I adapted this recipe from one in a breadmaker recipe book.
As I make my dough by hand I use much less yeast than many recipes (about half as much) and less sugar and salt (between two thirds and half as much) and allow more time for proving and therefore flavour to develop.
I also tend to substitute olive oil for butter. If you’re using a breadmaker you may need to up quantities of yeast, salt and sugar and fat a little.
These quantities made enough dough for nine 4oz rolls and a large loaf
900ml/32fl oz warm water
900g/2lb granary flour
450g/1lb strong white bread flour
3 tsp/15 ml salt
4tsp/20ml sugar
25g/1oz/2tbsp olive oil
One sachet (7g) dried yeast
Add the yeast to the water, then add the oil.
Add the dry ingredients and mix.
Knead your dough until it is soft and easy to touch – about ten minutes should do the trick.
Put the dough in a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to prove – the airing cupboard works well on cold days.
When your dough has doubled in size you’ll need to knock it back – lightly knead and shape it.
If you are making rolls 3 oz of dough makes a small roll and 4 oz a proper one.
Weigh and shape into a ball in your hands, I then roll it in a little flour and squash into a disc before putting on a lightly greased baking try.
Apparently you should cover with oiled film (I never bother).
Allow to double in size before baking (take the film off first!) in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until golden.
If you are making a loaf shape by hand, cover and prove or knock back and put into a lightly greased loaf tin to prove.
I learned from too many stuck loaves never to push the dough into the tin, but allow it to fill naturally.
Again the loaves should double in size before baking in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes.
If your bread sounds hollow when you tap the bottom it is cooked! Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
