Fasting Seed Bread with Celeriac

Preparation

1. Activating the Yeast

In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm water, sugar and dried yeast. Stir and leave in a warm place for 8–10 minutes until foam or bubbles appear on the surface — a signal that the yeast is alive. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, the water was too hot (killing the yeast) or the yeast is old. Start again with fresh yeast.

2. Preparing the Celeriac and Seeds

Wrap the grated celeriac in a clean cloth and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible. Place the sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast lightly for 2–3 minutes until fragrant — they do not need to darken. This step enhances the nutty character. Add the sesame and flax seeds without toasting.

3. Kneading the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt, squeezed celeriac, toasted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseeds. Mix with a fork. Add the activated yeast and the oil. Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes (or with a mixer using the dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes) until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough is slightly stickier than classic bread dough — this is normal due to the moisture in the celeriac. If it is very sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time, but do not add too much as the bread needs to stay moist.

4. First Rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap. Leave in a warm, draught-free place for 50–60 minutes until doubled in size. A good spot is an oven set to 30°C and then switched off, or with just the light on.

5. Shaping the Loaf

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knock back the gas (one or two presses). Shape into a loaf: stretch the dough into a rectangle, roll tightly from one long edge to the other and seal the ends underneath. Place in an oiled loaf tin (22×12 cm) or free-form on a tray lined with baking parchment.

6. Second Rise

Cover with a cloth and leave for another 30–40 minutes to rise. The loaf should rise about 2–3 cm above the edge of the tin. Just before baking, brush the top with water using a damp pastry brush and scatter with sesame seeds or a mix of seeds.

7. Baking

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat) or 185°C with convection. Place a small heatproof vessel of water on the bottom of the oven — steam helps the crust become crispy. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the crust is a deep golden-brown. The finished loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom — a reliable test of doneness.

8. Cooling

Remove the loaf from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Warm bread is gummy inside and difficult to slice cleanly. Use a serrated bread knife.

Tips

No-yeast variation with baking powder: if you do not want to work with yeast, omit the yeast and both rises. Add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda instead. Put the dough straight into the tin and bake at 190°C for about 45 minutes. The loaf won’t be as airy but will be tasty and nourishing.

Seed variations: use whatever you have — pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, poppy seeds. All are fasting-compliant and give different aromas. Keep the total amount of seeds at around 100 g.

Celeriac alternative: if you don’t enjoy the flavour of celeriac, replace it with grated pumpkin or carrot. Both give a slightly sweet note and a lovely orange tint to the inside of the bread.

Storage: the bread stays fresh for 2–3 days at room temperature wrapped in a cloth (not plastic — plastic softens the crust). It slices and freezes well — freeze slices individually and remove as needed.