serving

12
Carefully turn the baked carrot bread out of the tin and leave it to cool completely on a wire rack - at least 45 minutes. Cutting warm bread would result in a sticky crumb.
13
Slice the cooled loaf and serve with butter, cream cheese, or alongside soup. It also tastes great lightly toasted.