Artisan Boule with Toasted Oat Groats

A rustic artisan boule made with 11% toasted and simmered whole oat groats, a touch of organic dark rye, and a slow fermentation.

This is a loaf built around the distinctive character of the whole oat grain. Rather than using rolled oats or oat flour, we use intact oat groats—the whole oat kernel with the inedible outer hull removed. They bring a wonderful combination of texture, nuttiness and gentle sweetness to the finished bread.

Why Oat Groats?

Before they go into the dough, our oat groats are gently toasted to develop their natural nutty aroma, then simmered for around 20 minutes until tender.

The groats are incorporated whole into the dough, giving the finished loaf little pockets of soft, creamy oat texture alongside the open, chewy crumb of the artisan bread.

We also use the liquid from simmering the groats as part of the dough hydration, making use of the flavour and soluble components released during cooking rather than simply discarding it.

A small proportion of dark rye adds another layer of character, bringing earthy depth and complementing the naturally sweet, nutty flavour of the toasted oats.

The dough is then given a slow fermentation of around 10 hours, allowing the wheat, rye and oats to develop into a loaf with considerably more flavour and character than a conventional oat bread.

Tasting Notes

Expect a loaf with a warm, toasted oat aroma, a gentle natural sweetness and subtle earthy notes from the dark rye.

The crumb is soft and moist, with a creamy chew from the cooked oat groats and occasional little bursts of nutty texture. The crust provides a deeper roasted flavour, creating a satisfying contrast with the tender interior.

Flavour: toasted oats · gentle sweetness · earthy rye · subtle nuttiness
Texture: crisp artisan crust · soft, moist crumb · tender oat groats · satisfying chew

It is particularly good simply toasted, where the oat and rye flavours become even more pronounced, but it also works beautifully with mature cheese, butter, honey or savoury toppings.

Pairing Advice

This is a particularly versatile loaf. Try it with:

• Butter and honey – allowing the natural sweetness of the oats to shine.

• Mature Welsh or farmhouse cheese – the earthy rye and toasted oats make an excellent partner for stronger cheeses.

• Smoked salmon or smoked mackerel – the gentle sweetness of the oats balances the smokiness beautifully.

• Nut butters – a natural pairing with the toasted, nutty character of the groats.

• Hearty soups and stews – the substantial crumb makes it ideal for dipping and mopping up rich sauces.

And if you want to experience the loaf at its simplest: toast a thick slice, add good butter, and let the toasted oats do the talking.

The Baker's Note

This is one of those breads where a relatively simple ingredient requires considerably more work.

The oat groats have to be toasted, simmered and cooled before they can be incorporated into the dough, and the hydration has to be carefully balanced to account for the water absorbed by the oats.

But that extra work is worthwhile. The result is not simply a loaf with oats in it—it is an artisan bread where the oat groat becomes part of the character of the loaf.

Baked slowly. Made by hand. Maturing in flavour long after it leaves the oven.

Net weight 550g

Ingredients: UK grown white flour (Wheat), water, Oat Groats (Oat) 11%, organic dark rye flour (Rye), coarse salt, Dove farm yeast