Simple white loaf

Just had family around for Sunday lunch and we got talking about baking, as you do when you have a Mary Berry baking book on the table. Ended up talking about how easy it is to make a simple white loaf, or three as it turned out to be, of bread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredient

1. 1kg of strong white flour, OO flour is the best. I used Allinsons but have used McDougals in the past.
   
2. 15g quick dried yeast
3. 1 tbs sugar
4. 300ml water
5. 350ml full fat or semi-skinned(low fat) milk
6. 20 g salt
7. 3 tbs Olive oil

Direction

 

1. Put 200ml of boiling water in a large jug
2. Add 100 ml of cold water
3. Add the milk and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved
4. Stir in the yeast the top off with the olive oil
5. Allow to stand for 5 minutes
6. Sieve the flour and slat together

Using a mixer

1. Turn the mixer on the low setting then slowly add the yeast mixture. Only add it all if it needs it, the mixture should not be too wet.
2. Keep mixing for a good ten minutes to allow the gluten to stretch

Mix by hand

1. Make a well in the centre of the flour and our in a little of the yeast mixture and using your fingers slowly blend into the flour.
2. Keep doing this until all the flour is incorporated then knead the dough for a good fifteen minutes, make sure you keep the surface well floured to stop the dough from sticking.

Continue

1. Kneed the dough for a further five minutes
2. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film
3. Ace bowl in a warm ace for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Second rise

1. When the dough has doubled in size, take out and divide as required.
2. Knock out the large air bubbles by kneading the dough for a couple of minutes
3. Place onto a floured surface to allow to rise a second time, or in loaf tins, this should be about 20 -25 minutes.

Cooking

1. Heat the oven to the highest setting
2. Pace a cooking tray full of hot water in the bottom of the oven
3. cook the bread on the highest setting for 15-20 minutes, until there is a nice brown crust
4. turn down to fan 160/ 180 or gas 4 for 20 minutes
5. Test to see if cooked by tapping the bread to see if it sounds hollow
6. Leave to cool on wire rack

 

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