Use Your Loaf – baking special

That’s all you’ll have left after serving up one of these tasty bakes from a brand new cookbook, The Flexible Baker

THE LIST

Tala Performance 20cm Square Cake Tin RRP: £26.00 Harts Price: £14.00

Chipotle and Cheddar Cornbread

This has smoky spice from the chipotle paste, tangy bite from mature cheddar cheese and a pop of sweetness from sweetcorn. It’s a meal in itself, although would be great served with tomato soup or a chilli.

SERVES 6–8 200g polenta (cornmeal) 150g (chickpea) flour 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free) 1 tsp flaked sea salt Half tsp bicarbonate of (baking) soda 175g mature cheddar cheese, grated 285g sweetcorn, drained if tinned 4 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced 300ml soured cream 2 eggs, beaten 125ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1.5 tbsp chipotle paste

1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6 2 Line a 20cm square cake tin (or similar size if rectangular or round) with baking parchment. 3 Put the polenta, chickpea flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Reserve about 50g of the cheese and stir the rest into the bowl until coated in the floury mix. 4 In a separate bowl, mix the sweetcorn, spring onions, soured cream, eggs, olive oil and chipotle paste until combined. Pour this into the cheese mix and stir until everything is just mixed. 5 Spoon into the prepared tin, level the surface with the back of the spoon, and scatter over the remaining cheese. 6 Drizzle over a little oil and bake in the oven for 30–35 mins, until the top is golden, the centre firm and springy to touch and if a skewer is inserted in the middle, it comes out clean. 7 Once cooked, cool in the tin for about 20 mins before removing and serving warm or cold.

MAKE IT VEGAN

It is simple to make this into a vegan cornbread. Swap the cheese for a plant-based alternative and substitute plant-based natural yoghurt for soured cream. Finally, as an alternative to the eggs, mix 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp cold water. Sit for 2 mins and add to the mixture as above.

Emile Henry Flour Oil Cruet RRP: £36.00

Harts Price: £32.40 MasterClass Stainless Steel Six Piece Measuring Spoon Set

RRP: £15.99

Harts Price: £13.96

Parmesan Grissini

These are gluten free, easy to make and last for days.

MAKES 20 200g rice flour 100g ground almonds 10g cornflour (cornstarch) 7g fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp flaked sea salt 1 tsp xanthan gum 25g finely grated parmesan cheese 150ml milk 100g butter, softened 1-2 tbsp flavourings such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, nigella (black onion) seeds, finely chopped rosemary or thyme (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. 2 Line a couple of baking trays with baking parchment. 3 Put all the ingredients, apart from the optional flavourings, into an electric mixer with a dough hook. Alternatively, if you don’t have a mixer, place in a bowl, and use your hands to form a ball of dough. 4 Knead the dough in the mixer, or by hand on the worktop for a few minutes until you have a smooth dough. 5 Take pieces of dough, the size of a walnut, and roll into lengths around 1cm thick and 20-25cm long. 6 Now you can add any of the flavourings, if you are using them, by scattering seeds or herbs over the work surface and rolling the grissini on top so they stick.

7 Lay the grissini on the prepared baking trays, leaving a small gap between each one, and bake for 12-15 mins or until golden brown. 8 Leave to cool for a few minutes before enjoying warm or eat over the next few days when they will be firmer and crunchier.

FLEXIBLE

You can make these breadsticks using a standard white flour. To do this, you’ll need to swap the rice flour, ground almonds, cornflour and xanthan gum for 300g strong white bread flour and increase the milk to 175ml. Make and bake as per method (left).

MAKE IT VEGAN

For a vegan alternative, substitute the milk, butter and parmesan for the same quantities of plant-based alternatives.

THE LIST

Judge 5.0kg Chrome Kitchen Scale with Clear Bowl

RRP: £27.00

Harts Price: £18.90

KitchenCraft Round Loaf Proving Basket, 22 x 8.5cm

RRP: £20.49

Harts Price: £17.95

Stoven NonStick 2lb Loaf Pan

Harts Price: £9.00

Walnut and Raisin Bread

This rustic loaf is brimming with flavour from the rye flour, sweet raisins, treacle and plenty of walnuts. It’s particularly good served with strong cheeses, or even toasted for breakfast, topped with ricotta and fresh figs and drizzled with honey.

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF 200g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 200g strong wholemeal (wholewheat) bread flour 100g rye flour 2 tsp flaked sea salt 10g fast-action dried yeast 2 tbsp olive oil or walnut oil, plus extra for greasing 1 tbsp black treacle (molasses) 200g walnut pieces, roughly chopped 150g cup raisins

1 Mix the flours to combine. Put the salt in the bottom of the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Tip the flours on top of the salt, then add the yeast, oil and treacle. Turn the mixer on to a slow speed and slowly add 325ml lukewarm water. Increase the speed to medium to knead the dough for 5 mins. If doing this by hand, knead on a lightly floured worktop for 8-10 mins. If you feel the dough is too dry, add a little more water. You are after a soft texture but not too sticky. 2 Add the walnuts and raisins to the dough and mix in. Cover the bowl with a piece of lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for around 1 hour, or until it has at least doubled in size. 3 Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Transfer the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold inwards on itself to knock out the air and make sure the dough is smooth. Shape into a loaf shape – round or oval, it’s up to you. Sit it on the baking tray. If you’ve a large clean plastic bag big enough, slide the tray inside, alternatively, use a large piece of oiled cling film to loosely cover the tray. Leave to rise for another hour or so until doubled in size. 4 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. 5 When the dough has risen, use a sharp knife to slash a pattern on the top and dust lightly with flour. Bake for 35-40 mins until deep golden and sounds hollow when the base is tapped. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

NUT-FREE VERSION

To make this into a nut-free fruit bread, omit the walnuts and use a 250g combination of mixed dried fruits, such as raisins, sultanas (golden raisins), cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots or chopped dates.

Recipes courtesy of The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt, £20, White Lion Publishing. Photography Malou Burger.

THE LIST

KitchenAid Artisan Mixer175 Velvet Blue

RRP: £549.00

Harts Price: £499.00

Mermaid by Samuel Groves Hard

Anodised Companion Duo Set Harts Price: £40.00

Artisan Street 25cm Large Mixing Bowl

RRP: £22.95

Harts Price: £19.95

THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD FOR

Tower Empire Roll Top Bread Bin Black Sleek and robust, the Tower Empire roll-top bin is ventilated to keep your bread, baked goods and pastries fresher for longer. RRP: £65.99 Harts Price: £32.99

KitchenCraft Serenity Bread Bin (shown left)

This lightweight bin has a cleverly designed airtight seal and comes with a 12-month manufacturer’s guarantee. RRP: £35.99 Harts Price: £28.96

Typhoon Living Blue Bread Bin RRP: £30.00 Harts Price: £21.00

KitchenCraft Clear Acrylic Expandable Breadkeeper RRP: £23.99 Harts Price: £19.96

Tower Cavaletto Bread Bin Black This large bread bin has a removable lid for easy cleaning. RRP: £69.99 Harts Price: £34.99

A DECADE OF DESIGN

Read the story behind Wrendale on page 33

Mason Cash Heritage Bread Bin

RRP: £32.00

Harts Price: £25.60

Typhoon Otto Black Bread Bin

RRP: £37.00 Harts Price: £24.95

Lovello Textured Hunter Green Bread Bin

RRP: £64.99 Harts Price: £45.99

Extended ranging available in these designs

Wrendale Designs Bread Bin Add to your own Wrendale collection or give this wonderfully illustrated bin as a welcome gift. RRP: £40.00 Harts Price: £36.00

Rubber Wood Bread Bin Double Decker Harts Price: £49.96

Tower Belle Bread Bin Midnight Blue Part of the Belle Breakfast collection, this 11.5L capacity bin would be a great addition to any kitchen. RRP: £69.99 Harts Price: £34.99

Rubber Wood Carved Bread Bin

Harts Price: £44.95

RAVE REVIEWS

The Global bread knife I purchased from Harts of Stur was the best price on the web. Really great value. Lynn L

And if it

isn’t sliced...

Use your loaf and invest in a top-quality bread knife and board.

T&G Cottage Garden Large Handled Beech Chopping Board

RRP: £21.99

Harts Price: £17.50

Global G-9 Bread Knife

RRP: £175.00 Harts Price: £119.95