Source: Classic white loaf.
- Hydration
- 70 %
- Salt
- 1.2 %
- Total flour
- 3000 g
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Baker's percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 3000g | Bread flourstrong white flour | 100 % |
| Flourfor dusting | ||
| 42g | Instant yeastfast-action | 1.4 % |
| 36g | Salt | 1.2 % |
| 2100ml | Waterlukewarm; you may not need all of it | 70 % |
| Sunflower oilfor greasing |
Method
- Dough: tip the flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in most of the water. Mix the flour and water with your fingers or a wooden spoon to a slightly wet, pillowy, workable dough. Add a splash more water if necessary.
- Knead: tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You can also do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Rise: put the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave it to rise until doubled in size.
- Heat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan).
- Shape: knock back the dough: tip it back onto a floured surface and push the air out. Mould the dough into a rugby ball shape that fits a 900 g loaf tin, and put it in the tin.
- Prove: cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 30 minutes. Dust the top of the loaf with a little more flour and slash the top with a sharp knife if you want.
- Bake: 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190 °C (170 °C fan) and bake for 30 minutes more, until the loaf sounds hollow when you remove it from the tin and tap the base.
- Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- The loaf stays fresh in an airtight container for 3 days. You can freeze it for 1 month.