Baking bread at home is an enjoyable thing to do when you have snippets of time through the day. It is slow living at it’s best, activating all the senses. The textile meditation as you roll out the dough, then practicing patience as it slowly rises. Only to then joyfully punch the air out of it and wait for it to rise again. Then your mouth starts to water as the aroma of cooking bread wafts throughout the house.

Sure, buying a loaf of bread is fast and cheap, but nothing compares with the experience of home made bread.

Ingredients for Soft White Bread

500grams white bakers flour (4 cups) – ordinary flour will work, the texture just won’t be as light and fluffy
1 tsp salt
1 sachet (8g) of instant dry yeast
300ml (1 1/4 cup) lukewarm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/1 tsp butter

Method

1. Combine yeast and water and set aside for approx. 10 minutes until foaming.
2. Sift flour and salt in to a bowl, then add sugar and rub in butter.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the yeast mix.
4. Combine dough, turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until elastic (if you have a KitchenAid stand mixer start with it, and then knead by hand for a few minutes).
5. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside until doubled in size (30-60 minutes depending on temp).
6. Knock back (punch the air out) and knead by hand until smooth-approximately 10 minutes.
7. Shape and place in a lightly oiled bread/cake tin and cover until doubled in size.
8. Glaze with milk. Bake at 230C for 30 minutes. If the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it, it is ready, if not, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

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