Two Amazing Bread Recipes
In this post: bread recipes for a basic white bread dough and a wholewheat seed bread.
White bread dough
This dough is so versatile that you can use it to make loaves, plaits, rolls, focaccia, pizza… you name it. Jazz it up by adding herbs, garlic, onion flakes, cheese…
Plain White Bread
Perfect versatile white bread dough
Ingredients
- 425 ml warm water
- 15 ml sugar
- 12 ml salt
- 60 ml olive oil
- 750 g cake flour
- 10 g active dry yeast
- Egg wash
Instructions
- Combine the warm water with the sugar and salt. The water should be roughly body temperature.
- Place the sifted flour into a large bowl and add the yeast. Pour the warm water mixture into a well in the centre of the flour. Mix to form a soft dough. The dough should be soft and pliable (not sloppy or overly stiff to work). Adjust the mixture by adding extra water or flour if necessary. Leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes, until it is springy.
- Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead until smooth, elastic and springy. Return to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Place in a warm place to rise. It should double in size.
- Knock back the dough and shape into the desired shape, brush with the egg wash. Leave to rise again for a further 30 minutes and then bake in a hot oven (200°C) until golden and cooked through. To test if the bread is cooked, it should have a hollow sound when knocked.
Notes
This is a very versatile bread mixture and can be shaped into rolls, plaited, baked in a loaf or boule. Create your own variations by adding different flavours (cheese, olives, herbs, onion, raisins or anything that takes your fancy really) or finishing off with a variety of toppings such as egg wash, flour or a variety of seeds.
Pizza dough: Roll out your dough to form a thin round pizza shape, after if has risen. Cover with tomato mix, toppings and cheese. Bake in a hot oven immediately for a thin base or leave to rise slightly for a thicker base before baking. To roll a round base shape your dough into a ball and roll out once, turn the dough 90° after each roll until you reach the desired thickness.
Focaccia: Roll out your dough directly onto a lightly floured baking tray after it has risen the first time. Push your fingers into it to create dimples. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some herbs such as rosemary and season with some Maldon salt. Leave to rise again for about 5 minutes and then bake in a hot oven, until golden and cooked.
Portion this recipe into three, roll each one into a long sausage and plait to create this delightful loaf. Finish off the bread with egg wash and sesame seeds.
Bread tips:
- work with warm water (body temperature)
- allow your dough to double in size before knocking back to shape
- don’t mix the yeast with the salt directly as the high salt will kill the yeast
- oil your bowl before leaving your dough to prove to prevent sticking
- check if you bread is cooked by knocking it, if it sounds hollow it is done
- don’t try and slice bread directly from the oven, let it cool slightly so it doesn’t seem doughy
Wholewheat seed bread
Wholewheat seed bread recipe. This seed bread is quick and easy. It is made with baking soda, so no kneading, rising or proving time required Add in extra seeds to the mix for maximum health benefits.
Cape Seed Loaf
Ingredients
- 420 g wholewheat flour
- 1 tsp bicarb
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 500 ml plain yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg
- Variety of seeds (linseeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds etc)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin and sprinkle with sesame seeds (or similar).
- Mix together all the ingredients, and press into the loaf tin, sprinkle a variety of seeds on top of the loaf (sesame, poppy, linseeds, whole wheat berries etc).
- Bake for about 1 hour, until cooked though.
Simple bread recipes are great for fresh healthy breads.