Categories: October

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 1/2 tsp dark muscovado sugar

Directions

1. Mix the flour, salt and the yeast in a large, wamred mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Dissolve the sugar in 400ml lukewarm water and add nearly all of it to the flour. Mix with your hands to bring the dough together. If it seems dry, add the remaining water and mix to make a soft, pliable dough, then form into a ball.

2. Flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it. Knead: push the dough down and away from you with the heel of one hand, then give it a quarter-turn with your other hand. Repeat for 8-10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Set aside for 10 minutes, then put in the fridge overnight.

3. Next morning, uncover the dough and knock it back (give it a gentle punch) to deflate. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead very lightly for 1 minute, then press it to form a rough rectangle. Fold it in 3 from the short edge and place in a large buttered 1kg loaf tin (or 2 × 500g tins), seam-side down. (For 2 small loaves, cut the dough in half and shape each piece separately.) Dust the top with a little flour. Cover the tin with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes – 1 hour, or until the dough has risen just to the top of the tin.

4. Preheat the oven to 220˚C/fan 200˚C/gas 7 for at least 15 minutes. Bake the loaf for 35-45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Tip the loaf out and tap the base lightly with your knuckles – it should sound hollow. If it doesn’t, return the loaf to the oven (without the tin) and cook for a little longer. Small loaves will take about 30 minutes.

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