Browsing Category

Bread & Dough

Bread & Dough Recipe Sides & Savoury Snacks

Monkey Bread with Leek, Cheese and Herb

leek and herb pull apart bread

Savoury Monkey Bread with Leek Cheese and Herb (vegan)

Leek and cheese filled monkey bread. Savoury option to the usually sweet American Monkey Bread. Pull apart tear and share style with hidden leek and cheese filling. There’s four Different flavour seasonings to top the dough balls so you can enjoy with a bonus leek dip recipe.

Made in partnership with the British Leek Growers’ Association

What’s in the recipe?

Leek & Cheese- I’ve used a vegan mozzarella style cheese however you can use whatever you have at hand. I’ve diced the leeks into really small pieces so that they cook within the dough.

Dough- For this recipe I’ve used a really simple bread dough recipe that takes minutes to bring together and an hour to rise.


Toppings:

Smoked paprika and cheese 

‘Everything bagel’ style seasoning

Leek & Vegan Cheese

Garlic and Herb


 

savoury monkey bread with leek and cheese

Cooking tips:

Butter is your friend- For this recipe I’ve used Flora’s vegan butter to brush over the dough balls. I mixed the topping ingredients together (in separate bowls) then poured in some of the melted butter, whisked together then topped the dough balls. I repeated this process once it had just come out of the oven to give it that beautiful glazed look.

Leave the dough to rise- It will need a warm environment to prove, you want it to double in size. I pop the bowl in the oven with the light on which seems to do the trick!


monkey bread recipe

leek and herb pull apart bread

Monkey Bread with Leek, Cheese and Herb

Leek and cheese filled monkey bread. Savoury option to the usually sweet American Monkey Bread. Pull apart tear and share style with hidden leek and cheese filling. 4 Different flavour combinations to enjoy with a bonus leek dip recipe.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the dough:

  • 450 g plain flour
  • 1 sachet dried yeast 7g
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 370 ml warm water

Toppings:

  • 1 tbsp dried oregano and thyme with 2 tbsp melted plant based butter
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika 50g grated vegan cheese
  • 2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning 2 tbsp melted plant based butter
  • 1 finely chopped small leek & 50g grated vegan cheese
  • Handful fresh parsley to garnish at the end

Instructions
 

  • To make the dough simple mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, make sure the water is warm (to activate the yeast) around 60ºC and pour into the bowl
  • Bring the dough together and knead on a floured surface for around 5 minutes until a springy dough forms, drizzle olive oil in a clean bowl, pop the dough inside, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm spot for around 1-2 hours or until doubled in size
  • Prepare the filling by getting the ingredients in 4 small bowls
  • When the dough has doubled, quarter it, then quarter again so you have around 16 equal pieces (four dough balls per topping)
  • For the leek and cheese filling, I popped a handful of the mix into the centre of a ball then formed a dough ball so it encases the filling (perfect for melting and cooking the leeks)
  • I did the same technique for the paprika and cheese filling
  • For the butter and herb toppings simply melt the butter down, mix with the seasoning then brush over the dough balls
  • Place them inside a bundt tin to create the wreath, brush any dry looking dough balls with the remaining melted butter, cover in a tea towel and leave to prove for a further 30 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC, then once risen, add the bundt tin to the middle of the oven, bake for around 30 minutes before placing tin foil loosely over the top and popping back in the oven for a further 15 minutes to make sure the bottom will be cooked
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool for around 5 minutes before tipping out onto a plate, then flip once more onto a cooling tray
  • Brush once more with vegan butter if it’s looking a little dry and garnish with fresh herbs (I used parsley) and enjoy!

Notes

Leek and Herb Dip:
If you still have 1/2 leek left, this dip will be great!
Roughly dice the leek and fry off with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper
Add to a food processor with 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 70ml plant based cream and 3 tbsp olive oil, 15g fresh parsley and blitz together
Season with salt and pepper and serve as a dip

Want more Leek Recipes?

Why not try my curried lentil and leek soup?

curried leek and lentil soup

 

Bread & Dough dessert Recipe

Cinnamon Bun Knots

cinnamon bun knot

Cinnamon Knot Bun Recipe

Whether you’ve been to Sweden or not, you might have seen their fantastic kardemummabullar knots. Instead of using cardamom (I’m yet to master the balance of this ingredient) I’ve just used a simple cinnamon butter filing. You can get creative and use a chocolate spread of even the classic biscoff spread.

Ingredients Breakdown

Cinnamon- The key flavour within this recipe which instantly makes me think of our trip to Copenhagen where everything was sweetened with this spice. If you would rather swap the filling for a chocolate spread of biscoss that it also a really good option.

Flour- Again with this recipe (similar to by tahini and date buns recipe)  I’ve used 00 flour which is a flour traditionally used to make pasta and pizza dough. I just found that it created the lightest fluffiest dough for this recipe. You can swap for plain flour.

Vegan Butter- As always when I refer to butter I mean a vegan spread, you can use any that are available in the shops whether it’s coconut based, soy based or oil based.


cinnamon bun knot recipeCreating the knot

Like a shoe lace – The easiest way I can describe making the knot is by taking both ends of the strand (the cinnamon filling should still be in the middle) and folding them over each other exactly like you would tie a shoe lace before the bow.

Tucking the ends- By tucking each loose end under the surface it’ll create a circular shape ready to stretch out on it’s second prove.

Slightly different- Don’t worry if not each shape is exactly the same, it’ll give them a rustic feel. Plus once they’re baked they will look beautiful with a dusting of powdered sugar over the top.


cinnamon bun knot recipe vegan


cinnamon bun knot

Cinnamon Bun Knot

Inspired by the Swedish Kardemummabulla (cardamom buns) I've created a cinnamon filled version instead. The knots are really simple to create once you've seen how they're done.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proving time 1 hour

Ingredients
  

  • For the dough
  • 2 1/4 cups 00 flour 320g
  • ½ tbsp fast yeast around 3g
  • 3/4 cup luke warm water 200ml
  • ¾ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp caster sugar 5g
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 30ml
  • For cinnamon filling
  • 150 g room temperature butter
  • 100 g golden caster sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • OPTIONAL Frosting
  • 5 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter margarine
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp plant based milk or water

Instructions
 

  • For the dough
  • Add the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl and combine then slowly pour in the luke warm water and olive oil and bring together
  • Once combined move onto an oiled clean surface and knead for around 5 minute, if the dough is difficult to work with heavily flour the work surface. The texture should be soft and well brought together (you should be able to stretch the dough without it ripping)
  • Clean the mixing bowl and drizzle a little olive oil around the bottom, then place the dough inside, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for around 1 hour (or until doubled in height)
  • Create the cinnamon filling by simply creaming the butter and sugar together and setting aside
  • Once the dough has risen knock back the air then form into a neat ball of dough
  • Flour the work surface and a rolling pin and roll out into a rectangle less than 1cm thick
  • Spread the cinnamon filling over the top of the rectangle until covered then fold the sheet of dough in half (bringing the two shortest sides together)
  • Using a sharp knife, (score first) then slice down the shortest side of the dough to create 8-10 thin strips
  • Take each strip and begin the knot by by grabbing each end like a shoelace and forming the first know (just like tying your laces before the bow) then once the knot is in the middle, simply take each loose end and tuck under itself to create the circular shape
  • Don't worry if they don't look 'perfect' they will look beautiful once proven and baked
  • Place into a greased baking dish or muffin tin and leave to rest for a further 20 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC and bake for around 25-30 minutes (if you notice the top catching simply cover loosely in baking parchment)
  • Allow to cool fully before dusting with icing sugar and enjoy
  • OPTIONAL FROSTING
  • Simply mix the ingredients together until a thick creamy frosting has formed then drizzle over the top

Notes

You can find the tutorial over on my instagram story highlights which I've just linked here. It's titled 'Knots'.
You can finish these by simple dusting with icing sugar instead of creating a thick frosting. 
Keyword cinnamon buns, cinnamon knot, cinnamon twist bread, kardamommabulla

If you like this recipe why not try my tahini & date filled cinnamon buns here.

tahini and date cinnamon buns

Bread & Dough dessert Recipe

Tahini & Date Syrup Sweet Rolls

tahini and date cinnamon buns

Tahini and Date Syrup Filled Rolls

Inspired by my trip to Israel, these tahini rolls are an adaptation of the ones we created at Sweet Petite’s Bakery in Tel Aviv. Having never tried halva before, this recipe was a brilliant way to introduce this sweet treat into my life. The filling was 1:1 ratio of date syrup and tahini with a sprinkle of halva over the top, however this is completely optional depending on whether you can find some.


Breakdown of Ingredients

00 Flour – I’ve found since swapping from plain flour to 00 flour the texture of my sweet bread recipes has been incredible. 00 flour is usually used for pizza dough or pasta due to the extra fine grind. You can use plain flour or even strong white bread flour to create this recipe – but if you can find 00 then give it a go.

Tahini- Finding a good quality tahini is key. Visiting your local international food store will usually be your best bet. The best brand you can find is Al Arz tahini. Produced in Israel, the quality of this tahini has been the best I’ve tasted.

tahini and date cinnamon buns


Trip to Israel with Vibe Israel

As mentioned before, the inspiration for this recipe is from the most incredible trip to Israel with the team Vibe Israel. Sweet Petite Bakery is based within Tel Aviv and focuses on vegan patisserie, which is a mix of art and science! From vegan macarons to the most beautiful cinnamon buns, we gave a few recipes a go. 

What is halva?

Halva is a Middle Eastern sweet treat made from sesame, flour and a sweetener (honey if not vegan). Its slightly flakey and powdery in texture and taste. It works perfectly in sweet recipes such as these buns where it compliments the sticky syrup. You can find Halva in the U.K in your local international food store or you might be lucky enough to find it at a local supermarket within the Middle Eastern Food Isle.

 

tahini and date cinnamon buns

The trip to Israel with Vibe Israel was made up of five of us (myself, Candice, Phillip, Izzy and Alexa) with the most incredible woman Bar. Focusing on food and the influence behind the recipes we were trying, it was a week full of discovery. Having never really liked tahini, I was sceptical as to whether I’d love visiting the ancient town where there was a 100 year old factory for tahini – rest assured I came away obsessed.

The day we visited Sweet Petite’s studio, we were eager to get stuck in and get baking. The recipes we created were incredible and hopefully this one I’m sharing will get you as close to the real thing as possible.


halva tahini date buns vibe israel

Find my recipes on Pinterest or tag me on Instagram


tahini and date cinnamon buns

Tahini & Date Cinnamon Buns

Inspired by my trip to Israel, I've adapted by simple cinnamon bun recipe and used Tahini, date syrup and the addition of halva. The original recipe is heavily inspired by Sweet Petite Bakery based in Tel Aviv where we made a similar bun which was delicious.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
1 hour

Ingredients
  

For the dough

  • 2 1/4 cups 00 flour 320g
  • ½ tbsp fast yeast around 3g
  • 3/4 cup luke warm water 200ml
  • ¾ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp caster sugar 5g
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 30ml

For the tahini & sugar filling

  • 100 g date syrup
  • 100 g good quality tahini
  • 1 heaped tsp cinnamon powder optional
  • 30 g halva optional

For the Frosting

  • 5 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter margarine
  • 1 tsp cinnamon or tahini
  • 1 tbsp halva to dust over the top (optional)
  • 2 tbsp plant based milk or water

Instructions
 

For the dough

  • Add the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl and combine then slowly pour in the luke warm water and olive oil and bring together
  • Once combined move onto an oiled clean surface and knead for around 5 minute, if the dough is difficult to work with heavily flour the work surface. The texture should be soft and well brought together (you should be able to stretch the dough without it ripping)
  • Clean the mixing bowl and drizzle a little olive oil around the bottom, then place the dough inside, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for around 1 hour (or until doubled in height)
  • Create the tahini and date syrup filling when the dough has nearly finished proving, by simply mixing the tahini and date syrup together in a bowl (a silicone spatula will be the best mixing tool) and set aside
  • Once the dough has risen knock back the air then form into a neat ball of dough
  • Flour the work surface and a rolling pin and roll out into a rectangle less than 1cm thick
  • Spread on tahini filling (then sprinkle over the halva if adding) and then roll up the dough to make a long sausage shape
  • Using a sharp knife slice down the middle of the dough (widthways) then repeat until you have 8-10 cinnamon rolls
  • Place into a greased baking dish or muffin tin and leave to rest for a further 20 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC and bake for around 25-30 minutes (if you notice the top catching simply cover loosely in baking parchment)
  • Allow to cool fully before dusting with icing sugar and enjoy

To make the frosting

  • Simply mix the ingredients together until a thick creamy frosting has formed then drizzle over the top
Keyword babka, cinnamon buns, halva, israeli dessert, sweet bread, sweet rolls, tahini

If you want more recipes inspired by my trip to Israel, you can find my delicious za’atar pita’s just here. 

za'atar pita recipe vegan

I also have a za’atar flavoured pulled ‘chicken’ toasted wraps with a creamy tahini dressing here

vegan pulled chicken wraps

Bread & Dough Lunch & Light Bites Recipe

Za’atar Pita

za'atar pita recipe vegan

A Trip To Tel Aviv

Inspired by my trip to Israel (with the guys from Vibe Israel) here is a really simple pita recipe, which is topped with the beautiful seasoning za’atar. It’s not often I write about my recipes and the inspiration but I loved the whole experience of trying this bread in a busy side street in Jerusalem. It was humid November afternoon and we had been waving through the busy streets in Jerusalem.  Our amazing tour guide had just hopped across the stream of people to grab a huge pita, straight off the burner which was topped with garlic, za’atar and lots of olive oil.


As we were all tearing pieces off the bread we listened to a story of how the pitas came about, from the old wives tales of the women creating small businesses selling their version of pita. With tough competition from other bakers, it was about creating the most delicious. It was fascinating hearing how old some of these recipes would be whilst eating away. Either way I hope this version does it justice and inspires you to try za’atar pita.


These photos were taken by the very talented Amir Menahem – a magician when it comes to capturing  Vibe Israel tours!
za'atar pitas recipe easy and vegan
za'atar pitas recipe easy and vegan

Break Down Of Ingredients

Quick Yeast

For this recipe, you don’t need to activate the yeast before hand, it’s an ‘all in one’ recipe. The key is to have luke warm water to activate it once mixed together.

Strong White Bread Flour

You can use plain flour however I’d highly recommend strong white bread flour if you can get your hands on some.

Za’atar

I was lucky enough to pick up fresh za’atar from Israel when I visited in 2019. You can find za’atar in most supermarkets however if you have a middle eastern supermarket in your town / city, I will bet they have the best quality produce!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Again, sourcing a good quality olive oil will give this recipe a slight edge. Using a beautiful oil to garnish will compliment all of the flavours.


za'atar pitas recipe easy and vegan
za'atar pitas recipe easy and vegan

 

za'atar pita recipe vegan

Za'atar Pitas

Za'atar Pitas inspired by my visit to Jerusalem in Israel. Beautifully fluffy on the inside and with a golden surface topped with za'atar seasoning from Tel Aviv.
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine israeli

Ingredients
  

  • 380 g plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 7 g instant yeast
  • 280 ml lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp za’atar seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Simply mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil, bring together to form a loose dough
  • Move onto a floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes
  • Pop back into the clean bowl with a glug of olive oil at the bottom to stop it sticking, cover in a tea towel and leave to proof for around 1 hour (if it’s cold in your home it make take 1.5-2 hours)
  • [preheat the oven to 200°C fan]
  • Once risen, knock back the dough and divide into 4 (you can divide into however many pitas you’d like to make)
  • Using your fingers, prod the each ball of dough until you’ve created the pita shape (should be around 1-2cm thickness)
  • Mix the olive oil and za’atar in a bowl and brush over the tops of the pitas and add a good pinch of sea salt to each then bake on a tray for around 12-15 minutes or until golden on top
  • Allow to cool and dip into some delicious hummus or extra virgin olive oil
Keyword bread, israeli, pita, pitas, pitta, tel aviv, za'atar
Bread & Dough Lunch & Light Bites Recipe

Simple Garlic & Rosemary Focaccia

garlic and rosemary easy vegan focaccia recipe

Simple Focaccia Recipe

This simple garlic and rosemary focaccia was one of the first bread recipes I had tried making. Even if you’re new to making bread hopefully you will find this one a great place to start. This recipe is perfect for making big focaccia sandwiches or for dipping into soups, stews and lasagnes.


Vegan

Simple

Yields 10-12 Slices

garlic and rosemary easy vegan focaccia recipe


Ingredients Break Down

Strong white bread flour – Using plain flour will work, however I highly recommend strong white bread flour. It contains more gluten than plain making the dough more elastic.

Quick yeast – like my pita recipe you don’t need to activate the yeast beforehand, it’s all done within one bowl. Top tip, make sure the water is room temperature before adding (this will help activate the yeast)

Good quality olive oil – this recipe includes a lot of olive oil, so finding a good quality product will really help. Even if you use regular olive oil for the main dish, I’d suggest a good quality extra virgin olive oil to coat at the end.

Tomatoes – I’ve added tomatoes to one of the variations, but feel free to have this as simple as possible with just rosemary and salt. In this adaptation I added 3 cloves of roughly chopped garlic and 70g vine tomatoes.


Find me on Pinterest or tag me on Instagram

garlic and rosemary easy vegan focaccia recipe

Garlic & Tomato Focaccia

Easy, no fuss focaccia recipe. Brilliant for those who are new to making bread!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Proving TIme 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 320 g strong white bread flour
  • 220 ml luke warm water
  • Large pinch sea salt
  • 7 g fast yeast
  • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin will also work

To top:

  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary roughly chopped to add to the dough’s surface
  • 3 large cloves garlic roughly chopped to add to the dough’s surface
  • 6 cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tbsp olive oil +1 tbsp to drizzle over after baking
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Add the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl and mix together
  • Pour in the 220ml luke warm water whilst bringing the dough together with your other hand, add the olive oil then bring together to form a loose dough
  • Knead the dough on an oiled surface for around 5 minutes then place back in the bowl with a drop of olive oil to stop it sticking to the bottom and sides
  • Cover in a tea towel and leave in a warm place to proof for around 45 minutes (or until doubled in size)
  • Once risen, knock back the dough by kneading for a few seconds then drizzle 1tbsp olive oil in the base of the baking dish / bread pan and place the dough inside, then leave for a further 30minutes

Preheat the oven to 200°C

  • Once the dough has risen and filled more of the baking tray, gently use your fingers to poke the dough until it gradually spreads to fit snug in the baking dish (this should be a gentle process rather than forcing the dough to stretch)
  • Fill the dimples made with your fingers with the roughly chopped garlic cloves, tomato halves and chopped rosemary sprigs then drizzle the last 1tbsp olive oil on top & season heavily with the sea salt flakes
  • Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes or until golden on top, allow to cool fully before slicing (this is the hardest part waiting!)

Notes

If the dough is sticking to the surface, add 1 tbsp to help the dough wet and smooth. You want to be able to pick the dough up without it sticking to the base of the bowl or counter top so don't be afraid to add more olive oil at each stage.
Keyword bread, Easy Dough, Focaccia, Garlic bread

If you like this recipe why not try my easy pita recipe. These za’atar roasted pittas are a delicious recipe to have up your sleeve.za'atar pita recipe vegan

Bread & Dough dessert Recipe

Cinnamon Buns

vegan cinnamon buns recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup oat milk | 250ml 

2 ½ cups plain flour | 440g

1/2 cup caster sugar | 100g 

1 heaped tsp fast yeast (7-8g)

¼ tsp salt

½ cup  room temperature dairy free margarine (not melted) |100g

 

Cinnamon sugar filling:

100g dark brown soft sugar (around 4 tbsp)

55g caster sugar (around 4 tbsp)

100g soft butter (around 4 heaped tbsp)

1 tsp cinnamon

 

For the cinnamon icing:

100g powdered sugar | 1 cup

2 tbsp oat milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp soft butter

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

 

Method:

 

Bring the oat milk up to room temperature then pour in the sugar and yeast, leave for 5 minutes to react (it should create bubbles)

 

In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt then slowly pour in the oat milk and fold together loosely

 

Lightly whisk the butter to make sure it's at room temperature (should be soft but not runny) then add to the bowl with the dough  

 

Flour a surface then knead the dough for around 10 minutes (the texture should be slightly sticky but not sticking to your hands, so if needed add a dash more flour at a time)

 

Pop a drizzle of olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl then add the dough, pop a tea towel over the op and leave in a warm spot of your home for around 1-1.5 hours to double in size (if it's particularly cold, it may need up to 2.5 hours to rise)

 

Whilst the dough is rising, bring the cinnamon butter filling together by simply bringing the ingredients together in a bowl with a silicone spoon or spatula until it creates a sugary butter texture

*preheat the oven to 180ºC*

Once the dough has risen place back onto a floured surface and give another quick knead for a few seconds to knock back the dough, then using a rolling pin roll out into a large rectangle shape (approx 40 x 25cm) then spoon on the cinnamon butter filling

 

Roll the dough into a sausage shape (lengthways) then using a sharp knife, slice through the midde, then repeat until you have 8 even(ish) cinnamon rolls

 

Place into a baking dish (I've even seen people bake them in muffin tins) and bake for 40 minutes in the middle of your oven

 

Take out, allow to cool, in the meantime mix all of the cinnamon icing ingredients together in a bowl then drizzle over the top

 

Enjoy!

 

vegan cinnamon buns recipe
vegan cinnamon buns recipe
vegan cinnamon buns recipe
Bread & Dough Recipe

Cheese & Garlic Twist Bread

vegan cheese and garlic twist bread recipe
vegan cheese and garlic twist bread recipe
vegan cheese and garlic twist bread recipe
vegan cheese and garlic twist bread recipe

Ingredients

For the dough: 

2 1/2 cups strong white bread flour | (350g)

1 tbsp Fast action yeast (7g)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup oat milk | 250ml  *room temperature

¼ cup olive oil | 60ml

 

For the filling:

 

80g Vegan grated cheese (I used Violife)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

Method

Add the luke warm milk, sugar and yeast into a bowl and leave for around 5 minutes to react

Add the flour, and salt to a large mixing bowl, then once the milk and yeast have reacted, pour those into the mixing bowl with the olive oil and bring together with a spoon or your hands

Move  to a floured work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes until, you can also add the dough to a machine and knead for the same amount of time

Clean out the mixing bowl, then add a few drops of olive oil, place the kneaded dough within the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for around 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 180º

After the dough has risen, knock it back and roll onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle shape, around 2cm thick

Sprinkle the grated vegan cheese across the surface and garnish with the oregano and garlic powder

Roll the dough lengthways, to make a long sausage shape, then using a sharp knife carefully slice down the middle (also lengthways) to it should leave you with two long strands

Overlap the two strands, keeping the exposed filling facing towards you (this will help the cheese bubble out and bake) then place in an oven proof pan lined with baking parchment

Place on the middle tray and bake for 30 minutes then cover the top with the baking parchment and continue to bake for a further 10-15 minutes

Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

Bread & Dough Recipe

Garlic and Leek Twist Bread

leek and garlic twist bread lucy nd lentils vegan

Garlic and Leek Twist Bread Recipe

A savoury take on a light babka bread recipe, but using garlic and leek as the delicious filling. The idea is the bread is served like a pull apart bread served with soups, stews or for dipping in hummus. The twist method is really simple to recreate which I’ve shared on another twist bread recipe here.


Ingredients Breakdown

Leek- When leeks are in season, this recipe is perfect. You can swap them out for a thick pesto instead. If you dice the leeks into small chunks it makes it easier to fold into the bread. You can give the leeks a steam to release a little flavour before adding to the twist bread, or simply add them raw.

Butter- I refer to vegan butter as butter out of habit but you can use any dairy free spread or margarine whether it’s coconut based, soy based or oil based.

Sugar- If you’re sugar free, even just adding a little pinch will just help feed the yeast when activating. I’ve written caster sugar but you can use golden caster, cane sugar or even muscovado.

Garlic Powder- Using a garlic powder helps prevent the flavour from ‘burnt’ so by using fresh garlic it can sometimes catch and slightly burn. If you prefer to use fresh garlic or don’t have garlic powder, simply mince 1 garlic clove instead.

leek and garlic twist bread


Tips for the bread

Kneading- Careful not to over knead the dough, it should only take around 5-7 minutes. It should have a bit of an elastic feel, so if you stretch the dough out it will slowly ping back. If you prod a finger onto the dough it should create a dint but then spring back.

Rolling out- You want to roll out the dough to around 1cm thick to create a beautiful base to create multiple layers to the twist.

Yeast- By letting the yeast react with the warm water and sugar first it allows it to activate and wake it up. This step can be skipped if you’re in a rush however it does work a little better if following this step at the beginning.


leek and garlic twist bread


Featured in Vegan Food & Living Magazine for British Leek Growers Association.

vegan food and living magaine

leek and garlic twist bread lucy nd lentils vegan

Garlic & Leek Twist Bread

Delicious fluffy and light babka twist savoury bread with a leek and garlic butter filling. All vegan friendly, perfect to serve with soups, stews or to dip in hummus.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Proving time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

For the dough:

  • 400 g cups plain flour around 2 cups
  • 7 g Fast action yeast 1 sachet
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar to feed the yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 210 ml room temperature oat milk ¾ cup
  • 60 ml olive oil 2 tbsp

For the filling:

  • 100 g vegan margarine ¼ cp
  • 1 medium leek around 150-200g
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Add the luke warm milk, sugar and yeast into a bowl and leave for around 5 minutes to froth
  • Add the flour, and salt to a large mixing bowl, then once the milk and yeast have reacted, pour those into the mixing bowl with the olive oil and bring together with a spoon or your hands
  • Move to a floured work surface and knead by hand for 5-7 minutes until, you can also add the dough to a machine and knead for the same amount of time
  • Clean out the mixing bowl, then add a few drops of olive oil, place the kneaded dough within the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for around 1 ½ hours
  • Prepare the filling by finely chopping the leek then beating into the margarine, add the salt, pepper, parsley and garlic powder and mix until combined then leave aside
  • After the dough has risen, knock it back and roll onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle shape, around 2-3cm thick
  • Spread the butter and leek filling onto the surface of the rolled out dough leaving just a thin border
  • Roll the dough lengthways, to make a long sausage shape, then using a sharp knife carefully slice down the middle (also lengthways) to it should leave you with two long strands
  • Overlap the two strands, keeping the exposed filling facing towards you (this will help the butter ooze out and bake) then place in a large loaf tin, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 190º then place the risen dough in for 25 minutes, then cover with baking foil and bake for a further 20-25 minutes
  • Allow to cool and enjoy!
Keyword bread, easy bread recipe, Garlic bread, homemade bread, leek recipes, twist bread

If you liked this recipe why not try this biscoff babka bread.

chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan

Bread & Dough Dinner Recipe

Steamed Fluffy Bao Buns

steamed bao bun recipe vegan
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
bao bun recipe lucy and lentils

With De Dietrich

Home made bao buns are fluffy, delicious and perfect paired with a crunchy spicy filling, so today I'm sharing a recipe I've tried to make as simple as possible.

I'm working with De Dietrich on this recipe to show off the fancy steam oven settings that make steaming food incredibly easy. It's as easy as filling the little water drawer and letting the oven do the work. With a controlled temperature inside, there is no worry of loosing heat and ending up with flat and soggy food.

*note, the oven was gifted in partnership of recipe development*
vegan steamed bao bun recipe
vegan steamed bao bun recipe
Bao bun recipe
vegan steamed bao bun recipe
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
Bao bun recipe vegan lucy and lentils de dietrich
vegan steamed bao bun recipe
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
Bao bun recipe vegan lucy and lentils de dietrich
vegan steamed bao bun recipe
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
Bao bun recipe vegan lucy and lentils de dietrich

Ingredients

dry

3 cups plain flour 480g

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar 20g

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sachet fast yeast 

1 tsp baking powder

 

wet

1/2 cup oat milk room temperature

1/2 cup +1 tbsp water luke warm

 

cauliflower filling

1 head of cauliflower cut into small bite size florettes

½ cup plain flower

1/2 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp good quality 5 spice mix

½ tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp sesame seeds

¼ cup oat milk

 

Method

for the bao

In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients, and mix together

Add the luke warm water and luke warm oat milk (it's crucial the liquid is room temperature so it reacts with the yeast)

Mix together with your hands and bring together to form a dough, then knead for 8-10 minutes, a light bit of exercise for you

Once the texture of the dough is springy, pop it back in the bowl with a little oil to help remove it, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour

Once the dough has doubled in size (if it's cold you may need to leave it up to 2 hours) knock back the dough and roll into a fat sausage shape

Slice the roll into 8-10 equal portions then lightly flour the surface and a rolling pin

Make each of the pieces into a rough ball and roll into an oval shape, around 2cm thick, then add a drop of sesame oil and fold in half (the sesame oil helps it not stick)

Repeat until all of the dough is folded then pop on a baking tray, cover with a tea towel and leave for the final prove for a further 30 minutes

 

for the cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 180ºC

Mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, then add the cauliflower florettes and make sure each bite is completely covered

Place onto a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until nice and crispy

 

steaming the bao

Using the steam setting on the oven, set it for 12 minutes - you will be prompted to fill the water draw until full to ensure enough to steam

Once ready, pop the bao in the oven and allow to steam for the full 12 minutes until beautiful and fluffy

After they're steamed, prep some crunchy veg to fill the bao then add the piping hot crispy cauliflower wings

Top with sriracha, chopped nuts and sesame seeds and enjoy!

 

steamed bao bun recipe vegan
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
steamed bao bun recipe vegan
Bread & Dough dessert Recipe

Chocolate & Biscoff Babka

chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan

I've teamed up with De Dietrich to create a series of vegan recipes to show the abilities of their ovens. With a range of different expert cooking settings, I've explored the 'Bread' setting today, and boy did it deliver.... Introducing a beautiful vegan chocolate and cinnamon babka.

This post is created in partnership with De Dietrich as part of a gifted collaboration.

Ingredients

 

3 cups plain flour | 400g

7g packet instant yeast

½ tsp salt

¼ cup |40 g brown sugar

½ cup |100g vegan butter (room temperature)

1 cup | 200g oat milk

¼ cup biscoff spread 

¼ cup chocolate chips 

 


Method

Pour the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir together

 

Add the oat milk and butter to a small bowl and stir until the butter is nice and creamy

 

Add the butter and milk to the dry ingredients and mix together until a loose dough forms

 

Flour your work surface (or you can be lazy and keep it in the bowl) and knead for around 7-8 minutes until a doughy texture has formed then pop back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for around 60 minutes

 

Knock the dough back by giving it another knead for a minute or two, then roll into a 2cm thick rectangle, add the biscoff spread leaving a 4cm edge then top with chocolate chips

 

Roll the dough lengthways into a long sausage shape, then using a sharp knife slice down the middle (lengthways) 

 

Press the ends together and overlap each length to create a twisted pattern (refer to the images if needs be) then pop into a greased loaf tin and allow to prove for another 30 minutes in the baking tin (covered with a tea towel)

 

I had too much dough for one loaf tin, so created a mini loaf with the overspill

 

Preheat the oven to 190ºC and bake for 25-30minutes, stick a knife in the centre and ensure it comes out clean 

 

Allow to cool on a cooling rack for around 30-40 minutes (maybe test the end slice to make sure it’s okay)

 

Enjoy!

chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
de dietrich oven
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan
chocolate & cinnamon babka vegan