You might have noticed, I really love making bread. It is something I get to create with my hands, give it my energy and intention, and then serve it with love. There is no greater joy in this world than to be able to create something out of love and share it with others.
This little loaf is me hoping for spring to come sooner, and it is full of strawberries and fresh lemon zest. Truly marvellous with fruit spreads and jams, and even some vegan honey and toasted hazelnuts.
Just like many of my breads, it toasts very well, but it really is best on the day it's made, because it is a somewhat lean dough, so it will not stay super fresh the next day. Hence why I always suggest toasting and topping with your favourite vegan butter.
If you cannot find freeze dried strawberries or don't want to use them, you can absolutely add strawberry flavouring to your liking. Even adding a few teaspoons of strawberry jam and some additional flour would work. Whatever you have available will work well, because that is how I prefer to create my recipes - available to as many people as possible.
Ingredients
250 grams plain flour, sifted
20 grams fresh yeast
30 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
150 millilitres soy milk, warm
20 millilitres vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
50 grams vegan block butter, softened
3 heaping tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground and sifted
½ teaspoon strawberry flavouring
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
food colouring, optional
Preparation
Crumble the fresh yeast in the warm soy milk, add in the sugar, and let it stand for about 10-15 minutes in a warm spot, so the yeast dissolves and activates. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt, and whisk well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the activated yeast, oil, and vanilla, and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to form. It does not have to be a perfect ball just yet. Cover the bowl with a lid or a plate, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes, just to relax.
Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured work surface, add the softened vegan butter, and knead until the dough absorbs it fully. It may take 10-15 minutes for the butter to be absorbed, but be persistent, it will work out. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, either by approximation or by weight. Leave one plain, add the freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry flavouring to the other part, and add the lemon zest to the third one. Add in the food colouring, if using. Knead the flavourings very well into the dough, adding a touch of lukewarm milk, if needed. Place all the dough pieces into separate bowls, and let them rest and rise for about an hour in a warm spot, or until doubled.
Once the dough is ready, briefly knead all the pieces, and shape each one into a long rope. Make a simple plait out of them; tuck the ends underneath it, and place it into a small loaf tin or on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. Let the oven preheat to 200˚C. Once ready, generously mist the dough with cold water, and bake it in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 25-30 minutes, until baked through and browned. Let it cool down to room temperature, and serve. Yields one small loaf.
