Recipe Share - Homemade Bread
So I didn’t want to share another recipe because I don’t want everyone to think this is a food journal. BUT given our isolation lives at the moment, baking seems to be something we are all finding comfort in. Whether it’s to enjoy with our families or to gift to someone special, there really is something comforting about baking.
I baked bread for the very first time in the cottage kitchen last weekend. It was early Sunday morning, the sun was streaming through the beautiful sash window and the pencil pines were gently swaying in the breeze outside castings shadows across the kitchen. I had prepared the bread dough the night before and removed it from the fridge to bring it back to room temperature before putting it in the oven.
While I waited, I boiled the kettle and made a pot of ‘Sir Earl Grey’ tea by @teagardenco and sat at the kitchen table with my back to the window so the warmth of the sun warmed me while I was waiting. Am I painting the perfect morning in the country picture yet? I hope so because these simple moments are bringing so much joy right now.
Half an hour later, I placed two loaves of bread in the oven and set the timer for 50 minutes. Within 20 minutes the cottage filled with the most incredible smell and the dough was rising beautifully. The end result was two very rustic, white loaves of bread that weren’t perfect but they were made with love and smelt incredible. I wrapped up one loaf up and handed it over the fence to our wonderful Gunning neighbours. A family of 6, it was sliced warm and smothered in butter and gone in a matter of minutes!
There really is something about gifting and receiving baked goods and in a time where it is hard to find joy, these simple gestures are creating those moments for us. We’ve had several requests for the recipe, which was actually given to me from my best friend @marcellenewbound so here it is:
Ingredients
1 kilo of unbleached bread flour
1 tablespoon of instant yeast
1 tablesoon of salt
950ml of warm water
Extra flour for dusting and shaping
Makes 2 loaves
Method
Place the flour, yeast and salt in a very large mixing bowl. Mix in the water to make a quite wet, sticky dough. Use your hands to mix around well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, take the bowl from the fridge and leave it to come back to room temperature (about half an hour is fine). Prepare two flat baking trays by lining with baking paper and sprinkling generously with flour.
Using a dough scraper (or just your hand if you don’t have one), remove the dough from the bowl to a floured bench. Cut the dough in half. With floured hands, lightly shape each piece into a round. Place the dough on the floured trays and press/pull lightly into a flattish ciabatta shape. Flip them over so that the wrinkled, floured sides are now on the top. Place the tray in a cold, fan forced oven set to 220C. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire wraps.
Top tip: slice and eat while still warm with lot and lots of butter!
Happy baking friends! And remember, if you use any of our recipes, please share them on Instagram and tag us so we can share and enjoy everyone’s baking adventures.