Easy white bread

A great recipe for an electric breadmaker - or do it the traditional way

Prep: 20 mins 
Cook: 30 mins 

Ingredients

• Plus 2 hours proving Makes 1 loaf Easy
• Ingredients
• 500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml water

Tip
Saving time 
A dough's first rising can be done in the fridge overnight. This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It's also a great timesaver, as you can start it the night before, then finish it off the next day.

Method

1. Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the oil and water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.
2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough, then gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.
3. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dust the loaf with flour and cut a cross about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

Source: www.bbcgoodfoodme.com

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are extra large and yummy with the sugary-cinnamon crumb topping. I usually double the recipe and fill the muffin cups just to the top edge for a wonderful extra-generously-sized deli style muffin. Add extra blueberries too, if you want!

Recipe by: Colleen

Ingredients
40 m
8 servings
383 cals

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
Prep   15 m
Cook  25 m
Ready In  40 m

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Footnotes
Tip
Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy.



source: www.allrecipes.com

Lamb shoulder & smoky aubergine flatbread

This is loosely based on the Turkish dish of lahmacun, but with a thicker bread base similar to pizza. Great for using leftover lamb, the charred aubergine gives a smoky depth;

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 25 mins
plus rising Serves 2 More effort

Ingredients

• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 200g '00' flour
• 200g strong bread flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 aubergine
• ½ red onion, finely sliced
• 150g leftover lamb, shredded or chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• pinch of ground cumin
• pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 tsp tahini

Method

1. To make the flatbread, put the yeast and 250ml warm water in a jug and mix well. Leave to sit for a few mins.
2. Sift the flours into a bowl with 2 tsp salt, then slowly incorporate the yeast mix, stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir in the oil and turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Knead for 5 mins until you have a smooth, springy dough. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave for 30 mins to puff up
3. Char the aubergine over a gas flame or under a hot grill until smoky and collapsing – it should be soft enough to pull apart with a fork. Set aside to cool.
4. Tip the dough out and knead for a few mins more, then divide it into four and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Wrap three in cling film and freeze for later use.
5. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/ gas 8. Flatten the ball of dough with the palm of your hand and roll out into a wide, flat base 25-30cm long. Place on an oiled baking sheet and leave to rise a little while you make the topping.
6. Scoop the soft smoky flesh from the charred aubergine into a bowl and combine with all the other topping ingredients apart from the pine nuts. Spread the topping over the flatbread, then scatter over the pine nuts. Bake for 10-12 mins until the bread is puffed and golden, and the topping is piping hot.
7. Mix the tahini with 1 tbsp water to form a smooth dressing. Drizzle over the flatbread, cut into pieces and share.

Source: www.bbcgoodfoodme.com

Hot Cross Buns

Packed with flavour, these are real hot cross buns. I started making them with my Dad, also a baker, when I was just 9 years old. The addition of apples to the dough enhances the taste and lends a lovely, moist texture.

Makes 12
Prep 4 hours
Bake 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 10g salt
• 75g caster sugar
• 10g instant yeast
• 40g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 120ml warm full-fat milk
• 120ml cool water
• 150g sultanas
• 80g chopped mixed peel
• Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
• 1 dessert apple, cored and diced
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the crosses

• 75g plain flour
• 75ml water

For the glaze

• 75g apricot jam

Instructions
1. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, eggs, milk and half the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the water, a little at a time, until you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.

3. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size – at least 1 hour, but it’s fine to leave it for 2 or even 3 hours.

4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and scatter the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon on top. Knead in until evenly incorporated. Cover and leave to rise for a further hour.

5. Fold the dough inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out. Divide into 12 peices and roll into balls. Place, fairly close together, on 1 or 2 baking trays lined with baking parchment or silicone paper.

6. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rest for 1 hour, or until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220°C.

7. For the crosses, mix the flour and water to a paste. Using a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle, pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Warm the apricot jam with a splash of water, sieve and brush over the tops of the warm buns to glaze. Cool on a wire rack.



Source: http://paulhollywood.com

HEARTH BREAD

This recipe, also known as "The Easiest Loaf of Bread You'll Ever Bake," appeared on the back of our King Arthur Flour bags for years. Many a baker has learned to bake crusty hearth-style bread using this recipe — how about you? With its directions geared towards the beginning bread baker, this is a wonderful place for a "newbie" to start.

PREP
15 mins. to 25 mins.
BAKE
35 mins. to 45 mins.
TOTAL
1 hrs 55 mins. to 3 hrs 55 mins.
YIELD
2 loaves, 30 servings

INGREDIENTS
Choose your measure:
Volume   

• 1 packet active dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups lukewarm water (not over 110°F)
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• cornmeal or semolina, for sprinkling on the pan

Ounces   

• 1 packet active dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 ounce sugar
• 1/2 ounce salt
• 16 ounces lukewarm water (not over 110°F)
• 23 3/8 ounces to 25 1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• cornmeal or semolina, for sprinkling on the pan

Grams

• 1 packet active dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 14g sugar
• 14g salt
• 454g lukewarm water (not over 110°F)
• 663g to 723g King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• cornmeal or semolina, for sprinkling on the pan

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all of the ingredients together, using the smaller amount of flour. Mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding more of the flour if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead. (This may be a little messy, but don't give up!)
2. To knead: Fold the far edge of the dough back over on itself towards you. Press into the dough with the heels of your hands and push away. After each push, rotate the dough 90°. Repeat this process in a rhythmic, rocking motion for 5 minutes, sprinkling only enough flour on your kneading surface to prevent sticking. Let the dough rest while you scrape out and grease the mixing bowl. Knead the dough again for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Return the dough to the bowl and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place (your turned-off oven works well) until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
4. Gently deflate the dough. Cut it in half and shape into two oval Italian- or longer, thinner French-style loaves. Place the loaves on a baking sheet generously sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Let the loaves rise, gently covered in greased plastic wrap, for 45 minutes, until they're noticeably puffy. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
5. Lightly slash the tops of the loaves three or more times diagonally and brush or spray them generously with lukewarm water. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven.
6. Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow to the touch. The interior temperature of the bread should register at least 190°F on a digital thermometer.
7. Remove the loaves from the oven, take them off the pan, and return them to the oven, placing them right on the rack. Turn the oven off and crack the door open several inches. Let the loaves cool in the cooling oven; this will make them extra-crusty.
8. Store completely cool bread in a paper bag at room temperature for a couple of days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze.

TIPS FROM OUR BAKERS
Can you mix and knead this dough using a mixer or bread machine? Yes, of course. Knead at medium speed in an electric mixer for about 7 minutes. To use a bread machine, set it on the dough cycle, and let the machine complete its cycle. Shape, let rise, and bake bread as directed in the recipe above.
As a result of reader feedback, as of 7/10/17 we've omitted the instructions for baking the bread by starting it in a cold oven. Not all ovens preheat the same way, and baking in a preheating oven may cause bread to burn. For those of you who've been making this recipe successfully starting in a cold oven, here are the directions you'd been using, starting with slashing the risen loaves: "Lightly slash the tops of the loaves three or more times diagonally and brush them with cold water. Place the pan on the middle rack of a cold oven with a roasting filled about 1" deep with boiling water on the oven bottom. Set the oven temperature to 450°F, and turn on the oven. Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow to the touch. Its interior temperature should register at least 190°F on a digital thermometer.



Source: www.kingarthurflour.com

Basic Pancake Batter

I love Pancake Day. A freshly made pancake with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sugar is one of life's little pleasures.

Makes about 8

Ingredients

• 125g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 medium eggs
• 150ml full fat milk
• 25g melted butter
• Little sunflower oil to grease the pan

Instructions
Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.  Make a well in the middle and crack the eggs into it.  Using a wooden spoon begin to mix, incorporating the flour from the edge of the bowl.

As the mixture thickens gradually add the milk.  Mix well after each addition of milk and continue until all the milk is incorporated and you have a smooth batter.  Stir in the melted butter.

Heat your pan over a medium to high heat.  Pour a little oil onto a wad of kitchen paper and lightly wipe the base of the pan to grease it.

Pour a little batter into the middle of the pan, tip the pan from side to side and swirl the batter round until the base of the pan is covered. Cook for around 45 seconds then loosen the edge with a pallet knife and flip the pancake over,  cook the over side. The pancake should be golden brown.

Slide out of the pan onto greaseproof paper and repeat until all the batter is used.  Stack the pancakes between greaseproof paper until ready to use.

To serve top the pancake with your favourite filling, fold in half, then half again to make triangles or  simply roll them up.



Source: http://paulhollywood.com

BASIC HOMEMADE BREAD RECIPE

If you'd like to learn how to make bread, here's a wonderful place to start. This easy white bread recipe bakes up deliciously golden brown. There's nothing like the homemade aroma wafting through my kitchen as it bakes.

MAKES:
32 servings
TOTAL TIME:
Prep: 20 min. + rising Bake: 30 min. + cooling

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 2-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 6-1/4 to 6-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape each into a loaf. Place in two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 30-45 minutes.
4. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).

source: www.tasteofhome.com