Number Twenty One: My Brown Bread

One of the first things I did after finishing my last (important) exam - besides eating - was making this bread! I'd been wanting to make it for ages, but hadn't really had time until now. And now I have ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD!!!! Muahahahahahaa.

Okay, so this recipe comes from How to be a Domestic Goddess, and makes one loaf.


Ingredients

200g rye flour
200g wholemeal flour
200g strong white flour
7g sachet easy-blend yeast
1 tbsp salt
approx 300ml warm water, but be prepared to use more
1 tbsp unsalted butter


Method

1. Put the flours, yeast and salt into a bowl and pour in about 200ml of the water, mixing as you do so with a wooden spoon. You might need more water, but remember, you want it to be - as Nigella says - a 'shaggy mess'.

2. When it is a 'shaggy mess' (and I feel what I have below is about right), add the butter.

3. Then, knead with your hands or with a dough hook, for at least 10 minutes. When it's ready it will be smoother and less sticky.

4. Oil or butter a bowl, then form your dough into a bowl and pop it in, turning once so the top of the bread is coated. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

5. When ready, punch it down. Preheat the oven to 220C (200C in a fan oven). Then knead the dough for a minute, form it into a rough loaf shape, and place onto a baking tray.

6. Loosely cover with a tea towel, and leave for a further 30 minutes or so, until puffy and again almost doubled in size. When ready, dust with flour, then pop in the oven for 35 minutes.

7. It is ready when you can knock your knuckles on the underside and make a hollow sound. When ready, remove to a rack to cool a little before slicing.

And that's it! I am not very deft at cutting bread - my slices always come out very thick and uneven. But it's yummy so it doesn't matter!

Om nom nom :)