Flaxseed Bread

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C.

Step 2

Grind the flaxseeds into very fine flour. Ideally, sift the flaxseed flour to make sure there are no actual "seeds".

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the apple cider vinegar and water, and stir until the flaxseed meal becomes sticky and holds together in a lump, for about 30 seconds. Then use your hands to roughly form the dough into a loaf shape. (Don't over-knead the dough. Handle it as little as possible). The loaf should have a nice smooth surface.

Step 4

Place the loaf into a greased (or parchment paper-lined) loaf pan. The bread fits perfectly into a 1-pound loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5"). However, if you only have 1.5-pound loaf pan (10" x 5") - like I do - it will work just fine. (If you're working with the larger size loaf pan, form the loaf, place it into the loaf pan, but don't press it into the corners). You can also use a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. The bread holds its shape during baking really well, so the loaf pan is not necessary.

Step 5

Mist with water and sprinkle some seeds on top (I use a mix of flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds). Gently press down on the seeds with your palm to make them stick better.

Step 6

Note: if you watched the video that goes with this recipe, I said that I let the bread rest, covered, for a few minutes. Well, if you're using the baking soda, you want to do the opposite. When you mix baking soda (base) with apple cider vinegar (acid), you get a chemical reaction. A product of this reaction is carbon dioxide, producing a lift in your baked goods. The reaction starts as soon as the base and the acid are mixed. So, get the bread in the oven immediately after you mix the two, before the reaction tapers off.

Step 7

Bake the bread for 60 minutes. The crust should be golden brown (if using golden flaxseeds).

Step 8

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool inside the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the bread on a cooling rack, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Step 9

Store the flaxseed bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days. For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I like to slice the bread prior to freezing, but you can freeze the whole loaf as well.