There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of a freshly baked loaf. And making bread from scratch is easier than you might think...
How to bake
Basic white loaf
Watching dough transform from a few simple ingredients into a golden loaf is one of the great pleasures in cookery. Once you’re confident with this basic recipe, experiment with flavours and techniques
Makes 1 loaf (12-15 slices) Prep time 45 mins Cooking time 30-35 mins, plus rising/proving You’ll need… Baking sheet; clingfilm; small roasting tin; sharp knife
• 15g fresh yeast (or 7g dried active yeast)
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 290ml lukewarm milk
• 450g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten, plus 1 extra for glazing
• Oil for greasing
Per slice (based on 15) 123kcals, 1.7g fat (0.7g saturated), 4.1g protein, 23.3g carbs (1.5g sugars), 0.7g salt, 1.2g fibre
1 Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in a little of the warm milk in a small bowl (if using dried active yeast, wait 15 mins until bubbles appear on the surface). Put the flour in a large bowl with the salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, the rest of the milk and the beaten egg, then stir with a table knife until the dough comes together. Tip out onto a floured worksurface and knead for 10 mins or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic and springs back when pressed with your finger.
2 Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave somewhere warm to rise for 1 hr or so until roughly doubled in size (it might need longer in a colder place, or be ready sooner in a very warm place). Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a lightly floured worksurface and gently knead for 1 min or so to distribute the air and get rid of any large bubbles (this is called ‘knocking it back’). Form the dough into a ball with your hands.
3 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 with a small roasting tin of hot water in the bottom. Lightly flour a baking sheet, then put the dough on top. Slash the top of the loaf into a pattern using a very sharp knife, razor blade or scalpel. Cover loosely with an oiled piece of clingfilm and leave somewhere warm to prove (rise in its final shape) for 30-40 mins until doubled in size. Brush the loaf lightly with beaten egg, then bake for 30-35 mins until golden and firm – it should sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool completely, then slice.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS Yeast F
