Traditional Homemade Bread
An excellent traditional homemade bread recipe taken from the Around Britain Cookbook.
Ingredients
WHOLEMEAL BREAD
Warm water 450ml (16fl oz)
Caster sugar 4 tsp
Traditional dried active yeast 1 tbsp
Wholemeal flour 680g (1½lb), plus a little extra for sifting
Salt 2 tsp
Butter 50g (2oz)
Milk 300ml (½ pint), warm
Egg 1 large, beaten with 2 tbsp milk
Oats for sifting, optional
.
WHITE BREAD
Warm water 150ml (¼ pint)
Caster sugar 4 tsp
Traditional dried active yeast 1 tbsp
Organic strong plain flour 680g (1½lb)
Salt 2 tsp
Butter 50g (2oz)
Milk 300ml (½ pint), warm
Egg 1 large, beaten with 2 tbsp milk
Oats for sifting, optional
Instructions
1
Place 150ml (¼ pint) of the warm water in a bowl or jug, add 1 tsp of the sugar and the yeast. Whisk well, then cover with cling film and leave to stand in a warm place for 15 minutes until a 5cm (2in) froth forms.
2
Meanwhile, sift the flour, remaining sugar and salt into a bowl, rub in the butter and make a well.
3
Whisk the yeast mixture and add to the flour, along with the remaining water and milk. Mix to a dough, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and very elastic. Or mix with a dough hook in an electric mixer.
4
Cut the dough into 18 equally sized pieces and shape each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on greased and lightly floured baking trays – well spaced apart. Loosely cover with cling film and leave to rise until they have doubled in size and retain an impression when lightly pressed with the tip of a finger – about 30 minutes.
5
To bake, preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8. The risen rolls may be sifted with flour and oats before baking, or brushed with milk or milk and beaten egg. Bake for 10–15 minutes until they are well risen, golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.
