Nothing beats homemade bread. The bread maker at home is my husband Neni, which is also my designer and photographer, I know multitasking husband. The smell and the softness of this bread will blow your socks off. Give it a go, it’s totally worth it.
Ingredients
- 500g strong white flour, plus extra for kneading
- 10g salt
- 14g dried active yeast
- 320ml cold water
- 40ml olive oil, plus extra for kneading
Method
- Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, taking care not to have the salt and yeast touching.
- Add the oil and 240ml of water.
- Using your hands, mix the ingredients together. Gradually add the remaining water, until all the flour leaves the side of the bowl and you have a soft, rough dough.
- Pour a little oil onto a clean work surface. Sit the dough on the oil and begin to knead. Do this for 10 minutes.
- Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl. Cover with wet kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour.
- Once risen, place the dough onto a floured surface. Knock the dough back by folding it in on itself repeatedly. Do this until all the air is knocked out and the dough is smooth.
- To shape into the bloomer, flatten the dough into a rectangle. With the long side facing you fold each end into the middle then roll like a Swiss roll so that you have a smooth top with a seam along the base. Very gently roll with the heel of your hands.
- Place on a tray lined with parchment paper, cover and leave to prove for 1 hours at room temperature.
- Lightly spray with water and dust with a little flour. Make four diagonal slashes using a sharp knife across the top.
- Preheat the oven to 220C and place a baking tray filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven.
- Place the loaf on the middle shelf and bake for 25 minutes.
- After this time lower the heat to 200C and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!
- Nut free
- Soya free