I first made this Spelt and Chia Fishtail Plait Loaf about 2 years ago when my daughter insisted that I learn how to do a fishtail plait. After a few views of a YouTube video I managed to do my daughter’s hair with great success. This then got me thinking, why not transfer this technique to bread. I made a video of myself making the bread but wasn’t happy with it so the recipe stayed in my notebook until now! In my original recipe I used half spelt and half strong white bread flour but not having any of the latter I made an all spelt version this weekend and decided to add chia seeds to an extra healthy touch.
The resulting loaf is such a pleasure to look at, tastes great and is packed full of fibre and nutrients, it really does tick all the boxes. I think it would be great for a special picnic or to have with soup or even with some homemade jam which is how we christened it! I have to say I hadn’t made a yeasted loaf for far too long and it’s so therapeutic – the whole process is a total joy. I’ll never understand bread makers, to me they are soulless machines which take away all the fun of bread making.
If you aren’t acquainted with fishtail plaits you could always watch a YouTube video first to get you on the right path!
As this loaf is quite long before plaiting you will need someone to help you plait or alternatively you could make the fishtail shorter but a thicker loaf will require longer in the oven. If it starts to brown too much on top then turn it upside down.
Isn’t she pretty!
More Bread Recipes
- Slow Cooker Sourdough
- Easy Cheesy Chilli Cob
- Spelt & Wholemeal No-Knead Loaf
- Walnutty Wholemeal Bread
- Za’atar and Olive Focaccia
- Cobnut Bread
- Tiger Bread
I’m sure you’ll love this spelt and chia fishtail plait loaf so do leave a comment below when you make it. You can also share a picture with me on Instagram or any of my social media channels via @FabFood4All and I might even share with my followers!
Spelt and Chia Fishtail Plait Loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g White spelt four or half & half with white strong fllour
- 1 x 7g Sachet fast action yeast
- 1 teaspoon Caster sugar
- 8 g Salt
- 2 teaspoon Chia seeds
- 300 ml tepid water
- 1 tablespoon Light olive oil
- A little milk for glaze
- Extra chia seeds for decoration
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Pour the oil into the water and then stir into the dry ingredients until a dough is formed.
- Grease your hands with a little oil and knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes.
- Wash the bowl with warm water, lightly grease and replace the dough.
- Cover with greased cling film and put in a warm place until doubled in size (about 30 minutes depending on warmth).
- Knead the dough again on a floured surface for a few minutes to knock all the air out.
- Roll the dough out into a long rectangle about 43 cm long and using a long sharp knife cut into 8 equal sized strips but leaving the top end uncut (1 cm).
- You might want to give the dough strips a light dredging of flour to stop them sticking together.
- Part the dough strips down the middle to leave a big gap.
- Start plaiting the dough by passing the outer strip from one side into the middle and then push it over to join the opposite side’s strips (you will need help with this as the strips are very long).
- Repeat this with the outer most strip from the opposite side.
- You’ll find you will go over 3 strips on one side and 4 strips on the other.
- The trick is to keep a large “parting” down the middle and remember that the strips are joining the opposite side each time.
- Once you have finished plaiting pinch the tail ends together, lift onto a large greased baking sheet and fashion into a circle.
- Tuck one end of the dough plait over the other end.
- Cover in greased cling film and put in a warm place to rise for another 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 220⁰C.
- Brush a little milk over the loaf and scatter over chia seeds.
- Bake on the middle shelf of oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 200⁰C.
- Bake for a further 12 minutes or until bottom of loaf sounds hollow when knocked.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Harline Parkin
What a brilliant idea my mum use to make delicious bread this I’m going to try my grandchildren would love it I’m sure
Camilla
Great Harline, I’m sure they will:-)
Paul Wilson
Chia seeds work well in bread.
Camilla
They do indeed:-)
Maya Russell
Lovely recipe, I like chia seeds, have a packet which I add to all sorts of things.
Camilla
I have a tub of them and hadn’t used in a recipe yet so thought it high time:-) Must remember to sprinkle on my cereal!
Kavey
That looks so beautiful, Camilla! I have only once tried to plait a loaf, it was a four or five strand plait, but where I struggled was in maintaining an even width/ size along the full length. This one looks so beautifully regular. Very nice!
Camilla
Thanks Kavey:-) I struggled with that too Kavey and even took to slicing chunks off the fatter lengths to give to the thinner, even then it was quite unever but as you only see 2 lengths it’s quite forgiving as all the other strands are hidden:-)
Jen
Very pretty Camilla. I don’t have a clue how to do a fishtail plait but now I want to find out so I can make a pretty loaf too. Love the little slices you get from the loaf as well. Thanks for joining in with Bready Steady Go 🙂
Camilla
Thank you Jen, hopefully my written instructions are enough. I remembered how to do it from nearly 3 years ago so it’s not that difficult:-)
Sarah @tamingtwins
How funny. I was plaiting a toddler’s hair this morning and thought “I must watch a YouTube video to learn to be better at this!” The bread looks and sounds absolutely stunning. A real show-stopper Camilla.
Camilla
Aaw thanks Sarah:-) YouTube is such a fountain of information, plaits, crochet, it’s all going on:-)
Margot⚓Coffee & Vanilla
Absolutely love it Camilla, I have never tried spelt flour or chia seeds but this loaf looks fabulous… so perfectly round! 🙂
And thank you for mentioning my tiger bread recipe.
Camilla
Thank you Margot. Oh you really should try spelt flour, so tasty and healthy as are the chia seeds:-)
christine
Beautiful and I love where the inspiration to try it out come from!
Camilla
Thank you Christine:-)
Jo of Jo's Kitchen
Looks delicious! Save me a slice 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Jo, will have to be next time:-)
Sus @ roughmeasures.com
Love this Camilla! What an eye catching loaf! And beautiful sunny photos too!
Camilla
Thank you Sus – I’m so glad of the sunshine but the wind was terrible so was fighting with that during this shoot!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
Oooh this is so pretty! Very impressive 🙂 I like how it gives you little slices – and I very much like the amount of butter you smeared on them 😉 can’t beat fresh bread and butter!
Camilla
Thank you Becca – you can’t beat bread and butter:-)
kellie@foodtoglow
Very Great British Bake Off-worthy! Really very lovely, Camilla. I don’t have the patience. 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Kellie – it really didn’t take that much hands on time and while it’s proving there are always so many things to be done. It’s also really relaxing/therapeutic:-)
Ursula Hunt
very attractive looking loaf
Camilla
Thank you Ursula:-)