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Crusty White Bread Loaves

By MiNDFOOD

Crusty White Bread Loaves
These crusty white bread loaves are a delightful addition to any home baker's repertoire.

Nothing beats the comforting aroma of fresh, home-baked bread wafting through your kitchen. This versatile crusty white bread recipe is simple to master at home, requiring just a few staple ingredients, including unbleached stoneground white bread flour, yeast, and salt. Whether you choose to bake it in a traditional loaf pan or shape it into rustic long or round loaves, brushing the crust with a salt solution while baking creates an irresistibly golden, crispy exterior with a soft, airy interior. Perfect served warm with butter, paired alongside a comforting bowl of soup, or used for everyday sandwiches.

Crusty White Bread Loaves Recipe

Makes 2 long loaves

Ingredients

  • 680g unbleached stone ground white bread flour
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 7g instant dried yeast
  • 1 tsp salt dissolved in 60ml hot water

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan forced). Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add 430ml cold water. Stir the flour into the liquid gradually. Once the ingredients are well combined, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a food processor with a dough hook to do the kneading.
  2. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, roll it into a ball and coat it lightly with olive oil. Place the dough into a large bowl and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Set aside to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
  3. Lightly knead the dough again and then divide it into two or three pieces. Roll each one into a tube shape about 7cm in diameter. Place each one onto a greased baking tray, making sure there is enough space in between the loaves for spreading if you have them on the same tray. Use a very sharp knife or blade to cut a few diagonal slashes on the top of each loaf. Cover with a light, clean, damp tea towel and set aside to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Brush each loaf lightly with the prepared salt solution. Place the bread into the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and baked through. Open the oven and brush with the salt solution twice during the cooking time. Remove from the oven and cool.

Smart tip

This is a versatile white-bread recipe that you can bake in an ordinary loaf pan or shape into long or round loaves.

by Taverne Agency

 

Bread Sticks recipe

Prepare a batch of white bread dough (from above). Once the dough has finished rising, knead it for a few minutes, then roll it out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1-2cm thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips about 1cm wide and about 20cm long. Press out each strip with your hands and stretch it to about 25cm long. Place the strips onto a greased baking tray. Brush gently with olive oil and season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and/or sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (200°C fan forced) for 12-20 minutes or until crisp. Turn the bread sticks halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. Cool, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

 

 

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