Juliet Sear's easy-bake bloomer bread
It’s a household staple for most people, but with news that bread is one of the most processed foods, would you consider making yours from scratch? Juliet Sear is showing us how to make your own, with her easy-bake bloomer bread, simple sandwich loaf, and sourdough.
No-knead cheat sourdough
Ingredients
500g very strong bread flour10g sea salt7g sachet of quick yeast375ml water
Method
1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, and pour in the water. Mix to combine to form a sticky dough. Cover and leave overnight.
2. Place an oven-proof lidded pot (dutch oven) in the oven, and preheat at 240C for at least 25 minutes.
3. Flour a workspace and your hands, and shape the proved dough. Place it onto a large sheet of baking parchment. Score the top of the loaf if you wish.
4. Remove the dutch oven from the oven carefully, and lift the loaf by holding the edges of the parchment paper, and quickly place into the dutch oven. Pop on the lid and return to the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
5. Reduce the temperature to 220C, remove the lid of the pot and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden and crusty.
Classic white bloomer
Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 5g caster sugar10g fine sea salt1 sachet of easy bake dried yeast 40g melted butter300ml warm water A little oil for greasing the bowl
Method
1. In a large bowl, or stand mixer bowl, add the flour, caster sugar and salt. Using your hands, mix and distribute all of the powders.
2. Add the pack of yeast and mix again with your fingers.
3. Make a well in the dry flour mix, and pour in the melted butter and warm water. Bring the dough together until fully combined: use a spoon or your hands, and then transfer to a work surface to stretch and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes; or use a stand mixer, mixing on low until the dough has come together, and turn up the speed to knead for 5-7 minutes until springy and bouncy.
4. Place the dough into an oiled bowl to prove in a warm place for a couple of hours, until doubled in size.
5. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and gently knead to knock out the air.
6. To shape it, flatten the dough into a rectangle, about 20x30cm. With the long side facing you, fold each end into the middle like a parcel. Turn the dough 90 degrees, and flatten out into a rectangle again using your knuckles. From the shorter side, roll the dough up, almost like a swiss roll. Tuck in the edges, and place on a lightly oiled and lined baking sheet, so that the joins are underneath and the smooth side of the loaf faces upwards. Cover with a damp tea towel, and leave until doubled in size.
7. Preheat the oven to 220C. Uncover the dough, and dust the top with a little extra flour. Make 3 to 5 diagonal slashes using a sharp knife across the top of the loaf.
8. Place a tray with water at the bottom of the oven, and pop in the loaf on the middle shelf. Swiftly close the door and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Lower the heat to 200C and bake for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Sandwich loaf
Ingredients
250g wholemeal strong bread flour 250g strong white bread flour 10g sea salt1 pack of quick yeast325-350ml warm water
Method
1. Combine the two flours in a bowl, and mix with the salt and yeast - take care not to put the yeast directly onto the salt. Add the warm water until a rough, scraggy dough is formed.
2. Transfer to a dusted work surface to stretch and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes; or use a stand mixer, mixing on low until the dough has come together, and turn up the speed to knead for 5-7 minutes until springy and bouncy. Leave to rise in an oiled bowl until doubled in size.
3. Grease a bread tin with oil and a little polenta, or line with baking parchment.
4. Shape and place the dough into the tin, and leave to rise again.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C fan. Once heated, bake the bread for 30-35 minutes until dark golden, risen and cooked through.