Baking Recipes - Basic White Bread Recipe

  
 

Baking Recipes - Basic White Bread Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 1 large or 2 small loaves

  • 750 g/1 1/2 lb strong white or unbleached flour

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 15 g/1/2 oz lard or vegetable fat

  • 450 ml/3/4 pint water

  • 15 g/1/2 oz fresh yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast with 1 teaspoon caster sugar

Method:

  1. To make the dough with fresh yeast, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and warm gently for 5-6 minutes. Rub in the lard or vegetable fat lightly. Warm the measured water until tepid and blend in the yeast. Add the water at once to the dry ingredients. Mix into a soft dough and beat well with a wooden spoon or by hand, until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean, adding a little extra flour if sticky.

  2. To make the dough with dried yeast, heat a cupful of the measured water until hand-hot and add the sugar. Sprinkle the dried yeast on top, swirl it around and leave for about 10 minutes or until frothy. Add with the remaining water to the warm dry ingredients and mix to a dough as for fresh yeast.

  3. Gather the dough into a ball (add more flour if sticky), turn it on to a floured board, and knead for about 10 minutes until firm, elastic and smooth. Round the dough into a ball and place in an oiled container. Leave to rise until doubled in bulk, then turn on to a board and knock back with your knuckles before shaping.

  4. Mould the dough according to the type of loaf required, taking care not to work in extra flour as this will affect the color and finish of the crust.

  5. Place the shaped dough in tins or hand mould on a baking sheet, cover with an oiled plastic bag and leave to rise until doubled in bulk - it will be springy to the touch when sufficiently proved.

  6. Remove the bag and bake the loaves in the centre of a preheated oven, 230°C (450°F), Gas Mark 8, for 30-40 minutes according to size. The bread is ready when the loaf begins to shrink from the sides of the tin.

  7. Remove from the oven, turn out of the tin or turn upside down if hand-moulded and tap the bottom. The loaf will sound hollow when cooked. Cool on a wire rack.