Making bread from scratch is a different kind of wonderful but it takes forever, right? Not this one.
This basic white bread takes very little effort and time and is best for beginners. A tried and tested recipe made only from natural ingredients.
When I first saw the recipe in the book called The Australian Women’s Weekly Baking Class, it got me excited instantly. I knew I had to try it.
WHY THIS?
Two reasons: the bread looked amazing and easy. The next thing was to know whether the recipe would work or not and how good it would taste.
RESULT
And the result? It was delightful! The bread was soft with a beautiful toasted exterior and a light texture. It looked like it came out from your local bakery!
And you can make it with only 7 Ingredients:
- Dried or instant yeast
- Water
- Caster sugar
- Plain flour
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
AT A GLANCE – How To Make
Hope you’re tempted to try it soon!
How To Make Basic White Bread
Basic White Bread
Ingredients
- 3 tsp (10g) dried yeast or instant yeast
- ⅔ cup (160ml) warm water
- 2 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 ½ cups (375g) plain flour, plus 2-3 tsp to add during kneading if the dough is too sticky
- 1 tsp table salt
- 30 g (1oz) butter, melted
- ½ cup (125ml) warm milk
Instructions
- Pour warm water into a small bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Stir until yeast dissolves and leave for 10 minutes to activate. The mixture should bloom or become frothy.
- Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add in the butter, milk, and yeast mixture and stir.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Or use a stand mixer to do this. If the dough is too wet, add 2-3 tsp of flour and continue to knead.
- Shape dough into a ball and place in an oiled large bowl. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until it doubled in size.
- Oil a 10 cm (4in) deep, 9cm x 22cm (3 ¾ in x 9in) bread tin. A 9x5-inch loaf pan also works *Note 1. Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
- Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute or until smooth. Divide dough in half and roll each into a ball. Place them side by side in bread tin or loaf pan. Dust with a little flour; cover with cling wrap and leave it in a warm place for 20 minutes or until risen.
- Bake bread in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Enjoy it fresh!