How to make Crackle top bread

Preparation time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins
Makes 1 loaf
Vegetarian


Ingredients
For the bread
- 400g/14oz strong white bread flour + extra for dusting
- 50g/2oz strong wholemeal bread flour
- 1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- a little sunflower oil (or oil spray)
For the topping
- 25g/1oz rice flour
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- ¼ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oil



Method
1. First, prepare the bread. Put the flours, yeast and salt into a large bowl (or food mixer set with a dough hook) and give a quick mix to combine. Add 275ml/9¾fl oz of water, mixing all the time until everything comes together. Then get your hands in and squidge it into a ball. Knead it on a floured surface for 10 minutes (or for 5-7 minutes if using a food mixer).
2. To see if the dough has been kneaded enough, first make the dough into a ball with a taught top. Then, put your finger in the flour and prod the side of the dough to make an indent. If the dough springs back all the way, then the dough is ready, if it only springs back a little, then knead it for a couple more minutes and try again.
3. Now flatten the bread ball out a little (to give roughly a 5cmx12.5cm/2inx5in wide loaf). Then pull the edges into the middle giving a little parcel type thing and turn it over. This will give the dough a nice taught top. Cup the edges of the dough with your hands to shape it into a neat round shape and place on a baking sheet.
4. Oil some cling film and wrap it over the bread. Use several pieces if necessary, so that the bread is completely covered, but not too tightly so there is room to rise. Place in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes or until it has increased in size by about fifty percent.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gask 6.
6. For the topping, mix the rice flour in a small bowl with the sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in the oil and 25ml/1fl oz of warm water until it forms a thickish paste. Cover and set aside in a warm area until ready to use.
7. To check that the dough is risen enough, remove the cling film, dip your finger in some flour and then dip it into the side of the bread making a small indent. If the dough springs back halfway it is ready.
8. Once the dough has sufficiently proved, use your hands to rub the topping paste all over the top and sides of the bread in a nice even layer.
9. Bake the bread in the oven for 25 minutes. The bread should be crackled on top; if not, pop it back in the oven until it starts to darken. If it is crackled, give it a tap underneath - it should sound hollow, but if it is not quite there yet, put it back in the oven for another five minutes or so.
10. Once ready, remove it from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for a bit. This is best served with lashings of butter.

Read More

How to make White bread plait

Preparation time: over 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf
Vegetarian



Ingredients
- 675g/1½lb strong white flour, plus extra for flouring
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 3 tsp easy-blend yeast
- 1½ tbsp virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling
- 450ml/1 pint warm water
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- poppy seeds, for sprinkling


Method
1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Sprinkle over the sugar and the easy-blend yeast.
2. Add the olive oil to the water. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in most of the water and olive oil mixture. Retain a bit of the liquid; you may need to add more later to get the right consistency.
3. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring together to form a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Place the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place for approximately one hour to rise, until doubled in size.
6. When the dough has risen, place it on a clean work surface and, with floured hands, knead it again to 'knock it back'. Knead for about five minutes until smooth and elastic.
7. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll to form three even 'sausage' shapes.
8. Plait the three dough 'sausages' together to form a large loaf and place onto a lightly floured baking tray.
9. Preheat the oven to 220C/400F/Gas 7.
10. Cover the loaf and return to a warm place until it has risen to about one-and-a-half times its size. This will take between ten and 30 minutes.
11. Glaze the loaf with the beaten egg and sprinkle the poppy seeds on top.
12. Bake the loaf in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
13. Reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 30 minutes.
14. The loaf is cooked when it is risen and golden and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

Read More

How to make Sourdough starter

Preparation time: overnight
Cooking time: no cooking required
Vegetarian


Ingredients
Day 1
- 75ml/5 tbsp fresh, live, full-fat, plain yoghurt
- 175ml/6fl oz skimmed milk
Day 2
- 120g/4oz strong white flour
Day 4
- 180g/6oz strong white flour
- 100ml/3½fl oz water
- 40ml/3 tbsp milk
Day 5
- 150g/5½oz strong white flour
- 150ml/5½fl oz water


Method
1. On day one, heat the milk in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Place the yoghurt into a bowl and stir in the warmed milk. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours until thickened. Stir in any liquids that may have separated.
2. On day two, stir the flour into the yoghurt, incorporating evenly. Cover and leave at room temperature (about 20C) for two days. The mixture should be full of bubbles and smell pleasantly sour.
3. On day four, add the flour to the starter with the water and the milk. Cover and leave at warm room temperature for 12-24 hours.
4. On day five the starter should be quite active now and be full of little bubbles. Remove half of the starter and discard. Add the flour and the water to the remaining starter and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave at warm room temperature for 24 hours.
5. On day six the starter should be ready to use. You can keep the starter at room temperature, but you will need to feed it daily. Combine equal parts of the starter, water and flour and mix thoroughly. You may have to discard some of the starter so that you do not end up with too much. Keep covered and use as needed.
6. If baking less often keep the starter covered in the fridge, feeding it once every five days or so by mixing equal parts of starter, flour and water. You can freeze some of your starter too, as a back-up in case you need to start again.

Read More

How to make sourdough bread

Preparation time: over 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Makes 2 loaves
Vegetarian


Ingredients
- 500g/1lb 2oz strong unbleached white bread flour, plus extra for flouring
- 300g/10½oz sourdough starter
- 250ml/9fl oz water
- 10g/¼oz brown sugar
- 10g/¼oz salt
- flavourless oil, for greasing



Method
1. Mix together the flour, sourdough starter and water in a bowl. Add the sugar and salt. Turn out on to a clean kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the 'windowpane effect' is achieved (where the dough can be stretched until it is so thin that it becomes transparent).
2. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let it prove for 2½-3 hours. You won't notice as much of a rise in the dough as you would with a normal, yeasted bread and it will take a lot longer.
3. Turn out the dough onto a clean kitchen surface and knock back. Portion the dough into two and shape into two ball-shaped loaves. Flour generously, and place each loaf seam side up in a bowl, lined with a couche cloth or a heavily-floured tea towel - without the cloth, your loaf will stick in the bowl and you won't be able to turn it out. Leave to prove for a further 2½ hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8. Put a few ice cubes or cold water into a baking tin and place in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Turn the loaves out onto a baking tray or hot baking stone. Using a thin sharp knife score two or three times on the top of the loaf and place in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a good crust has formed and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base.
Top recipe tip
The dough can be made the day before baking allowing the fermentation process to be extended further. Once the dough is rolled, place it in the fridge and leave overnight. Remove 1½ hours before baking

Read More

How to make Twister bread

Preparation time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf
Vegetarian


Ingredients
- 550g/1lb 4oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100g/3½oz wholemeal bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 7g sachet of fast action dried yeast
- 2 squidges of honey
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 50g/1¾oz poppy seeds
- sunflower oil (or spray oil)



Method
1. Put the flours, salt and yeast into a large bowl, mix a bit and then make a hole in the middle. Squidge in the honey and add in 350ml/12oz of warm water (from the tap). Then mix everything together until combined. Then, I like to get my hands in (I find it very therapeutic!) and squidge it all together, gathering up all those dry bits from the bottom of the bowl.
2. Then tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes (or five minutes if kneading in a food mixer fitted with a dough hook). To test and see if it has been kneaded enough, form the dough into a ball with a nice taut top. Dip your finger in the flour and then prod the side of the dough making an indent. The indent should spring back all the way and almost disappear if it is ready.
3. Put some more flour on the surface and then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into about a 40x24cm/15x9in rectangle. If it is too springy to roll then cover it with a tea towel and leave for five minutes or so. That way the stretchy gluten strands in the bread can relax a bit which will make it easier to roll out.
4. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the dough with the sesame oil going right up to the edges and then sprinkle the poppy seeds evenly all over. Then cut the dough into six 4cm/1½in wide strips down the length.
5. Keeping the strips lined up together, twist each one up like a twisted breadstick or cheese straw. Once they are all twisted, stack them into a bundle and pick them all up in one go. Then twist them together so you have a long thick twisted rope made up of the individual strands of bread. Try to twist it evenly so the rope is an even thickness throughout.
6. Then curve the bread into a ‘wreath’ shape and squish the ends together, sealing them with a bit of water. It does not have to be perfect, just as long as they are joined up. When I make this bread there are usually lots of poppy seeds left on the surface, so I scoop those up and then scatter them over the bread, especially the bit where the join is, to cover it up a bit.
7. Place the wreath on a baking sheet. Oil some cling film (I find the spray oil is best for this) and use it to cover the dough, oiled side down, so it is airtight but with enough room for the dough to rise a little.
8. I usually put the oven to preheat to 200C/400F/Gas 6 now and place the dough on a chair near it, so it’s nice and warm. Leave to prove for about 30 minutes. To test if it is ready for the oven (because the bread will not have doubled in size but probably grown by about half again), dust your finger with some flour and then make an indent in the side of the bread. The indent should spring back about half way. If the indent just stays there and does not really move very much, then it needs more time.
9. When ready, place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
10. The loaf is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped underneath. If not, then give it another five minutes or so in the oven.
11. Once ready remove from the oven and serve. I love the crispy crunch bits on the outside and the soft pillowy inside slathered in lots of butter.
Top recipe tip
Mix things up if you fancy a different filling - substitute the seeds for sundried tomatoes or tapenade. Or go really mad with some Nutella and toasted hazelnuts for a sweet chocolatey filling.

Read More

How to make Focaccia with rosemary

Preparation time: over 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Makes 2 loaves
Vegetarian



Ingredients
- 30g/1oz fresh yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- 600ml/1 pint 2fl oz warm water
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
- 680g/1½lb strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp coarse salt
- leaves from 3-4 rosemary sprigs


Method
1. Mix the yeast with the sugar in a small bowl for about 30 seconds, until the yeast becomes liquid. Stir in two-thirds of the water and the olive oil.
2. In a large bowl stir together the flour and the salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and salt along with some of the remaining water, if needed. Mix with a wooden spoon and bring together to form a soft dough. Add more water if the dough is a bit dry.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film or a damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1½ hours until doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 220C/400F/Gas 7.
6. When the dough has risen, knead it again for about five minutes on a clean floured work surface to 'knock it back'.
7. Shape the dough into two rough circles. Place the circles onto two baking sheets, cover with a clean, damp cloth and allow to prove (rise) until double their original size (about 10-15 minutes).
8. When the dough has risen, use your fingertips to form dimples in the dough. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and rosemary leaves.
9. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for ten minutes.
10. Reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until the loaves are golden and cooked-through. If you like, you can spray the bread with water (using a mister) once or twice during baking so that it 'steams' in the oven.
11. When baked, turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly. The focaccia is best eaten the day it's made.

Read More

How to make easy white bread

Preparation time: over 2 hours
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf
Vegetarian

Sign in to save this recipe in your binder
Favourites are coming soon!


Ingredients
- 500g/1lb 1oz strong white bread flour, plus a little extra flour for finishing
- 40g/1½oz soft butter
- 12g/2 sachets fast-action dried yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- about 300ml/10¾fl oz tepid water (warm not cold – about body temperature)
- a little olive or sunflower oil



Method
1. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the butter. Add the yeast at one side of the bowl and add the salt at the other, otherwise the salt will kill the yeast. Stir all the ingredients with a spoon to combine.
2. Add half of the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add water a little at a time, combining well, until you’ve picked up all of the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all of the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want a dough that is well combined and soft, but not sticky or soggy. Mix with your fingers to make sure all of the ingredients are combined and use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl. Keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
3. Use about a teaspoon of oil to lightly grease a clean work surface (using oil instead of flour will keep the texture of the dough consistent). Turn out your dough onto the greased work surface (make sure you have plenty of space).
4. Fold the far edge of the dough into the middle of the dough, then turn the dough by 45 degrees and repeat. Do this several times until the dough is very lightly coated all over in olive oil.
5. Now use your hands to knead the dough: push the dough out in one direction with the heel of your hand, then fold it back on itself. Turn the dough by 90 degrees and repeat. Kneading in this way stretches the gluten and makes the dough elastic. Do this for about 4 or 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Work quickly so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands – if it does get too sticky you can add a little flour to your hands.
6. Clean and lightly oil your mixing bowl and put the dough back into it. Cover with a damp tea towel or lightly oiled cling film and set it aside to prove. This gives the yeast time to work: the dough should double in size. This should take around one hour, but will vary depending on the temperature of your room (don’t put the bowl in a hot place or the yeast will work too quickly).
7. Line a baking tray with baking or silicone paper (not greaseproof).
8. Once the dough has doubled in size scrape it out of the bowl to shape it. The texture should be bouncy and shiny. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back by kneading it firmly to 'knock' out the air. Use your hand to roll the dough up, then turn by 45 degrees and roll it up again. Repeat several times. Gently turn and smooth the dough into a round loaf shape.
9. Place the loaf onto the lined baking tray, cover with a tea towel or lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove until it’s doubled in size. This will take about an hour, but may be quicker or slower depending on how warm your kitchen is.
10. Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan assisted)/425F/Gas 7. Put an old, empty roasting tin into the bottom of the oven.
11. After an hour the loaf should have proved (risen again). Sprinkle some flour on top and very gently rub it in. Use a large, sharp knife to make shallow cuts (about 1cm/½in deep) across the top of the loaf to create a diamond pattern.
12. Put the loaf (on its baking tray) into the middle of the oven. Pour cold water into the empty roasting tray at the bottom of the oven just before you shut the door – this creates steam which helps the loaf develop a crisp and shiny crust.
13. Bake the loaf for about 30 minutes.
14. The loaf is cooked when it’s risen and golden.

To check, take it out of the oven and tap it gently underneath – it should sound hollow. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Read More

How to make pizza

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins
Makes 2 pizzas
Vegetarian

Sign in to save this recipe in your binder
Favourites are coming soon!


Ingredients
For the dough
- 400g/14oz strong white flour
- 100g/3½oz semolina, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp salt
- 15g/½oz fresh yeast, or 1½ tsp of dry yeast
- 275ml/9½fl oz water
- 50ml/2fl oz olive oil, plus extra for oiling
For the topping
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- pizza toppings of your choice


Method
1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, semolina and salt. Stir in the dried yeast (or crumble in the fresh yeast, whichever you are using). Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour most of the water into the well along with the olive oil and bring the dough together with your hands or a wooden spoon. As the flour is incorporated the dough will start to take shape. Add the remaining water if the dough feels tight or hard.
2. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cut off a small piece of the dough and stretch part of it as thinly as you can. If you can see the shadow of your fingers through the dough - the light should shine through the dough like a window pane - without the dough tearing, it is ready to prove.
3. Knead the cut piece back into the dough and shape the dough into an even ball. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to prove in a warm place for about 1-1½ hours, or until it has doubled in size (the temperature of your kitchen can affect the timing of this).
4. When the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl and knock the air out. Divide the dough into two equal portions, and shape each portion into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to prove again for about 15 minutes.
5. Place a pizza stone or an upturned baking tray into the oven and preheat to its highest setting.
6. Dust the work surface liberally with semolina. Roll out one piece of the dough to form a circle that will fit on your pizza stone or baking tray.
7. Transfer the pizza base onto a plastic chopping board (or another upturned baking tray) dusted with semolina. The tray will be used to slide the pizza base directly onto the pizza stone.
8. Cover the surface with half of the tomato sauce and toppings of your choice.
9. When ready to bake, slide the pizza directly onto the pizza stone and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the base is golden-brown and the toppings are bubbling. Repeat with the remaining dough, tomato sauce and toppings.

Top recipe tip
If you are making the pizza bases in advance, once dough has been divided and rolled, cover and place into the fridge. Remove one hour before needed to allow the dough to come up to temperature. If you want to freeze the pizza bases roll them out before you put them in the freezer.

Read More

How to make Irish soda bread

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins
Serves 6
Vegetarian
Sign in to save this recipe in your binder
Favourites are coming soon!


Method
Quick recipe finder
Ingredients
- 170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour
- 170g/6oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 290ml/½ pint buttermilk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6.
2. Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)
4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
5. Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.
6. Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Read More

How to make flatbread

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: less than 10 mins
Makes 5 flatbreads
Vegetarian


Method
Quick recipe finder
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 100ml/3½fl oz warm water
Shopping list
Top


Method
1. Mix the flour, salt, coriander seeds and paprika in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and the warm water. Using a fork, start incorporating the flour with the water and olive oil, if necessary add more water. Once the dough starts to come together, use your hands to form a soft ball of dough.
2. Dust your hands and a clean work surface with flour and knead the dough for five minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. (This dough is much firmer to handle than bread dough and will feel heavier.)
3. Divide the dough into five equal balls. Roll them out to the thickness of a £2 coin. Heat a griddle pan and cook the flat breads for two minutes on each side.
4. Serve immediately.
Top recipe tip
Versions of this recipe have been eaten around the world for centuries – roti, chapatti, tortilla, flat bread. They are made with different types of flour, but the principle is the same. The flat breads can be cooked on hot stones by an open fire, baked in the oven, or griddled.

Read More