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Family White Loaf

Ingredients

  • 700 g (1lb 9 oz) Shipton\'s white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 25 g (1 oz) butter, diced
  • 15 g fresh yeast
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar
  • 150 ml (0.25 pint) warm milk
  • about 300 ml (0.5 pint) warm water

Method

  1. Grease or flour a baking sheet and set aside. (I prefer these days to simply cover the sheet with baking paper).
  2. Crumble the yeast in a small bowl, add the sugar and then cream with 4/5 tablespoons of the warm water.
  3. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, then rub in the butter.
  4. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture followed by the milk and enough water to form a soft dough.
  5. Knead for ten minutes - shape into a round - place in lightly oiled bowl - cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
  6. Knock back and shape into a large oval. Place on baking sheet, cover and leave for about another 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
  7. Preheat oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8.
  8. Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf diagonally 3/4 times, then dust with a little flour (which I tend to rub in gently). Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and bake for a further 20 -25 minutes, or until it\'s risen, golden brown and sounds hollow . . . Cool on a wire rack.

Credits

Thanks to Anne Sheasby for this recipe