Our Daily Bread

Is there anything quite like a loaf of fresh bread? Perhaps one that you’ve made yourself entirely by hand! Now I’m not here to get anyone to give up their bread maker, if it works for you that’s awesome. I like to knead by hand. I told you I never did grow out of play doh.

This is the basic recipe I use. For brown bread use 50/50 strong white flour and wholemeal flour. Then you can add any extras you like. Today I was feeling honey and walnut.

Basic Bread Dough

500g Strong White Flour

1 Sachet of Dried or 20g of fresh Yeast

15g Salt

350ml Lukewarm Water

Weigh out all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl. Taking care to keep the salt away from the yeast.

Now add in the water and mix together using a wooden spoon to start with.

Once the dough has started to form bring it together with your hands and tip it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough for around 10 minutes. Use the heel of your hand to stretch the dough away from you and bring it back. Get stuck in and you’ll soon get the hang of it. Alternatively of course feel free to use a dough hook on a food mixer.

Slightly oil a large bowl and place your dough into it carefully to prove. Cover with a damp tea towel. Let’s see those funky tea towels lovelies! I’ll go first!

Leave in a warm place to prove for around 45 minutes. The dough should roughly double in size.

Knock the air out of the dough with your hand. Now we can start to shape.

I’m making two small rounds today so I started by dividing my dough in half.

Once you have folded in on all sides flip the dough over and shape into a round ball with your hands.

Slightly flatten your dough with the palm of your hand and gently reshape it into a round.

Place on a flat lined baking tray, cover back over with your damp tea towel and leave to prove again for approximately 40 minutes. Proving times really depend on how warm your room is so don’t go far from your loaves.

While the dough is proving pre heat your oven to 180°c and put a deep oven tray of water in the bottom. The steam will give us a great crust.

When your loaves are done proving slash the top with a sharp knife and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

When the loaves are done they will sound hollow when you give them a tap. Put on a rack to cool. Or tear into it straight away. Hey, I’m not judging anyone here!