I want to start making my own bread, preferably without one of those bread-makers. Any tips, web site recommendations?

Ta!

Tesco bakeries will give you fresh yeast for free if you ask nicely

Salt, bread flour, water, yeast. Knead. Rise. Knead. Rise. Bake.

If it’s your first time just follow a simple recipe (there’s usually one on the packet of yeast or flour), it’ll still be miles better than anything from the supermarket.

This will tell you all you need to know

River Cottage Bread Handbook

Or my french bread recipe:

450g unbleached white bread flour
10g salt
10g of dried yeast rehydrated in 100ml of warm water with half a tsp of sugar for 15 mins
another 200-220ml of water (depends on the flour)

mix it all together in a bowl, turn out onto a floured surface, kneed for 5 minutes, rest covered for 20 mins then kneed again for 5 mins.

Leave in a warm place covered until doubled in size.

Cut into two, roll out into baguettes, slash tops, leave covered on baking sheet while the oven warms up to 200c.

Top tip is to put a tray on the shelf below the one that the bread will go on and then pour boiling water in there when you put the bread in to bake, you’ll get a lovely crunch crust.

Bake bread for about 35 mins, turn the heat down after 15 to 180 if the loaves are colouring too quickly. Better to slightly over cook than under (you get a thicker crust but at least no doughy centre)

Enjoy.

With practice you can knock this up with about 15 mins actual effort.

Very rewarding, making your own bread.

Nicks method is spot on, thats all you need to know to get going – just make sure you do cover the dough when proving – a bin bag is easiest.

I just started about a month ago, done a few rubbish loaves, a few good ones, but I just got that river cottage book for crimbo and can highly recommend it! Did my first loaf after reading the book lastnight and it’s absolutely cracking!

I’ve been making soda bread quite regularly recently; best bit is that I can go from flour to mouth in 40mins!

i make flatbread that can be grilled.

flour, dried yeast, olive oil, salt

top tip (if slightly expensive): if you leave your loaf (covered to protect it)) on your floor with under floor heating, during the “Leave in a warm place covered until doubled in size” phase, turn your normal loaf into a monster.
Unexpeceted bonus of our new kitchen

2 cups/mugs of flour

3/4 cup of warm water (this should be at body temperature, not straight out of the hot tap!

1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Mix the water, salt, sugar and leave covered in clingfilm for 20-30 minutes untill it looks like really badly homebrewed beer, add another 1/2 tsp of sugar.

Put the flour into a deep mixing bowl and add a little water at a time (stir up the water to keep the yeast dispersed befre adding). It should take most of the water to get tit to a doughy consistency, too much water and it’ll stick to your hands, too little and it won’t bind into one big ball.

Rest it in a warm place for 30-60min (longer = fluffier bread)

Bake in the oven untill it looks like bread and makes a hollow noise when tapped, about 30 min or so.

What sort of bread do you like to eat? I may know a few sites,but some are a little specialist.
Ian

next time you are in Ambleside(we all wind up there eventually) stick your head in the Priests Hole and get their recipe for their Treacle Bread (they have it on printed cards). yummers. and the only bread I have ever made myself.

top tip (if slightly expensive): if you leave your loaf (covered to protect it)) on your floor with under floor heating, during the “Leave in a warm place covered until doubled in size” phase, turn your normal loaf into a monster.
Unexpeceted bonus of our new kitchen

Until the dog eats the dough or someone kicks it over onto said floor!

heat is not required to rise the bread it simply speeds it up. you can actually rise bread in the fridge it just takes about a day.

When kneading you will notice the change in the bread as it become elastic and it becomes smoother. It should not feel sticky or cling to your hands at the end but it will at the start- unless you are doing a wet dough.

it is not that hard to do once you get the hang of it.

What sort of bread do you like to eat? I may know a few sites,but some are a little specialist.
Ian

answer:- Mainly granary bread!

Thanks for the tips, I’ll be try some in the next week!

Try this one http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1266395/Recipe-Six-steps-perfect-granary-loaf.html , should be ok,pictures help.
Ian