I make no apologies for using a bread machine as there are days when I don't have time to make the amount of bread I need at the B&B by hand. However I don't bake it in the bread machine but, instead, use the dough setting, form the dough into 3 loaves and bake in the oven. I think this makes a better shaped loaf and gives me 3 loaves for 550g flour.

This is a lovely dense loaf perfect for eating warm from the oven with soup, rather than to be used for toasting at breakfast.

I usually make my bread the night before and leave it in the fridge to prove overnight, then bake as below in the morning. You can found at more in How to enjoy freshly baked bread every morning blog post.

If you want to make this vegan friendly, replace the honey with maple syrup.

Honey Oat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.25 tsp fast action yeast (my favourite is Allinson )
• 100g rolled oats
• 350g granary bread flour ( I really like Wessex Mill Six Seed Bread Flour )
• 100g strong white bread flour
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp thick set local honey
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 320 ml water

3 x 1lb loaf tins, which I grease with butter and sprinkle with flour

Method

Place the ingredients in your breadmaker and place on the dough setting. ( Or mix by hand or use the dough hook on a mixer to knead till elastic, put in an oiled bowl and leave somewhere warm to rise till double in size - about 2 hours )

When the dough is ready, knock it down & split into 3 equal portions. Roll each piece of dough and put into the prepared loaf tins.

Place a damp tea towel or some cling film over the the tins and put in a warm place to double in size which takes about 30-45 minutes ( or you can put in the fridge overnight to rise slowly and bake in the morning ).

When it's risen you can split the top using a very sharp knife and sprinkle with some rolled or jumbo oats if you have them.

Bake in a fan oven at 180 degrees C for about 25 minutes.