loaf of pine pollen bread on a wooden cutting board with two slices cut
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Pine Pollen Bread

Pine Pollen Bread is a modern British recipe for a classic loaf of bread, as made during the Second World War that contains 20% reedmace pollen in the mix. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pine Pollen Bread.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Additional Time:

(+120 minutes proving)

Serves:

12

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Wild FoodBread RecipesBaking RecipesFrench Recipes

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During the Second World War, when wheat was scarce many adulterants were added to bread to save on flour. One of these was the pollen of pine trees. This is an attempt at re-creating that style of bread, without losing the rising properties or texture of a traditional loaf.

Ingredients:

136g spruce pollen or Scots pine pollen
544g strong bread flour flour
24g yeast
14g white sugar
60ml lukewarm water (for yeast)
340ml water (for dough)
13g salt
12g butter

Method:

Mix the yeast and white sugar into the 60ml water and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes to prove.

Combine the reedmace pollen, wheat flour and salt together and combine with the butter and the yeast mixture. Add the remaining water a little at a time until you have a smooth dough. Remove this from the bowl and tip onto a floured surface and knead thoroughly (for at least 5 minutes).

Roll the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, place in a warm spot and allow to prove for at least 75 minutes, or until doubled in size. Knock the dough back and knead for a further 5 minutes then return to the bowl, cover and allow to prove for a further 45 minutes.

Knock back once more and divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Knead each dough piece well to remove any trapped air then press the two dough pieces into half-loaf tins. Press down well into the tin then cover the tins and allow the dough to raise for at least 45 minutes in a warm place (or until the dough has risen some 2cm over the top of the tins).

Place in an oven pre-heated to 210°C (Gas Mark 7, 410°F) and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool a little before tipping onto a wire rack to cool completely.