We love fresh bread and so I am constantly trying new mixtures and shapes. I find, to have always the same taste and shape is boring. This shape was inspired by the sunflowers that we can buy on the flower market. Yes, we have sunflowers already!

As it is not so easy to get real European breads in Asia, I bake them mostly myself. I learned a lot, so if you are a first-time bread-baker do not despair if it does not turn out perfect. Just try again until you get the feeling of the dough.

Step 1:

For a loaf of 700 g :
300 g strong white Bread Flour
100 g Whole Wheat Flour
100 g Rye Flour
20 g Salt
1 tsp Bread Herbs (if you don't have some just omit them)
7 g Dry Yeast
100 g warm Water
220 g warm Water
some Semolina and Cornmeal for decoration

Step 2:

Soak the dried yeast in the 100 g warm water. Leave for 10 minutes.

Mix the 3 flours and add the soaked yeast with the 100 g water. Put it into the kitchen machine and let it work. Slowly add the 220 g of warm water. When the dough comes together add the salt and the bread herbs. Let the machine work for 5-7 minutes. (if you knead by hand you do that for 15 minutes, kneading involves a lot of muscles so it is the perfect way exercise)

Put the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel and leave for 1.5 hours. It will get almost double its size.

Step 3:

Then put the dough onto a working surface, I use a silicon mat that I sprinkled with semolina and cornmeal. Turn the dough over in these flours, they make a nice decoration.

Now you form the bread to a round loaf. Turn it with your flat hands, with the side of your hand push the dough under the loaf. So you pull the top of the bread nicely flat. Do this until the bread is regularly smooth.

Put the dough now on a baking paper onto the baking tray and flatten it a little. Put a drinking glass into the middle and press it into the dough lightly.

Step 4:

Now cut the leaves of the flower with a sharp knife up to the glass. Then turn each leave 90 degrees.
Cover with a cloth and leave for 40 minutes.

Step 5:

Heat the oven to 240 C and put the bread in. Spray the walls of the oven with water and add a dish with water. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the water dish and the steam and turn the heat down to 200 C and bake the bread for another 20-25 minutes.