Spicy Fennel Bread

Marvelous Munch
by Marvelous Munch
1 loaf
1 hr 10 min

The smell of this Spicy Fennel Bread is still lingering in the house making me feel so cozy! A few years ago a breakfast spot opened up downtown that started making Spicy Fennel Bagels. As an avid everything bagel lover, I was not sure at first but was quickly convinced to give it a try. Oh my goodness was I happily surprised. The spice given off by the fennel was perfection melted into the bagel. A bit later I moved and craved these bagels so I decided to make my own version, Spicy Fennel Bread.

Fennel is one of those things that people love or hate, so I won’t take it personal if this isn’t the recipe for you. But it is a unique flavor not used often. The fennel seed gives an illusion of spice with its mild sweetness and bit of licorice. Mix in some dried onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and this bread is killer! Make sure to let rest so the dough can rise before baking. This bread is typically pretty dense. I haven’t tried my hand at bagels yet but I crave that dense bread consistency when I make this Spicy Fennel Bread.

We like to make this at least once a month and eat all week long. The Spicy Fennel Bread won’t keep much longer than that since there are no preservatives in it. Typically 5 days is our limit, but most times we don’t even make it the full 5 days before all that is left is crispy crust flakes. You can use this as a sandwich bread or anything else you use regular bread for. We like to toast the Spicy Fennel Bread and make breakfast sandwiches with it. Or toasted with a good spread of cream cheese and a coffee on a Sunday morning. 

From our kitchen to yours, cheers!

Love some fresh baked bread?! Try out our Cheddar Jalapeño Bread next!

Recipe details
  • 1  loaf
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 1 Hours Total time: 1 hr 10 min
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour AP or Bread flour
  • ½ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 1 ½ cup room temperature water
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp minced onion
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
Instructions

In a measuring cup add the room temperatire water, yeast, and sugar. Mix well
In a large bowl add the flour, salt, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, minced onion, and fennel. Mix well until combined and any flour clumps are broken up
Slowly pour in the yeast water mixture and stir into the flour
Hand knead the bread until everthing is combined well and you have an even consistency
Let bread rest over night on the counter with the bowl covered by pastic wrap
Let dough rise for 10-14 hours
Remove dough onto counter and knead once more, let rise 30 minutes to an hour
Preheat oven to 450°
Add a handful of flour to your dutch oven, cover with the lid, and place in oven while it preheats
Once oven is heated, remove the dutch oven and place the dough in the oven covered
Bake for 30 minutes and remove cover, bake for another 30 minutes
Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool!
Marvelous Munch
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Comments
  • Linda Nixon Daniel Linda Nixon Daniel on Sep 29, 2020

    I’m gonna add these spices to my no knead bread which only rises 4 hrs. I’m making this morning.

  • Barb Starr Barb Starr on Sep 29, 2020

    What if no dutch oven?

    • Marvelous Munch Marvelous Munch on Sep 29, 2020

      Hey Barb, if you have a cast iron skillet, that should do the trick. Otherwise a regular oven safe stock pot works with a lid. If you use a stock pot, don’t put it in the oven to preheat. Add a fair amount of flour to the bottom of the pot as well since the bottom may burn quicker.

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