Artisan Bread Making – Recipes
Our baking classes are as much about learning to cook as they are a sociable experience. We hope you enjoyed your day and are ready to recreate the bakes at home.
You Baked:
- 6 strand Plaited Bread
- Soda Bread
- Flavoured Bread
- FocacciaÂ
6 Strand Plaited Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g Strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 70 g Caster sugar
- 7 g Fast action dried yeast
- 1 Egg beaten
- 70 ml Vegetable oil plus extra for the bowl
- 2 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds OR 1 tbsp White sesame seeds
- 300 ml Water lukewarm
Method
Prepare the Dough
- Combine the dried yeast, a pinch of the caster sugar and 2 tbsp lukewarm water in a small bowl.
- Leave for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the strong white bread flour, remaining caster sugar and sea salt.
- Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg, yeast mixture and sunflower oil.
- Gradually add the lukewarm water while mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Shape the Loaf
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Roll each portion into an even strand of equal length.
- Arrange the strands side by side and pinch them together at the top.
6 Strand Plait Method
- Number the strands from left to right, 1–6.
- 6 over 1 (this step is done once only)
- 6 over 4
- 2 over 6
- 1 over 3
- 5 over 1
- Repeat the sequence:
- 6 over 4
- 2 over 6
- 1 over 3
- 5 over 1
- Continue until the braid is complete.
- Pinch the ends together and tuck underneath the loaf.
- Transfer to a lined baking tray.
- Cover and leave to prove for 20 minutes.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Brush with additional beaten egg if desired.
- Sprinkle with poppy seeds or white sesame seeds.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
- Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Soda Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 250 g Plain flour
- 250 g Wholemeal flour
- 100 g Porridge oats
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 25 g Butter diced
- 500 ml Buttermilk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Lightly dust a baking tray with flour.
- Combine the plain flour, wholemeal flour, porridge oats, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt in a large bowl.
- Add the butter and rub into the dry ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix quickly using a table knife.
- Bring the dough together gently with your fingertips, taking care not to overwork it.
- Shape into a round loaf approximately 20 cm in diameter.
- Transfer to the prepared baking tray.
- Cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped.
- If required, turn the loaf upside down and bake for a further 2–3 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cover with a clean tea towel.
- Allow to cool before slicing or breaking into wedges.
Basic White Bread Dough
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g Strong white bread flour
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 100 g Butter OR 100 g Vegetable shortening
- 15 g Fast action dried yeast OR 30 g Fresh yeast
- 250 ml Water warm
Method
- Combine the strong white bread flour and sea salt in a large bowl.
- Rub the butter or vegetable shortening into the flour until evenly distributed.
- Place the yeast in a small bowl with a little of the warm water and mix until dissolved.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and combine.
- Gradually add the remaining warm water and mix to form a dough.
- Knead thoroughly until smooth, elastic and pliable.
- Cover with a clean cloth and leave to prove until doubled in size, approximately 20 minutes.
- Gently knock back the dough without adding additional flour.
- Shape as desired.
- Leave to prove again until doubled in size.
Baking
For Bread Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden brown.
- The rolls should sound hollow when tapped underneath.
For a Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden brown.
- The loaf should sound hollow when tapped underneath.
Focaccia Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 g Strong white bread flour
- 400 ml Water tepid
- 7 g Sea salt
- 5 g Fast action dried yeast
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
For the Topping
- 2 g Fresh rosemary 1 sprig, finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic minced or grated
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method
- Combine the strong white bread flour and sea salt in a large bowl.
- Add the dried active yeast to the tepid water and stir until dissolved.
- Pour the water into the flour mixture and mix using your hand until a sticky dough forms.
- Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil into the bowl and place the dough onto the oil.
- Cover and leave for 15 minutes.
- Stretch and fold the dough over itself.
- Repeat this process 3 more times at 15-minute intervals.
- After the final fold, leave the dough to rise for approximately 1 hour, or until light and pillowy.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment and carefully transfer the dough to the tray.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and use your fingertips to create indentations across the surface.
- Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
- Drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and press the indentations again.
To bake
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C and bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown.
To finish
- Combine the rosemary, garlic and Maldon sea salt.
- Once baked, drizzle the focaccia with extra virgin olive oil.
- Scatter over the rosemary mixture and serve warm.
We hope you enjoyed the class!
If you have any feedback about the class or questions for chef get in touch. Email: lovetocook@foodsorcery.co.uk
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