Spinach Leaf Artisan Green Bread

This loaf celebrates green in every slice. Fresh spinach gives the bread its vibrant colour and subtle flavour, while a custom-designed spinach leaf stencil, created in Fusion 360 and 3D printed, transforms the crust into a tribute to the ingredient itself. By combining traditional bread making with modern digital design, this recipe shows that creativity can flourish in the kitchen just as much as it does in the workshop.

After all, when life gives you spinach... make bread!

1. 500 g plain flour
2. 400 g spinach
3. 100 g water
4. 7 g dry yeast
5. 1 tsp sugar
6. 10 g salt
7. Olive oil, as needed

Boil the spinach until wilted, then allow it to cool completely. Drain and squeeze out as much excess water as possible before blending it into a smooth purée.

Mix the water with the sugar and stir in the dry yeast. Leave it for a few minutes until the yeast becomes active.

Combine the flour and spinach purée in a large bowl.

Pour in the yeast mixture and mix everything together until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and shaggy, don't panic, it's supposed to. Leave to the rest for 30 min, this resting period allows the flour to hydrate and the gluten to begin developing naturally.

After resting, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic and add the salt, keep kneading.

Lightly coat a clean bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside.

Instead of intensive kneading, strengthen the dough with a series of stretch-and-folds.

Take one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward, and fold it back over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you've folded all four sides.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Repeat this process three times in total.

After the final fold, leave the dough undisturbed until it has doubled in size.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Gently press out some of the larger air bubbles before folding the edges toward the centre to create a tight, smooth loaf.

Place the dough seam-side up into a proofing bowl lined with a floured cloth. (follow the video to see the folding)

Cover and allow it to rise for 1 hour.

While the dough is proofing, it's time for a little engineering.

I downloaded an image of a spinach leaf and recreated the pattern in Fusion 360. The design was then 3D printed using only two layers, producing a lightweight stencil.

Who said bread and CAD can't work together? You can find the file in stl here

Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F).

Turn the risen dough onto a baking tray.

Place the 3D-printed leaf stencil on top of the loaf and dust generously with flour. Carefully remove the stencil to reveal a crisp spinach leaf pattern.

For extra definition, score around the circle that was left.

Voilà! A loaf that looks almost too good to eat.

Almost.

Bake using the following temperature schedule:

1. 250°C (480°F) for 10 minutes
2. Reduce to 230°C (445°F) for 10 minutes
3. Reduce to 210°C (410°F) for 10 minutes
4. Reduce to 190°C (375°F) for 20 minutes

The gradual reduction allows the loaf to develop a crisp crust while ensuring the centre is fully baked.

Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool before slicing.

Admire the leaf pattern and enjoy the vibrant green crumb!