I may be biased but I think this bread is better than anything you'll get in the shops!
Rarely does this ever get to be used for a sandwich, not that it wouldn't be lovely for a sandwich it just usually doesn't last long enough! Most of it goes within the first few hours just on slices of bread and jam, with the rest being used for toast at supper or breakfast the following day. Homemade bread really does make the most delicious toast.
I like to make a 50/50 loaf, with 50% white flour and 50% wholemeal, it tastes great and also makes me feel like I'm getting something with a little bit more fibre and goodness. Though lets just clear up that bread, white or brown, is not bad for you! As long as you're eating it as part of a balanced, healthy diet, and not relying on bread as your main food source, you can certainly have a sandwich for lunch or toast for breakfast without worrying.
The lovely thing about this recipe is you can use as much or as little strong white flour as you like. I tend to go from anywhere between 100% white to 50% or 40% white, once you past this to only 30% or less white flour, I find that the wholemeal flavour is a bit to 'intense' lets say for my liking. If you do want to go 100% wholemeal then I'd suggest using butter as your fat instead of oil, or adding a touch more oil.
Also, if you don't have a tin then you can easily shape the dough into a cob or bloomer shape and place onto a lightly oiled baking tray. This is also the exact same recipe that I use for my pizza dough, so if you fancy making homemade pizza please do check out my blog on it here.
I have given step by step instructions below for both mixing with a food mixer or kneading by hand. If you've never made bread before I would definitely suggest you try kneading by hand at lease once, you'll get a feel for how the dough comes together and learn what your looking for when using a food mixer, if you're lucky enough to have one. Admittedly I do always use my food mixer now, it means the first step now only takes approx. 5-6 mins instead of 15-20, and no messy dough covered hands!
Once kneaded the bread needs to be left to prove (rise), then you knock back, let prove again and bake. Start to finish you're looking at anything between 3 - 5 hours, depending on how quickly your bread proves, however you'll only be 'doing stuff' for approx. 20-40 minutes of that, depending on whether you need to knead by hand or not.
The following pictures give you a guide of what you're looking for at each stage. Combined with the directions below you should have a lovely loaf of bread ready in a few hours time.
Recipe
Makes 1 medium sized loaf
300ml warm water (I use boiled and cooled water from the kettle)
250g strong white flour
250g strong wholemeal flour
10g salt
7g fast action yeast
40ml / 2.5 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for oiling)
Directions
If using a food mixer
Add the water to the food mixer bowl, then place your bowl onto kitchen scales to weigh in the rest of the ingredients.
Add the flour, then the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Do not add the salt and yeast on top of each other.
Now add the oil.
Using the dough hook begin mixing on the lowest speed until all the ingredients come together, about 45-60 seconds.
Turn the mixer up slightly and let run for about 4 minutes. You may want to stop it half way through and scrap any dough from the sides into the middle of the bowl.
Once the dough looks nice and smooth its ready.
Tip into a large lightly oiled bowl.
Without a food mixer
Place your bowl onto kitchen scales and weigh in the flour, then the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Do not add the salt and yeast on top of each other.
Add the oil.
Gradually add the water, while beginning to mix with your hand. At this stage try to only use one hand for mixing keeping the other clean for pouring water.
Once all the ingredients have come together to form a dough tip out onto a lightly oiled surface for kneading.
Knead for 10 - 15 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
Form into a ball and place into a large lightly oiled bowl, (you can use the same bowl you have just used with some oil rubbed around the sides).
Cover the bowl with clingfilm or a tea towel and place somewhere warm for 1.5 - 2.5 hours until it's doubled in size. The warmth of your kitchen or wherever you place it will determine how long it takes to rise.
If your loaf tin is non-stick you don't need to grease it, otherwise grease with butter or spread. Do NOT use olive oil as it will cause the bread to stick to the tin.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface.
Knock the dough back, which means press it firmly all over to squash the air out of it.
Knead it lightly a couple of times and shape into an oblong, tucking under the ends, and place into the tin.
Leave to rise for another 30-40 minutes, until doubled in size. If you have a large clean plastic bag then place the tin inside, making sure the top is lifted in such a way the the bread won't stick to it as it rises. I never have a large plastic bag so don't do actually do this myself. I just make sure its somewhere that it won't get touched and if it's summer that there's no annoying flies buzzing about!
Heat your oven to 200°C fan / 220°C without a fan
Once doubled in size, dust with a little flour and place in the oven for 25mins. After 25mins turn the oven down to 180°C fan (200° without) and leave to bake for a further 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and ease out of the tin. If it doesn't come straight out tap the bottom and sides of the tin to help it along or if needed gently run a knife along the sides. It should pop straight out but if it remains stuck it likely just needs to bake for a little longer so return for another 5 minutes.
If you give the bread a tap on the bottom it will sound hollow if its ready.
Place on a cooling rack and try not to eat it until it's fully cooled!
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