Recipe: Garden Mint and Courgette Bread: Thermomix: Cheaper than Chips

Once I had replenished my yeast stocks there was no excuse, not that I needed one, so I had a go at this.
Firstly, it is not at all of my creation.  The original can be found here at Freshly Baked, which is a jolly good site.  Do go over and take a look: there's some super recipes.

It was certainly interesting to make.  I adapted it for Thermione so I will give that method below.  However, while all the other ingredients were fine, I think there was too much water and next time I will reduce it to 250 mls with the option of adding more, if necessary.  I know it's mostly wholemeal flour which needs water but the courgettes do release a lot of water.
So the dough was very, very sloppy, almost unworkable (and Thermione did most of the work there, thank goodness) with the result that while proving (in tins) the top sort of collapsed.  I popped them quickly into the oven, thanking my lucky stars that I had pre-heated it well beforehand) and they were fine.  Quite a dense-ish texture, but not solid in any way and certainly not stodgy.  It hinted at mint but it was very subtle and I got the sense of an enriched flavour rather than any specific, full-on mint or courgette connection.

When made, I had the first slice still warm (after all, the cook's crusty nog-end contains no calories, eny fule kno that) with butter (ooops) and it was really delicious, and I mean REALLY delicious!  I had another slice when it had properly cooled (shame about the calories) and, again, it was scrummy.  So I'm happy to share both the link and the Thermomix method and would gladly share the calories too, if I could!

As for cost, the flours cost 40p and 5p, the yeast and the salt around 10p, the mint was from the garden and the courgette was from Beth's allotment.  At 55p for two loaves, I am happy to label this recipe as Cheaper than Chips.  If I'd needed to buy the courgette or if I had used strong wholemeal flour, it would have been rather more expensive, of course.

Garden mint and courgette bread the Thermomix way

150g courgettes (ends taken off, wiped well and any bad skin cut off before weighing), cut into chunks
2 tbsp chopped mint (I used leaves only)
Place both in the bowl and chop at speed 6 until grated.

400g wholemeal flour (I used ordinary plain as the recipe didn't say otherwise.  Next time I will try strong wholemeal instead - it might have been the cause of the collapse)
100g strong white flour
8g yeast
10g salt
250g water (the recipe said 300 and that's what I used, but I think that was rather too much) with more ready if needed
Put the flour, the yeast and salt into the bowl on top of the mint and courgette.  Mix on 4 for about 5 - 7 seconds
Add the water and mix on 6 for about 5 seconds
Knead on dough setting for 5 minutes.

Then take off the lid, scrape the sides down and oil them, cover the bowl with clingfilm or similar and leave for the dough to rise.

When the dough is risen (about an hour, less in warmer weather), knock it back down again on speed 4 for a very short time.
Take out of the bowl, scrape any residue out as well and put the bowl and the blade straight into hot, soapy water to soak (if the dough hardens, it's the very devil to get off the blade!).
Shape the dough as you fancy (I used two tins) and leave to prove.  Then pop into a very hot oven (the hottest you can get) and immediately reduce the heat to around 180-ish.
After half an hour I took the loaves out of the tins and put them back in the oven for another ten minutes to just finish them off.
Check they are done by rapping on the bottom of the loaf - it should sound 'hollow'.  Leave to cool on a rack and resist diving in with the bread knife and a knob of butter for as long as you can!

Beth - one loaf is for you!  Come and get!