Making your own bread is really easy and can cut lots of plastic wrappers out of your life if you normally buy it from a supermarket.

When you’re used to popping to the shop to buy bread, making your own can seem like a far too time consuming task, but when you consider the time it actually takes to get ready, go to the shop, get what you need and get back again, you could probably have made a loaf and saved the stress of shopping!

Here’s what you need for a basic loaf (based on the BBC Good Food basic loaf recipe with some minor adjustments) :

• 500g strong white flour
• 1 teaspoon active dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 300ml warm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

• Mix together the dry ingredients then add in the wet ingredients. Mix until they’re combined and the dough is roughly together.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for around 10 minutes
• Transfer back to the bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Leave to rise for 1 hour or to have fresh bread in the morning, place in the fridge over night
• Give the dough a quick, gentle knead to reduce the air and then shape in to a rough ball
• Cover a baking tray with flour then place the dough on the tray. Leave for an hour to double in size again
• Pre-heat the oven to 200°/gas mark 7
• Lightly dust the dough with flour and score an x in to the top with a sharp knife
• Cook for 25-30 minutes until it sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom
• Leave to cool before eating

The BBC recipe recommends using baking paper to line the tray but we always use flour when making our own bread which prevents the dough from sticking to the tray while reducing the waste.

You could also break up the dough and make smaller rolls. You’ll need to reduce the cooking time. Start at 15 minutes and place back in the oven for extra time if required.

If you don’t have anywhere warm to let your dough rise, you can try the microwave method – untried by us but recommended to us. Let us know if it works!

Microwave proofing method

Heat a cup of water in the microwave for 2 minutes. Place the dough in to the microwave with the water, close the door, and leave it to rise. It should double in size but if not in around half an hour but if not, take the dough out and reheat the water then place the dough back in. Don’t heat the dough up directly in the microwave!

Taken from The Kitchn

Let us know if you try this and what your favourite bread making recipe is