The key to a good loaf of bread is the time it takes to make it.

Day One

• 120g White Four
• 2g Salt
• 1g Yeast
• 80g Water

1. Place the water and yeast into a bowl and mix together until the yeast has dissolved.
2. Add the flour and salt, mix together until nice and smooth. This should take no more than a minute.
3. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours and no more than 18 hours.

Day Two

Take your ferment mixture out of the fridge. It will be nice and bubbly with a strong aroma.

• 470g Quality Organic White Bread Flour (to make Brown, replace half the white with brown flour)
• 9g of Fine Sea Salt
• 300g water
• 5g Yeast

1. Add the yeast to the water and mix together.
2. Add the flour and salt to the pre-made ferment mixture. Make a well in the centre and pour in the water and yeast.
3. Gently bring the dough together and when it starts to form, take our of the bowl and place onto a lightly floured surface.

It's time to develop your dough;

1. With the heel of your hand start to stretch and tear the dough by pushing it into the table and pulling back towards you. You need to do this for a good 10 minutes. Your dough will become nice and elasticated and have a soft, velvety feel.
2. Form your dough into a round and place back into the bowl. Cover and leave for a bulk fermentation of 1-2 hours at room temperature.
3. You now need to take your dough out of the bowl. By handling it you will gently knock back your dough, releasing some of the gas that has built up and encouraging the remainder of the yeast to start working a bit faster.
4. Pre-shape your dough to a loose round shape, cover and leave to rest for a good 10 minutes.
5. Get your proving basket or tin ready. If you are using a basket, heavily flour it. If you are using a tin, lightly oil it.
6. Shape your dough to the desired shape and place into your basket/tin. Cover and leave to prove at room temperature. This should take between 1-2 hours. To test if your bread is ready, gently push your finger into the dough and it should spring back nicely. If it leaves an indent - your load isn't ready yet.

Time to bake (or you can refrigerate your loaf for up to 24 hours. Just bring it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you want to bake it).

1. Have your oven preheated to 220c / Gas Mark 8.
2. If your bread is in a basket, dust a tray with semolina or flour and upturn your basket, tipping your dough onto the centre of the tray.
3. With a sharp serrated knife, score your bread.
4. If in a tin, you can score down the middle of the bread - or just leave it as it is.
5. Place into the oven and with a water spray, spritz all around the oven chamber to create a warm water mist to keep the dough moist.
6. Bake your load for a good 30 minutes, turning it around once.
7. Your bread should have a nice golden crust and a hollow sound when you tap the bottom. If you had your bread in a tin, it will take an extra 5 minutes to bake.

Allow to cool, and enjoy a fresh loaf of bread! 🥖