Sample Recipes from the Hairy Bakers

Farmhouse White Loaf

We have tried this recipe many times. It is a very easy recipe to remember and quick and east to make. The secret is to get a very good quality Strong Flour though, it always makes the finished breead taste that much better.

Ingredients (makes one large loaf)

700g of strong white flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of dried yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
400-450ml of warm water

Method
Mix together the flour, salt, yeast and sugar. Work in the olive oil.

Add the warm water and mix to form a fairly sticky dough. Add more water if too stiff, or more flour if too sloppy.

Tip onto a floured table and knead the dough firmly for 5-10 mins.

Place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise in a draught-free place until doubled in size (around two hours).

Butter a large loaf tin then coat lightly in flour.

Tip the dough out onto the floured table and knead until smooth and elastic. Place it in the buttered tin, cover with cling film and leave until the dough has risen to the top of the tin (about an hour).

Heat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius (210 degrees for a fan oven). Slash a cut down the top of the dough to give a rustic split-tin look to the finished loaf then dust with a little flour. Cook in the middle of the oven for 35-40 mins.

Remove the loaf from the tin and return to the oven to bake for another 5 mins to crisp up the bottom and the sides. Give the bottom a knock to check that it is cooked (it should sound hollow) then leave to cool on a rack.

Serve with lashings of butter.

Celebration & Birthday Cakes

To get up to speed cake-wise, Dave and Si start by making not one, but two tailor-made birthday cakes for four-year-old twins.