We've all been there: a friend phones you up and says, "come round, I'll put the kettle on," or "I'll open a bottle of wine..." and we quite happily trundle round, BUT, if that same person said, "come round, I've just put a homemade loaf of bread in the oven," we'd be on out toes and running round there faster than you can say, "I'll bring the marmite!"
Making bread is simple.
This is the stripped down, self sufficient way to make a great tasting (and smelling) loaf of bread.
Time:
20 minutes work
1 hour to prove
20 minutes baking
Ingredients:
400mls warm water
650g bread flour
1pk dry yeast (1.5oz fresh yeast)
desert spoon sugar
Teaspoon salt
Method:
In a small-ish mixing jug, add tot he warm water the yeast and sugar. Stir and leave for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add the salt and flour.
Pour the yeast solution into the flour and combine.
Tip out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 10 minutes.
Place kneaded dough onto a lightly oiled baking tray, or into a bread tin.
Leave for an hour somewhere warm to rise (double in size).
Bake for about 20 minutes at 175 degrees (tap bottom - if it sounds hollow, it's ready, if not, put back for a further 5 minutes and repeat.)
That's it! That's all there is to it! So, so simple.
Come on, make a loaf of bread this afternoon, it will cheer you up immensely.
