White Tin Loaf
If you’ve never baked a loaf of bread, I highly recommend giving it a go. It’s simple, cheap, and incredibly tasty. You don’t need many ingredients or fancy equipment. Once baked, you can slice it up and freeze the slices to make it last longer. In the recipe, I mention using razor blades to make the slash on top. While you do need to be careful, they make the cleanest cuts for bread. You can find packs of blades in the men’s shaving section of a pharmacy or supermarket.
Makes 1 loaf
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Proving Time +2 hours
Baking Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
450g strong white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 1/2 tsp fast-action yeast
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
40g unsalted butter (softened)
210ml water
100ml full-fat milk
Oil for greasing (e.g., sunflower or vegetable)
Equipment
Large bowl or freestanding mixer with dough hook
Tea towel
2lb loaf tin
Razor blade or sharp knife
Wire rack
Method
1. Make the Dough
In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and softened butter.
Add water and milk, mixing until a dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise for 2 hours until doubled in size.
2. Shape the Loaf
Knock the air out of the dough and press into a rectangle.
Fold the bottom third away from you and the top third towards you. Pinch the ends to seal.
Create a trench along the middle of the dough, fold it towards you, and tuck the edges underneath to smooth the top.
Place the dough in a greased loaf tin, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
3. Bake the Loaf
Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C (fan)/410°F/Gas Mark 7.
Dust the loaf with flour and make a shallow cut along the centre with a razor blade or sharp knife.
Bake on the middle shelf for 30 minutes.
4. Cool and Serve
Let the loaf cool in the tin for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
