Ingredients

500g Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting
200g Strong Brown Bread Flour
450ml Warm Water
7g yeast
7g sea salt
Seeds (optional)

*TIP* Double the amounts and make two loaves at the same time for a larger household or to freeze **

Method

Measure 250g Strong White Flour and 100g Strong Brown Flour and tip into a large mixing bowl. Mix 7g yeast into the flours.

Make a well in the middle of the flour and start to slowly add 450ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a wet sponge mix (use all the water – it will look wet, a bit like a sour dough mix). Kneed for 5-10 mins, cover with clingfilm and leave to prove in a warm place, ideally overnight or a minimum of 2 hours.

Once the proving of the first sponge mix is complete, start to make the second mix that will be added to the sponge mix. Measure 250g Strong White Flour and 100g Strong Brown Flour and tip into a large mixing bowl. Mix 7g salt into the flours.

Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the sponge mix, slowly starting to mix in the second flour mixture to the wet mixture. If adding seeds they can be added at this point. Kneed for 5-10 mins, cover with clingfilm and leave to prove in a warm place, for 20-30 minutes.

After 20-30 minutes kneed for 20 seconds and set aside to prove again for 20-30 minutes.

Prepare a bread loaf tin by wiping with butter or use a bake-o-glide On the third kneed remove the dough from the bowl onto a flour dusted surface, kneed in towards the centre and shape to fit the bread loaf tin.

** If making two loaves at the same time** Weigh the mixture and then cut the mixture in half. (example total will weigh approximately 2200g = 1100g each dough mix)

Place in the bread loaf tin with the fold at the bottom. Set aside to prove for 40minutes. At this stage you will need to use a proving bag so the dough does not stick. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Before adding to oven, use a sharp knife to score the top of mixture that will help it raise.

Ensure oven shelf is low enough to allow bread to rise in oven. Place in oven for 40-45minutes overall.

Turn bread out of tin and check that bread has been cooked through by tapping the base, it should sound hollow. Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 4-6 hour.