Food & Drink

How To Make White Bread

This White Bread recipe is quick and easy but still results in the bread that any baker would be proud of making! Morning, afternoon or evening; this white bread is perfect! Enlarge

How To Make White Bread

This White Bread recipe is quick and easy but still results in the bread that any baker would be proud of making! Morning, afternoon or evening; this white bread is perfect!

Prep:
5m
Cook:
4h
Total:
4h:5m
Serves:
2 to 4
Temp:
160° c  -  320° f

Step 1: You will need:

  • 700 g bread flour
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 200 ml lukewarm water
  • 200 ml milk, lukewarm
  • 30 g butter, at room temperature
  • some flour for dusting
  • 1 mixer with hook attachment
  • 1 bowl
  • 1 plastic bag
  • 1 tea towel
  • 1 bread loaf tin
  • 1 water spray bottle

Step 2: Begin the dough

Put the flour into the bowl of the mixer. Add yeast, salt, honey, water, milk and the butter into the mixer. Mix it on a low speed. This will roughly take 5 minutes. You may need to remove the dough from the hook, a couple of during the mixing process. Take the dough out of the mixer when it's fully combined into an elastic ball. Knead it for roughly 3 minutes, until it takes on a smooth, shiny appearance. Place it into the oiled bowl and cover it with a towel. Let it rise, for 1 hour until it has doubled in volume.

Step 3: Make into a loaf

Sprinkle the risen dough with a little flour. Using your knuckles, punch it down, to get rid of all the air. Remove it from the bowl, fold the dough for one minute and cover with a cloth. Allow it to rest for a couple of minutes. Fold it briefly, once more, shape it into a log and put it into the loaf pan. Press down into the sides of the pan, to make room for when the bread expands. Cover it loosely with the plastic bag and leave it to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until, it mushrooms, rising above the loaf pan.

TIP! You can also place the bread into the fridge to sit overnight, to bring out a fuller, nuttier flavour!

Step 4: Preheat the oven

Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/ gas mark 4) and allow to heat up.

Step 5: Bake

Before placing the bread in the oven, sprinkle a little flour over the risen dough. Spray the sides of the oven with a little water, to create steam which in turn will create a lovely crust and let it bake for 45 minutes. During cooking, rotate the bread once in order to ensure even browning and enjoy the smell of freshly baking bread, as it bakes.

Step 6: Remove and check

At the end of the baking time, remove the bread from the oven. Take it out of the loaf pan, using a cloth to protect your hands from the hot bread and firmly tap all along the bottom of the loaf, to check to see if it's fully baked. If it has a hollow sound, it is done. Place it onto a rack to completely cool.

Step 7: Serve

Now it has cooled, it is ready to serve! Nothing beats the taste of freshly baked bread, so enjoy it right now with lashings of butter!