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My Pain de Mie

Ingredients

10g unsalted butter (softened)

20g dried yeast (I used Shipton Organic dried)

500g strong white flour (I used a mix of Shipton strong white - it's what I had in the cupboard!)

10g salt

50g full fat milk

300g water

Butter for greasing

Method

Firstly, I autolyse the flour with all the liquids for 2 hours. This is a matter of choice but it does make a difference. If you don't autolyse just continue to the next step. (Autolyse was introduced by Professor Raymond Calvel and there's lots of info on the web about this amazing (and easy) process)

Make the dough, adding the butter with the yeast, salt, milk and water to the flour. (See 'Dough' for Bertinet's technique)

Place in a bowl, cover and rest for 1 hour

Meantime, grease 2 x 500g loaf tins

After 1 hour, using a scraper, gently turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces.

Mould very tightly into 2 loaf shapes.

Turn oven to maximum.

Place into loaf tins and prove in a warm place for 1 hour. Keep a close eye while loaves are proving and when the dough is level with the top of the tin, cover with a flat lid or baking tray weighted down (I used an ovenproof bowl) so the dough can't rise any further.

Put tins with the weights/bowls into preheated oven. Turn down the heat to 220C and bake for 20-25 mins covered and then a further 4-5 minutes uncovered. (I add an extra 5 minutes). Depends on your oven.

Remove loaves from tins and cool. Bon Appetit!