Bread ideas please

[peekaboo1]

After trying for ages, I have mastered making a basic loaf of white bread. Finally I'm getting a consistent loaf that has a great taste and texture. Except the rest of the family is now bored with it.

How can I jazz up the recipe? What can I add to make my basic white loaf into an exciting white loaf. I don't want to try new flours etc, don't want to mess around with the recipe too much, just want to make my white loaf more interesting. Ideas please?

Porridge bread. Can't do links but there's a recipe on the guardian online which uses up leftover porridge (only relevant if you make porridge regularly, I appreciate). It's easy, delicious and will make a change.

Jalepeno & cheddar - I love it

Onion and poppyseed is nice. Swear a diced onion in oil til transparent. Cool and add to dough with a handful of poppyseeds. Put a little less water in than you usually do - the onion will make up for it.

Good with marmite/cheese etc.

*sweat

Swearing at it probably won't help!

I know you said that you don't want to change flours, but if you were to substitute around 50gms of your flour for Spelt, it will give it a nuttier flavour. Also you could then add linseed, sunflower seed and pumpkin seed, a small handful of each, to capitalise on the nuttier flavour introduced by the spelt.

If you're making it by hand, how about going for different shapes? Plaits, knots, twists etc? I occasionally turn my standard white bread mixture into a 'tear and share' pinwheel. Roll it out like a thick pizza base and then cut into it like the spokes of a wheel, finishing well short of the centre. Twist each section a couple of times and press down. Sprinkle with rock salt and olive oil. Allow to rise and bake as normal.

Brilliant. Thank you for the ideas. I will start with the swearing at the onion one and work through the ready

I mean work through the rest
Thanks

Cinnamon + raisins.

Cooked squash.

Grated courgette.

Grated apple + oats.

Just bung them into the normal white bread mix!

Focaccia is very easy and can be topped with lots of tasty goodies like rosemary, roasted onions/cherry toms. Great with soup.

sunflower seeds/ pumpkin seeds
nigella seeds and dried onions
fennel seeds (makes lovely rolls to go with soup)
caraway seeds
ground flax seeds
walnuts
sun dried tomatoes and olives
rolled oats

I know you didn't want to experiment with different flours but it does add new texture and flavours. Try substituting a cup of white flour with spelt flour, rye or wholemeal flour.

Roll the loaf in fine polenta before baking or glaze the top with egg yolk mixed with water and sprinkle the top with poppy seeds.

Now that you have mastered the basics of yeast cookery you could have a go at making hot cross buns for Easter.

Hot cross buns! What a great idea - I hadn't even thought of that.

Thank you all for your ideas.