Happy May Day! I hope most of you are luckier than me and actually have the day off. If not, I feel for you. But hey, what better way to celebrate International Workers’ Day than by working? Exactly. Great Monday motivation right there.

For those of you who do get to spend the day lounging in your pyjamas – how about being a tad productive and making a fresh loaf of bread for brunch/lunch? Homemade bread beats any store-bought equivalent and is so easy. So easy. You just have to make sure your yeast is fresh (do NOT use dry yeast) and not past it’s sell by date, then I guarantee nothing can go wrong. But be warned: once you have mastered the art of bread making it’s hard to stop due to deliciousness. One of my friends made 4 loaves in one week. No joke. Trust me, you’ll understand as soon as you succeed yourself. So get out of bed and get baking! Your guests will be oh so pleased.

Wheat-Rye Bread

inspired by the one and only Ace

Makes one ca. 25-30cm loaf
You’ll need

380g wheat flour
120g rye flour
20g fresh yeast
350ml warm water
1-1.5 tsp runny honey
1 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl, combine both flours and make a well. Sprinkle the salt around the edges of the flour.
2. Pour the luke warm water and honey into the well, slightly mixing it.
3. Crumble your yeast into the water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Bring together to form a sticky dough and knead for a short while. Add a tiny bit more flour if you feel it needs its. Be warned – the dough is very very sticky, so kneading will be a messy affair and semi-possible.
5. Cover with a towel and let it rise for 30 mins.
6. Transfer to a greased/floured 30cm long cake tin, sprinkle with flour and let it rise for another 30-40 mins.
7. Bake at 200°C (fan-assisted) for about 30-45 minutes until it sounds hollow to tap.
8. This bread is best enjoyed warm with a generous topping of PBJ or alpine honey.