Making bread

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra
• 7 g instant dried yeast
• 2 Tbsp olive oil * (Optional but adds flavor and color) 
• 10 g salt
• 350 ml tepid water

Step 1

MAKE THE DOUGH

Tip the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt on the other side. Start to combine using the dough hook attachment, then begin pouring the water into the bowl. Keep pouring and mixing until you have a wet but combined dough.

Step 2

KNEAD THE DOUGH

Knead the dough at a medium speed for 10 minutes, until the dough is smoother and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Keep adding a little flour if the dough continues to be sticky. Shape into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover with Cling Film and leave to prove for an hour or until it’s doubled in size.

Step 3

PROVE

Scoop the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface again. Use both hands under the dough to pinch the bottom so that the top smooths out. Keep turning and pinching to get a ball that is smooth and round. Place the dough into a heavily floured proving basket and cover with greased Cling Film. Prove for another hour.

Step 4

BAKE!

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Tip the bread out onto a lightly floured baking tray. Place the baking tray with the bread onto the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from vessel and continue cooking for 10 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before digging in! Makes 1 loaf.

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