bread

[dylsmum1998]

Hi does anyone have a good recipe for making bread by hand?

The recipe on the flour packet?

Failing that, then this video has everything you knead!!

thats interesting may have to give that video recipe a go with the children in the week

thank you

Def trying this one out!

Its the one I always use, never knead for bread, only for sweet yeast dough now.

Don't have 5 quart dutch oven - have one that holds about 3 quarts altough it looks like it would hold the size bread shown in the video. Think I'll give it a go and hope for the best.

You can use any type of casserole or saucepan, as long as it has a well-fitting lid. Pyrex, cast iron or steel.

Melted, made up dough today but the measurements did not work for me. Used 375g flour (conversion I used was 1 cup=125g) and 1/4 tsp each of yeast, salt and 390 ml water (ie 1 5/8 cups @ 240ml/cup).

The mixture was very runny but thought I'd leave it for the 12 hours to see if it might come together a bit but sadly not. Tried adding a bit more flour but it was looking like I'd need to add loads so just dumped the stupid thing.

Will try again with less water but can you say if my measurements sound way off the mark?

Add the water gradually to make a stiff dough - different flours use more/less water.

Or use a teacup to measure, 3 teacups flour to approx 1 and half water.

My dough is stiff when first made, slightly soft next day when tipping out to shape for cooking.

hth!

1 lb strong bread flour
1 small teaspoon dries yeast
1 tsp salt

Put it all in a mixing bowl and back on the scales and measure 6-7 oz water.

Mix and leave 12 - 24 hours

Bring dough together again in a lump in the bowl, wet hands as its very sticky and form into a ball pulling the dough tight across the top and gathering in underneath. This forms a tight ball of dough.

Leave on a floured surface to rise for about an hour and then pop into a preheated casserole dish.

I like to slash the top as it helps get more rise in the oven and sprinkle with flour/poppy seeds/sesame seeds.

Hot oven for 30 mins lift lid and check if its golden brown. If not back in oven without lid for10 mins should do it.

The best bit is listening to the crust crackle and split as it cools down on a wire rack.

grateful to you both. I will have another shot at it and let you know how it goes.

Did it today and altho it looked good - nice and brown and crusty looking - I was a bit disappointed. The body was soft with lots of air holes (?) but crust was a bit too chewy.
Overall though it was much nicer than regular shop bought bread.

I use the sponge method in my bread maker

mix 1cup of flour with 1cup of tepid water and half a teaspoon dried active yeast. let sit for 4-6 hours (or longer when using coldish water)
add 500g flour (brown flour works well), 200ml water, teaspoon salt, table spoon oil.
switch on mashine + enjoy bread a few hours later.

if you want to make it by hand, you just let the dough rest for one hour or so before kneading again and transferring to a baking form. let it rise again for one hour in the oven and then bake for 50 min at 175 degree (fan) or 200 degree (conventional)