I don't have an airing cupboard for proving, instead I have a cheap bread machine (£20) and just use the dough setting.
500g malted brown flour
7g dried yeast
5g sea salt
300ml lukewarm water
- Pop all the ingredients into a bread machine on the dough setting.
- At the end of the programme, punch down the bread and knead on a floured surfaced.
- Shape and place on a baking tray sprinkled with polenta.
- Brush the bread with oil and leave to rise for a second time, until the dough is around double in height. Around 1 hour...it will depend on the season and warmth of your kitchen.
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 7 and place a roasting tin with water on the bottom.
- When risen bake the bread for around 30 minutes. I usually rotate the tray 180 degrees midway through.
- I then tend to turn my bread upside down and bake for a further 5 minutes, to ensure a nice firm base. At the end of baking time tap the base, it will sound hollow when baked through.
- Even though it will be tempting to scoff straight away, leave to cool on a wire rack to allow the proteins in the bread to relax.
