A Basic Loaf

Long time no blog, buds! And if anyone is expecting some kind of explanation (which they won't), my excuse is studying for my entrance exam. I sat the BMAT on Wednesday and could not believe how tight the time limit was! Luckily, this time round I finished all the questions... Even if a lot of them were guesses... (Ellipsis)

Anyways, during this long period of muteness I have started a slight craze in my household for bread-baking. Oh yes, I have unleashed the taboo that is yeast.
The photos in this post are of my first successful white bread. (Call it a loaf if you wish)
It's suprisingly simple to make and came out with a nice crusty crust. (hehe)


On the subject of a crusty crust.. Has anyone seen the recent radox advert on television? Featuring the awesome hooky hook? Youtube it. Seriously.

Basic White Bread

Ingredients:
500g bread flour
1tsp salt
10g fresh yeast
250-300ml warm water

Method:
1) Rub the fresh yeast into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.
2) Stir in the salt, then gradually add the water.
3) Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes)
4) Place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm/damp towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour until it is doubled in size.
5) Punch out the gas in the risen dough and shape it. Cover and let rise for another 30-40 minutes.
6) Use a sharp blade to make slashes on the surface of the dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. (For extra crustiness, spray the oven with water to produce a little steam before baking)
7) Take out the loaf. (duh) To check whether it is done, tap the underside. If it sounds hollow, it's done. Cool and dust with flour.