If you're looking to start your bread journey but aren't sure where to start, this is a great place to begin! This is the most basic and easy version of a bread loaf recipe I have ever made. It doesn't get any easier than this.
These are your super duper basic ingredients to be able to achieve the most substantial staple in your home. If you are looking to lower your UPF's (Ultra processed food) bread is one of the easiest and most beneficial places to start as the super markets jam pack the stuff full of unnecessary ingredients .
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Basic 5 ingredient Homemade Bread Loaf
Equipment
Ingredients
500g Strong White Bread Flour
2tsp Salt
7g Easy Bake Yeast
325-350ml Warm Water
Method
Put the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl
Add 325ml of warm water
Combine the ingredients in the bowl, If you are using a stand mixer use a low speed to gently combine. The dough should pull itself away from the sides once combined, as it's mixing. If needed add the other 25ml to ensure it does.
Once combined, continue to knead on a low speed for aprox. 10 minutes. If kneading by hand, empty they contents of your bowl on to a clean surface and knead your dough for aprox. 10 minutes. It should pass the window pane test.
Lift out the dough from your bowl and shape into a ball using your hands tucking any ends to the bottom and pop into a bowl. (TIP: You can pop a little olive oil in the bottom on the bowl and roll the dough in it to prevent sticking)
Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and place in a warm place (around 21'c) and leave to let rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. (TIP: You can use this time to line your loaf tin with baking parchment.)
Once your dough has doubled in size, pull your dough out of the bowl and roll and shape into a somewhat loaf like shape making sure to tuck any ends in underneath your loaf and place in your lined loaf tin.
Cover it again with the cling film or a damp tea towel and leave it for its final rise in a warm place (around 21'c) again for aprox. 1 hour.
You can start preheating your oven at 200 'C Fan/ 220 'C Oven/ Gas Mark 5 when there's 15-20 minutes of proving to go.
Remove the cling film or tea towel and score the top with a sharp/ serrated knife down the centre around 1 cm deep and pop in the the centre of the oven (allowing room for it to rise) for 20 minutes.
After the first 20 minutes drop the temperature of the oven to 180 'C Fan/ 200 'C Oven/ Gas Mark 4 and bake for another 20 minutes.
Once baked, leave in the tin to cool (TIP: cover your loaf in a dry tea towel during the cooling process to achieve a softer crust.) As tempting as it may be, avoid cutting into your loaf until it has completely cooled.
Best stored in a bread bin or hessian bread bag, or the option i use, both, found here, rather than plastic, and will last aprox 4 days.
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