Beetroot bread is a wonderful bread that can take on a gorgeous deep red hue, especially if you use cooked beetroot. The dough above is made with cooked beetroot and the resulting bread had a pale pink hue, hardly noticeable to the beetroot hater in this house and it has to be said that they enjoyed this bread even with the beetroot.
NB. Top tip is to wear plastic gloves when grating the beetroot and mixing the dough as it will stain your hands. An apron is handy too.
Ingredients for Beetroot Bread
500g white strong flour (you could also use wholemeal but remember to add a bit more water)
5g easy bake/ instant yeast
10g fine sea salt
150g beetroot, grated (you can use cooked or uncooked)
320-350g water
Method
Place the flour in a large bowl and add the yeast and salt. Stir to mix together. Add the grated beetroot. Add 320g of water and start to mix the dough, adding more water as needed. There is quite a lot of water in the beetroot so you may or may not need more depending on the absorbency of your flour. Once fully mixed with no dry bits cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for 10-30 minutes, then do a round of stretch and fold. Repeat the stretch and fold twice more. Leave to rise. It can go in the fridge overnight if that suits you. Once risen (doubled in size) shape however you want to shape it. Leave to rise.
Preheat the oven to 220C, gas mark 7, 425f. Once the loaf has risen and is ready to bake, bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes until fully baked and then leave to cool.
This recipe is featured in my European Breads course that is available to Bread Made Easy members.
