Recipe: bread

I was looking back and I don't think I have recently posted about my usual bread recipe so here goes.

Ingredients to make one 1lb loaf (I usually double it)
250g strong flour.  It can be white, wholemeal, half and half - your choice)
half tsp each of instant yeast (for breadmakers), sugar and salt
A glug of veg oil
Water:  all wholemeal - 175mls; all white - 160mls; half and half - 165/170mls

Method
Bung it all in a bowl and mix it well.  ip it out and knead it well until it has formed a good, stretchy dough.
Pop it in an oiled bowl, cover with a shower hat or clingfilm and leave in a draft free place until it has doubled in amount.
Get your baking tin ready.  I use (and re-use) liners.

Knock the dough back, shape it and pop it in your tin.  cover the tin with oiled clungfilm or an easy-leave sheet and leave to almost double in amount again.

When it's nearly there, turn the oven to the hottest it will go.

When it have proved, pop the tin into the oven, immediately turn the heat down to 180C and bake for about 30 mins.  When it is cooked, a tap on the bottom of the loaf will sound hollow.

Turn it out of the tin and cool it on a baking rack.  Don't wrap it until it's completely cold or it will go soggy.

And that's it!  Easy.  You need to be around but most of the time you can get other stuff done.  You don't need to hang around watching it.

And it makes the house smell better than the most expensive room spray!

I slice mine and bag it loosely before popping into the freezer so I can take out just what I need.  No need to throw away or have stale bread.