Ingredients

Four steps to perfect bread dough

• Mixing: Two different methods are used for mixing a bread dough.
• Straight dough method: This is the one found in most cookery books; it’s simple and straightforward. Using this method the flour is mixed with the salt and any fat used is rubbed in with fingertips. The yeast is blended with part of the recipe liquid, then immediately mixed into the dry ingredients with the rest of the liquid to make a rough dough in the mixing bowl.
• Sponge and dough method: With this method, which is especially good if using dried yeast, two-thirds of the flour is mixed with the salt and any fat used is rubbed in with fingertips. The yeast is blended with all the water and the remaining third of the flour to make a batter which is allowed to ferment for about 30 minuteSy when it becomes frothy or spongy. Then the yeast battery or sponge, is mixed into the dry ingredients to make a rough dough in the mixing bowl. This method gives the yeast a lively start and shortens the time that is required for the bread dough to ferment or rise.
• With both methods, a wooden fork is best for mixing yeast liquid evenly through the flour. Otherwise, use a wooden spoon.
• Kneading: Kneading helps develop the gluten in the flour which is what makes bread dough elastic, essential for good bread.

• Turn the bread dough out of the mixing bowl on to an unfloured work surface. If a wholemeal or wheatmeal bread dough is a little sticky, use a little extra flour for dusting the surface.
• Push the dough down and away from you with the palm of the hand, then gather up the dough and push out again. You can afford to be quite firm and brisk at this stage. A bread dough will appear rough and sticky at first but as you knead the gluten gains strength and elasticity and the dough develops a smooth surface.
• Fermenting or rising: This is the period when the yeast works to aerate the dough.

• Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and return it to the mixing bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough to allow the dough to rise properly.
• The dough must be covered to prevent the surface from becoming dry. Place the bowl of dough inside a roomy polythene bag and tie tightly; the dough will retain its warmth and moisture.
• The kitchen table is the place to leave the dough to rise as a slow rising at room temperature makes the best bread. The dough is ready when doubled in size and when a floured finger pressed into the dough leaves an imprint.
• Knocking back: When you knock back a risen dough you distribute the gas bubbles and even out the texture.

• Turn the risen dough out on to an unfloured work surface and press all over with the knuckles to flatten it.
• Gather the knocked back dough into a ball, then cover with cling film and leave it to rest for a further 10 minutes and you’ll find i?s easier to shape it into the bread you require.

Freezing homemade bread

• Baking batches of bread and rolls makes sense if you have a freezer. White bread and rolls with soft floury crusts, wholemeal, wheatmeal, granary and enriched breads such as currant bread, bridge rolls and poppy seed plaits freeze best. The keeping quality of plain white and wholemeal loaves is improved if you double the amount of fat used in the recipe.
• Freshly baked bread must be completely cool before freezing. Place loaves or rolls in freezer bags and tie closed – bread must be wrapped and covered like any other food.
• For best results, allow loaves to thaw at room temperature for about 2–3 hours? rolls take about 1–2 hours. Bread will keep for 6 months in the freezer but mine never lasts that long. I bake a batch of loaves at the weekend, put them in the freezer and take one out at a time, and I have fresh bread every day of the week.