Think baking your own bread is complicated and time-consuming? Think again! These bread recipes are (almost) fool-proof, meaning you’ll be enjoying delicious freshly baked bread in no time.
Baking bread is often seen as baking alchemy, a complicated process that takes hours and involves bowls, wet tea towels and a warm airing cupboard or a proving drawer. The good news is, is that you don’t need a host of complicated baking equipment. Use these recipes to make bread you can really be proud of.
EASY HOMEMADE BREAD ROLLS
Start with this easy bread rolls recipe to pick up the basic technique of bread baking. These rolls will only last for a day or two so freeze a batch if you need to.
You’ll need:
- 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 7g sachet of fast action yeast
- 25g butter
- 300g milk, (full milk is best)
- Oil for greasing the bowl
- Start by placing all the dried ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
- In a pan on the hob or in the microwave, heat the butter and milk until they are lukewarm. Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mix, adding enough liquid to create a soft dough, not too sticky or too dry.
- Turn the dough onto a floured worktop and knead for about 10 minutes. You can also do this step with a dough hook in a mixer.
- Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with clingfilm or a tea towel and leave somewhere warm, allowing it to double in size.
- Tip the dough onto a floured surface once again and knead briefly, a process known as knocking back.
- Divide the dough into equal portions and roll into round dough balls.
- Place on a greased baking sheet, allowing room between them to expand slightly as they cook.
- Leave them to prove for another hour and just before the end of this time, heat your fan oven to 200C.
- Bake for about 20 minutes. They will be cooked when they sound hollow when you tap their bottoms. Leave to cool slightly and glaze with a generous portion of butter.
CARROT & WALNUT BREAD
There is no reason why you can’t step up your bread-making skills with this slightly sweet but very flavoursome loaf. This loaf doesn’t use yeast so that doesn’t make it a loaf of bread in the technical sense of the word. However, what is great about this loaf is that it’s super tasty but easy to make!
You’ll need:
- 350g plain flour
- 150g wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 150g of grated carrot
- A handful of walnut pieces, chopped
- 300ml low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 125ml semi-skimmed milk
- Heat your fan oven to 210C.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients and then stir in the carrot, walnut and yoghurt, and then add enough milk to make into a soft, sticky dough.
- Tip onto a floured surface and knead lightly into a soft ball shape. Place on a greased baking sheet and etch a cross into the top of the dough mound.
- Bake for around 30 minutes. It’s ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on the base. Leave to cool and slice, serving with butter and your favourite soup.
TEAR AND SHARE GARLIC BREAD
This is one of those bread recipes that takes a little more effort, but the final result is worth it. Strong flour has more gluten in it, so it is ‘more robust’ meaning that this creates the bread texture you’ll be used to when you buy artisan bread from a bakery. Switch up the flavour by mixing wholemeal flour with the white flour for a nuttier flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 7g fast action yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 250g mozzarella
- 150g butter
- 3 tbsp parmesan
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- A handful of parsley, chopped
- A handful of basil leaves
- 2tsp dried oregano
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast and salt. Add olive oil to 300ml of hand-hot water and pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, enough to make it into a smooth dough. You can do this by hand or with a mixer.
- Tip the dough onto a floured worktop and knead for at least 10 minutes. It should be super smooth and elastic. Place dough into a clean bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave it at room temperature to double in size.
- In the meantime, put the mozzarella into a sieve and break into small pieces. Squeeze as much water out as possible. Add mozzarella to a food processor along with the butter, parmesan, garlic and herbs. Whizz until smooth, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Grease a 900g loaf tin and then add a strip of greaseproof paper so you have a ‘handle’ to lift it out. Heat your oven to 160C fan.
- Halve the dough and with one half, roll it out on a floured surface. Now, concertina the dough so that it fits into the tin. Do the same with the other half of the dough (this just makes it easier to work with.
- Keep back 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter and spread the rest across the top and into the ‘nooks’ between each ‘sheet’ of the dough in the tin. Place in the oven and bake for around 40 to 45 minutes, place on the middle shelf.
- When ready, leave it in the tin and spread the remaining garlic butter. Lift out of the tin and place on a breadboard, allowing your guests to tear off a portion as they eat the rest of the sumptuous meal you’ve prepared. Great with dips as well as with soup!
SEE? BAKING BREAD IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK!
Loaves and buns are not complicated to make when you follow these easy bread recipes, but if you don’t fancy doing all the hard work yourself, you could always invest in a bread maker for that perfect just-baked loaf every time. Once you’ve perfected a simple loaf, why not see what spices, herbs and other ingredients you could add to it to make a bread for every occasion.