Courgette Tin Loaf

A warmly spiced, tender loaf with a golden crust and a moist, fragrant crumb — grated courgette keeps every slice beautifully soft while cinnamon weaves through each bite. This gluten-free bake is wholesome enough for breakfast and handsome enough for an afternoon spread. Slice it thick, eat it as it is, or take it with a flat white.

Allergens:tree nuts (almonds, walnuts if used), gluten-free oats (may not be tolerated by all coeliacs), sesame (check chia/hemp seed packaging for cross-contamination)

• 2 medium courgettes (about 300 g), coarsely grated 1 tsp fine sea salt (for drawing moisture from the courgette) — Chia egg — 2 tbsp ground chia seeds (or a 50/50 mix of ground chia and ground flaxseed) 1 tbsp hemp seeds, ground (optional top-up) 6 tbsp cold water — Yeast sponge — 120 ml warm water (about 38 °C) 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp agave nectar — House GF flour blend — 100 g almond flour (ground almonds) 80 g teff flour 80 g certified gluten-free oat flour 40 g fine cornmeal (or maize flour) 1 tbsp psyllium husk powder (binder) — Leavening & spice — 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp fine sea salt — Finish — 1 tbsp agave nectar 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (just enough to prevent sticking
• omit for strict WFPB — see tip) 60 g walnut halves, roughly chopped (optional — see tip)

Instructions

1. 1.Place the grated courgette in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp fine sea salt, toss well, and leave for 15 minutes. Gather the courgette in a clean tea towel and wring out firmly — you want to remove most but not all of the liquid
2. 2.the courgette should be damp, not dripping. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the ground chia seeds (and ground flax or hemp, if using) with 6 tbsp cold water. Stir well and leave for at least 10 minutes until a thick, gel-like paste forms. It should hold its shape on a spoon. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, dried yeast, and agave nectar. Leave uncovered in a warm spot for 8–10 minutes until the surface is visibly frothy and the smell is yeasty. If nothing happens after 12 minutes, discard and start again with fresher yeast. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, teff flour, oat flour, cornmeal, psyllium husk powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, and the ¼ tsp salt until evenly combined. Add the chia egg, agave nectar, and olive oil (if using) to the frothed yeast sponge. Stir to combine. Add the wrung-out courgette and mix until evenly distributed. Tip the dry flour blend into the wet mixture all at once. Fold and stir with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon until a thick, sticky, cohesive dough forms — there should be no dry pockets. Gluten-free doughs are wetter than conventional bread doughs
3. 3.this is correct. Fold in the walnuts now if you are using them. Lightly oil a standard 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin or line it with a strip of baking parchment. Scrape the dough in, smooth the top with a wet spatula, and press down gently so there are no air pockets. Dampen a clean tea towel under warm water, wring it out so it is not dripping, and drape it over the tin. Set the tin in the warmest draught-free spot in your kitchen — on top of the oven, in an unlit oven with just the light on, or near a radiator. Leave for 45–60 minutes. The dough will rise modestly
4. 4.gluten-free loaves rise less dramatically than wheat loaves. Place a ceramic baking stone (or a heavy baking sheet turned upside down) on the middle shelf — it must be larger than the loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 220 °C fan / 240 °C conventional / Gas 9. Allow at least 30 minutes for the stone to reach full temperature. Carefully set the loaf tin directly on the hot stone. Prop the oven door open by about 2 cm using a folded oven cloth or a wooden spoon. Bake for 12 minutes at this high heat
5. 5.the crust will begin to set and colour. Open the oven, rotate the tin 180° so the back becomes the front, and move it slightly if one side is colouring faster. Close the door (still propped). Bake for a further 12–15 minutes until the top is a deep, even amber-brown. Rotate the tin again. Reduce the oven to 190 °C fan / 210 °C conventional / Gas 6 and close the oven door fully. Bake for a final 10–15 minutes. The loaf is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Lift the tin onto a wire rack and leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out and cool directly on the rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Cutting into a hot gluten-free loaf will make the crumb gummy — patience here makes a real difference to texture. Tip — walnuts: Walnuts earn their place by adding crunch and a faint bitterness that balances the sweetness of the courgette and cinnamon. Leave them out if you prefer a cleaner crumb or need a nut-free loaf. Tip — olive oil: For a strictly whole-food plant-based version, line the tin with baking parchment instead and omit the oil entirely. The loaf will be marginally drier on the outside but no less delicious. Tip — storage: Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or slice and freeze for up to 1 month. Toast slices straight from frozen.

External Recipes

• Moms Zucchini Bread (Health Score: 64)