The Idiots guide to baking bread.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Ok, I can cook anything pretty much anything, cakes, meals form scratch, tricky desserts but I can't do bread

Can someone please be kind enough to give me the simplest recipe there is for an everyday loaf. I need one that I can't cock up.
I don't have a breadmaker and I'm trying to save money so don't really want to shell out on one.
Care to help a lady anyone?

Turned out amazing! I'm sadly happy that I made a successful loaf. Thanks

Yeh!

I've just discovered Dan Lepard's "easiest loaf in the world" on the guardian website and it is fab, I make double and use a "pullman" loaf tin so it makes a full size loaf that is the perfect texture for sandwiches etc. best white loaf recipe I have found.

One of the easiest methods of making bread is the 'Overnight, no-knead' bread, where the ingredients - flour, salt, water and yeast (with optional olive oil) are simply mixed in a food storer and left overnight on the worktop.

The following morning (or evening) the dough is folded a few times, shaped and left to prove before baking. Takes about 10 minutes once you're in a routine - and fits itself around your schedule.

But the bread I make in my teaching sessions (I'm a breadmaking tutor) is:
1 mug strong flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3rd mug lukewarm water
1 heaped teaspoon fresh yeast (or a level tsp of dried active yeast)

Mix together into a soft squishy dough, knead about 20 times to distribute the ingredients, and shape into rolls. Leave to prove until it has increased in size, then bake for 10-15 minutes at 220C.

In the last 25 days I've taught around 150 people - most of them new to breadmaking - using this method.

Here's a post on my blog outlining three ways to make a loaf - including the no-knead loaf above:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/basic-loaf-of-bread.html

Now I'm off to make a batch of Chelseas for my mum in law to take away with her tomorrow - she can't get enough of them, eating 3 yesterday!

Google 'tangzhong bread'.
It is amazingly soft & keeps well. Best if you have a stand mixer though, as dough is extremely sticky.

Also, for sandwich bread a Pullman pan is essential. Look at the Bakery Bits website.

I second the recommendation of the overnight no knead method. I am pretty good at traditional methods but got a book called 'no need to knead' out of the library and have made some wonderful French bread and focaccia using its recipes.

Old thread, but amzingly useful.

As soon as i get a gigantic tupperware box, I am so making the 5minute a day bread.

Today I dusted off my panasonic breadmaker had been gathering dust for about 3 years
I also handmade a fougasse - my first attempt, came out more foccaccia like and a bit crispy rather than chewlike but was demolished in 20 minutes.

The breadmaker brown loaf is still sitting a bit folornly on the side....