Fluffy, robust and easy to make, the dough can be divided up to make sandwich rolls, or halve the recipe to make 1 loaf.
Farm-style white bread
Makes 2 x 30cm round loaves
Ingredients
2 cups (500ml) tepid water
2 Tbsp (26g) sugar
1 Tbsp (10g) instant yeast
¼ cup (60ml) oil
5 cups (750g) cake flour
1½ tsp (7.5ml) salt
Method
- Stir together water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes until the surface of the mixture becomes frothy. Add oil.
- Place flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or a large mixing bowl).
- Pour in the yeast mixture and knead on medium-low for 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl halfway through. (If kneading by hand, first use a wooden spoon to combine the wet and dry ingredients, then once the dough has roughly formed, turn out onto a working surface and bring together with your hands, kneading until smooth and elastic).
- Lightly oil your mixing bowl, place dough inside and cover with cling wrap. Set in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size and springs back when poked.
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out, kneading a few times to remove the air.
- Dust the bases of two large oven-safe pots with flour.
- Halve the dough and work each into a smooth ball, pinching the dough at the bottom.
- Place the doughs in their prepared pots, cover and set aside for another 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
- Score a shallow line down the middle-top section of each dough before placing in the oven and baking for 35-40 minutes. (Alternatively, bake one at a time.)
- Remove and cool in the pot for another 20 minutes before turning out to cool completely. Store at room temperature in a sealed container to preserve freshness, or pre-slice and freeze in an air-tight bag or container for up to 1 month.
Wait for it…
The signal of a perfectly cooked loaf lies in a tap! Simply remove the loaf from its tin, turn it over, then give the sides and base a tap with your knuckles. A hollow tap signals a light, cooked centre, while a heavier thud means the bread needs more time.
Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Zhann Solomons
Also read: Pull-apart pizza bread
