200g mixed seeds etc (for this loaf I used 50g Shipton 5 seed mix, 50g Shipton chopped rye for pumpernickel, 50g poppy seeds, 25g pumkin and 25g sunflower seeds)

500g bread flour (I used Shipton's organic white number 4 bread flour)

7g salt (I used fine Himalayan pink, for extra trace element goodness, but any salt'll do)

400g water (a little more or less perhaps)

* 7g yeast, if using. If using sourdough, take 100g from the flour and prepare a levain at 100% hydration.

Method:

1. Place all your seeds in a bowl. If using yeast, add a pinch from your 7g and all 400g of water. If using sourdough, add a tablespoon or so of your existing starter and only 300 of your 400g of water. Give it all a good mix, then cover and leave at room temperature for 12-24hrs.

If using sourdough, build your levain when you mix the seed soaker using 100g flour, 100g water and 50g of your existing starter.

2. Yeasted: mix your remaining yeast, flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the (now bubbly and fermenting) seed mix, and stir together to form a rough dough.

Sourdough: Add 200g of levain to the seed soaker and mix well. Mix your salt with your flour in a large bowl, then mix everything together to form a rough dough.

3. Yeasted: After 30mins knead well until smoother and more elastic. Cover with a damp tea towel /clingfilm.

Sourdough: After 30mins I did 3 sets of stretch and fold, 45mins apart (roughly), but there's more than one way to skin a cat, so use your preferred method.

4. When your dough is noticeably bigger and more pillowy (probably about an hour with yeast, with sourdough anywhere from 4-8hrs, depending on your starter/temp etc) shape and place it in a buttered tin - be gentle with the shaping, so many seeds seem to affect the gluten in the dough. I used a 1lb loaf tin, and it overflowed a little. Cover with a damp tea towel/clingfilm.

5. When well risen (plenty of advice online if you're unsure when this is!) bake in a preheated oven at 240C for 15mins (with a few ice cubes/half a cup of water in a tray on the bottom, for steam, if you want) then lower to 210C for about 20-35mins more, depending on how dark you like your crust.

Remove from tin and cool on a rack - enjoy!

P.S. It doesn't have to be a loaf, it'd make lovely rolls too. Or you could use a banneton and Dutch oven. Or if you wanted you could retard the dough in the fridge during first or second prove. This is just a guide really, experiment! I usually use at least 50% wholemeal, but covid-19 flour availabilities are a pain. You may want to add a little more or less water, different flours and seeds will absorb different amounts; if your dough feels too wet to handle, just knead in a little extra flour.

Again, I use organic whenever possible, but it isn't compulsory. The seed mix too, just use whatever you have, or fancy, or brush the top of the loaf with water, milk or egg and sprinkle seeds on the crust as well- have fun too, it makes it taste better ;)