Traditional bread loaf
Ingredients
- For a 800 g / 1 ¾ lb loaf:
- 500 g / 1 lb plain fl our (type 55)
- 280 g / 10 ½ oz warm water
- 10 g / 2 tsp salt
- 10 g / 2 tsp caster sugar
- 10 g / 2 tsp dried baker’s yeast
- 3 cl / 2 tbsp milk
Heat the water gently until it is warm - around 30°C/86°F.
Mix together the fl our, salt, sugar and dried yeast in a mixing bowl. Pour in the warm water and knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes by hand.
Make a ball with the dough, cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Make sure the dough is in a warm place, around 20°C/68°F, and away from any draughts.
Knead the dough again, in order to eliminate all the carbon dioxide and make a ball. Sprinkle the platter of the bread cloche with flour and place the dough on it.
Leave to rise again for around 45 minutes under the cloche.
Brush a little milk over the surface, sprinkle a little fl our over the top and make incisions across the surface using the Emile Henry baker’s blade. Put the cloche back on and bake for 35 minutes in a preheated oven at 240°C/460°F.
To make sure your loaf remains crusty once cooked, remove the cloche and leave to cool on the platter
