White Loaf

[marsdensue]

Has anyone got a tried and tested good recipe for white bread (not for a bread making machine). I have tried I don't know how many now and can never get it right. They turn out differently every time, too dense, too sweet, too yeasty and the list goes on. Please help, thank you.

[pastafreak]

I used to use this recipe all the time. It's from Nigel Slater's cook book-Appetite......and is very easy. It worked every time.

1 kilo white bread flour-plus a bit for kneading
2x7g instant dried yeast sachets
20g salt
about 700ml water-room temp

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl-stir.
Add most of the water and mix to a sticky dough-continue to mix as the dough becomes less sticky.
Tip out onto a well floured surface,and start to knead the dough-push it flat with your hands and tip the far edge over towards you,and then pushing it back into the dough with the heel of your hand-keep doing this-turning the dough as you go.
After about 10 minutes of folding and pushing,it will be soft and springy.You should get a nice rythm going as you do this-don't pummel the dough-be gentle and firm.

This will make 2 400g loaves-or 1 large one.

[pastafreak]

OOOPS...sorry about the kneading instructions....after all your previous attempts-you certainly know how to knead...! ;-))

[marsdensue]

Thank you pastafreak I will try it this week.

[Ratty2E]

I think I might give this a go myself. I have tried like you marsdensue and I'm never happy with the result. I am determined not to give up, after all bread is the most basic staple and people have been making it for centuries so how hard can it be........very, apparently.