Bake Your Own Bread
Number of servings : Prep time: Cooking time: Type of meal : | Breads and muffins | Breads and muffins
Number of servings :
Prep time:
Cooking time:
Type of meal : | Breads and muffins | Breads and muffins
Special diet :
Ingredients
This recipe makes a delicious basic loaf, and it is infinitely flexible. You can make any number of breads by using different types of flour or adding extra ingredients—you don’t even need a loaf pan, because the bread is baked on a baking sheet.
2 cups white bread flour
2 cups whole wheat bread flour, preferably stoneground, plus a little extra to sprinkle
1 teaspoon salt
1 envelope quick-rising yeast
2 cups tepid water
Directions
1. Sift the white and wholewheat flours and salt into a large bowl, tipping in any bran left in the sifter. Stir in the yeast, then make a well in the middle and pour in the water. Using your hands, gradually draw the flour into the water, mixing to make a dough.
2. Gather the dough into a ball that feels firm and leaves the sides of the bowl clean; if necessary, add a little more flour or a little more water.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Put the dough into a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour, depending on the temperature of the room.
4. Punch down the dough, then turn out onto a floured surface. Gently knead the dough into a neat ball shape, then set it on a large greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size again, about 1 hour.
5. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 230ºC (425ºF). Uncover the loaf and sprinkle with a little flour. Using a serrated knife, make 4 slashes across the top. Bake until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 35 minutes.
6. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing. This bread keeps up to 5 days.
Nutritional information:
Imported on 2011-01-20 20:26:46 — Original ID:1101
