Recipe of the Month: Homemade bread

A picture of a a round homemade loaf of baked bread sliced in half sliced into three pieces. The bread is served on a round wooden board. the picture of the bread is bordered with Home Instead branding.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp of olive oil (vegetable oil is fine too) and extra for proofing
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 500g of bread flour and extra for dusting
  • 1 packet of yeast
  • 400 ml of water

Method:

Step 1 – Add your bread flour, salt and yeast into a bowl and mix together

Step 2 – Once the flour, yeast and salt is mixed together, create a well with your mixture and add the 300 ml of water and your 3 tbsp of oil.

Step 3 – With a spoon, mix all of your ingredient together until they are evenly mixed, your should be left with a slightly sticky mixture. If your mixture is on the dry side, and three tbsp of your remaining water (repeat this if it is still on the dry side).

Step 4 – On a clean surface, sprinkle your bread flour and place your dough onto the surface, knead your dough for 5 – 10 minutes until it is satin smooth. keep sprinkling flour onto your dough if it is getting sticky.

Step 5 – Once your dough is satin smooth, mould it into a round shape and place into an oiled bowl and cover for 1 hour to prove (or leave overnight in a fridge)

Step 6 – Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself) then gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.

Step 7 – Heat your oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.

Step 8 – Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut a cross approximately about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.

Step 9 – Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Make sure to cool your bread loaf on a wire rack or a plate.

Enjoy!