Bread - it's actually not that hard - promise!!

I'll admit that I don't make bread as often as I used to, but I'm back on the bandwagon. There's nothing like fresh bread for breakfast. And I've found a way to do it without having to get up at 4am to wait for all the rising! All 'regular' breads require 2 risings. One as a dough, one in shape. So I just make mine the night before, let it rise once, punch it down and shape it, and let it do its final rise slowly in the fridge overnight. Then I simply take it out of the fridge in the morning, let it warm a little on the bench while the oven heats up, and cook it. Viola, fresh bread for breakfast!!

Now I'll admit, I've mastered this 'breakfast bread', filled with seeds and honey, but I have yet to master a regular loaf. Of course, in order to master it, I might need to try making it more than once!!! The thing is, when I make white bread, I tend to make ciabatta. But that's a story for another post! So, this breakfast bread, I got it from a Gordon Ramsey cookbook, and I've no idea what it was called!! Sorry! Anyway, it's a matter of putting into a bowl:

225g wholemeal flour

225g white flour (strong bread flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

50g mixed seeds (poppy, pumpkin, linseed, sunflour, sesame)

7g sachet of dried yeast

Stir all of this, and make a well in the centre. Then add:

2 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp olive oil

275ml tepid water (about body temp, not hot, just warm)

Mix this together until a dough forms, and turn out onto a floured surface (like below).

Knead (adding flour if it gets sticky) for 5 - 10 minutes. Now, when wholemeal flour is involved, it's always best to knead more, rather than less. And I've learnt to time myself, when you think it's 10 minutes, it's often only 5!! It's good arm exercise though, and lets out any frustrations of the day!! Kids love to help with this bit too!!

Once it is smooth like this (above), place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled cling film, and leave to rise in a warm spot for an hour or so. It needs to be doubled in size.

Now punch it down and knead lightly.

Divide into 2 pieces and shape into a round or oval loaf. Place each on a lightly oiled large baking sheet and cover with lightly oiled cling film.

This is where you can choose what you do, depending on the time of day. You can leave to prove in a warm spot until almost doubled in size (about half hour to an hour) or you can do what I do, and pop it in the fridge. Make sure it has a little room above it to rise.

Above is before the fridge, below is the next morning. It has risen well!

Now brush a thin layer of milk over the top, and cook in a preheated oven at 200C. It takes about 20-25 mins and should be a golden colour. When tapped on the bottom, they should sound hollow. Personally, I don't know what hollow sounds like!! I also suggest you don't walk away without setting a timer, to do things like blog about lemon butter, otherwise they will look like those below!! Don't worry, they still tasted good!!

Leave to cool on a wire rack and serve warm, but not hot. Apparently, you shouldn't cut bread while still piping hot. It keeps it doughy or something? I'll admit, if it's a morning I'm off to work, I cut it hot and it's fine! I try to find something to do for 5 minutes, and then it's knife time!
I love it with just some marg, and the next day, when it's not as 'fresh' (no preservatives!!) I slice it, and grill it lightly, then spread with jam. It's so yummy!!

Anyway, happy baking, this process of overnight proving should work for whatever bread you fancy, within reason. I don't imagine it will be useful for naan (again, another blog-post!), but then who eats naan for breakfast??!!