A few of you have messaged to ask about the bread I baked, shown in my previous post. It is a favourite of mine and, as with anything that comes out of my kitchen, it is very simple to bake and takes minimal effort. The crispy crust makes it especially delicious served with soup or stews, and in this house it is also traditionally enjoyed on Christmas Eve, dipped in baked camembert and cranberries.
There are, of course, many variations of this recipe online but this is the one that I use.
You will need:
400g Strong white bread flour
½ teaspoon of dried yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
300 ml warm water
A large oven proof pot with a lid
Weigh out the flour and put it into a large mixing bowl, stir in the salt and yeast. Pour in the warm water and mix well together using a wooden spoon to make a sticky dough. Cover with cling film or reusable wrap and leave for at least twelve hours , I leave mine overnight.
The dough will become bubbly and VERY sticky.
Put your empty cooking pot into the oven at 200℃ to heat through for around 30 minutes, then with well floured hands, carefully turn out the dough onto some baking paper and gently shape into a round.
Very carefully, using the baking paper, lower the dough into the pot and put the lid on.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid then bake for a further 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool.
I believe you can also bake this using plain flour, although I have yet to try this myself. If anyone has done, do please let me know how it turned out.
J. X
