Home-made Bread

Ditch the breadmaker! This bread is fluffier and works every time.

Makes for great toasting bread when stale. Optionally, sprinkle with poppy seeds when brushing with water.

Variations:

  • Herb bread: add 3/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, chives, basil) to dry ingredients before adding water. Sprinkle with flour instead of poppy seeds. Great served spread with cream cheese.
  • Wholemeal bread: replace 2 cups plain flour with 2 cups wholemeal plain flour. Add 1 Tbsp brown sugar to dry ingredients before adding the water. Sprinkle with flour instead of poppy seeds.

Anneka Manning - Australian Good Taste, October 1998, Page 70
Title image from upload.wikimedia.org
Preparation time
2.5 hours
Makes
12 thick slices
Category
Baking
Tags
baking, bread, savory, vegetarian
2 Tbsp
melted butter
3 1/3 cups
plain flour
2 tsp
dried yeast
1 tsp
salt
375mL
lukewarm water
  1. Place plain flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and mix well to combine.
  2. Make a well in the centre and add water. Using a wooden spoon, stir until combined, then using your hands bring the dough together in the bowl
  3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball.
  4. Brush a large bowl with melted butter, to grease. Place dough in bowl and turn over to lightly coat with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise.
  5. When dough has doubled in size (45 - 75 min), punch down the centre. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead again for 2 - 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic, and returned to original size.
  6. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Brush a 10 x 20cm loaf pan with butter to lightly grease.
  7. Divide dough into 2 equal portions, shaping each into a smooth round. Place portions side by side in loaf pan. Brush lightly with butter. Stand pan in a warm, draft-free place, as before, for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 1cm above top of pan.
  8. Gently brush loaf with a little water. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through (knocking on the top sounds hollow).
  9. Turn loaf immediately onto wire rack and allow to cool. If left in pan, loaf will sweat and crust will become soft.