Name: Basic bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 3 cup (450g) plain white flour; 2 teaspoon bread improver; 1 sachet (75g) instant dry yeast; 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cup (375ml) warm water

Basic bread

Experience the satisfaction of baking your own bread with this fluffy, versatile recipe. Brilliant served sliced as the base to your favourite sandwich, or lightly toasted with a spread of butter and jam.

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Makes 1 Item

Prep

20M

Cook

35M

Total

55M

Ingredients

3 cup (450g) plain white flour

2 teaspoon bread improver

1 sachet (75g) instant dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup (375ml) warm water

Method

1.Sift flour, bread improver and salt into a warmed bowl. Return any wholemeal bran to bowl, then stir in yeast. Make a well in centre and add warm water. Mix with a wooden spoon, then mix with one hand, adding a little more water or flour, if necessary, to make a soft dough.

2.Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead by folding far edge towards you, then pushing it firmly away with heel of hand. Turn dough a little and repeat. Continue 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic and springs back when pressed.

3.Place dough in a clean, warm, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Set aside to rise in a warm, draught-free place 1 1/2 hours. Test by pushing a finger into dough. If indentation remains, it is ready. Knock back dough by punching with your fist several times, squeezing out any large bubbles. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three or four times.

4.Knock back dough by punching with your fist several times, squeezing out any large bubbles. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three or four times.

5.Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan-forced). Lightly oil a 12 x 23cm loaf pan. Pat dough into a round and fold sides under to form an oblong. Place in prepared pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel and set aside in a warm place 30 minutes, until risen to top of pan.

6.Bake 15 minutes. Turn pan, reduce heat to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Bake 20-25 minutes, until loaf is golden and sounds hollow when base is tapped. Turn bread out of the pan immediately. Cool on wire rack.

You could use 2 cups white flour and 1 cup wholemeal flour instead. For a crisp crust, take bread out of the pan and bake directly on an oven rack for the last 10 minutes. To make walnut bread: add 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts to basic bread dough when you start the first kneading. Top loaf with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts before baking.
Note

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