ingredients
makes 8 slices
175 g (6 oz) medium oatmeal
1 1/4 cup (1/2 pint) 300 ml semi-skimmed milk
1 cup (150 g) 5 oz plain wholemeal flour
1 cup (150 g) 5 oz strong plain flour (bread flour)
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
1 sachet easy blend dried yeast
2 oz (50 g) polyunsaturated margarine
2 tbsp (30 ml) clear honey
beaten egg, to glaze
2 tsp (10 ml) medium oatmeal, for sprinkling
method
1. Lightly grease a 15 cm (6 inch) round deep cake tin and set aside.
2. Put the oatmeal into a bowl, add the milk and stir well, then leave to soak for 1 hour.
3. Put the flours into a large bowl. Add the salt and yeast. Melt the margarine in a saucepan and mix with the honey. Add to the flours, together with the soaked oatmeal mixture. Mix well together.
4. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead well, until firm. Shape into a ball, place in a large bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Leave to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead well. Shape the dough into a ball, then place in the greased cake tin. Press down firmly to cover the base of the tin. Slash the surface of the dough with a sharp knife to form a crisscross pattern. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to prove for about 30 minutes or until the dough has risen to the top of tin.
6. Brush the surface of the dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining oatmeal. Bake at 220°C (425°F) mark 7 for 30 minutes. Cover the surface of the loaf with foil, reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (325°F) mark 3 and continue baking for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
