How to Make Bread
Prep: 150 mins | Cook: 50 mins | Total: 200 mins | Quantity: 2 loafs
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened plant milk
- 1 tblsp (10g) fast action dried yeast
- 2 tblsp sugar – it can be any type of sugar or even maple or agave syrup
- 2 1/2 cups (400g) wholemeal flour
- 2 cups (320g) strong white bread flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) vegan butter
- 1 cup (120g) rolled oats
- 1/2 tblsp (10g) salt
Optional
- a little extra plant milk for glazing + extra oats for topping
Instructions
- Warm milk, water and sugar in a saucepan until just tepid (remember, not too hot or it kills the yeast) on the stove or in a microwave, then pour into large mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the yeast and set aside for 10-15 minutes till the top of the liquid is foamy
- In the same saucepan or bowl you used to warm the milk and water, melt the butter then set that aside to cool
- Add both the flours, oats, melted butter and salt to the liquid and mix together until a dough starts to form
- Tip everything out onto your work surface and knead for a good 5-10 minutes with as much energy as you can muster till you have a soft but not sticky dough
- Put back into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean t-towel and leave somewhere warm till the dough has doubled in size (around 1 - 1/2 hours)
- Tip the dough back onto your work surface, knock the air out of it then divide the dough in half.
- Work one into a log shape (if you find you have a seam put that on the underside) then pop into a non-stick loaf tin (or a greased/lined one if yours is not non-stick)
- Work the other half into a ball - you can make it round or rugby ball shape - the choice is yours! Again tuck any seams to the bottom and put onto a tray lined with greaseproof or baking parchment
- Cover the tin and the tray with the clean t-towel and prove again till roughly doubled in size - around 40 minutes to 1 hour
- Before the loaves are finished proving, preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6
- Optional: Using a sharp knife make deep slashes in the tops of the loaves then brush with a little extra milk and sprinkle over some oats
- Bake for 40-50 minutes - test if they're cooked through by tapping the bottom of the loaf - if it's cooked it should make a hollow sound
- Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. This is perfect as a fresh loaf eaten the same day but also makes great toast and can be frozen too!
Notes
- This bread is just amazing when fresh and just as amazing a couple of days later toasted
- Freeze one of the loaves in slices if don't plan on eating it within a couple of days
Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/bread/