25 g Fresh yeast or 15g; (1/2oz)
-dried yeast
; (1oz)
300 ml Warm water; (1/2 pint)
1 ts Sugar or honey; if using
-dried
; yeast
2 ts Sea salt
500 g Wholemeal flour; plus extra
-for
; kneading (1lb)
Oil for greasing
1 Egg; beaten (optional)
If you are using fresh yeast, crumble it into a bowl and pour in half the
warm water; if using dried yeast, dissolve the sugar and honey in half the
water then sprinkle in the yeast.
Leave the yeast in a warm place until it is frothy. Dissolve the salt in
the remaining water.
Put the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast
mixture and mix in a little flour from the sides of the well. Pour in the
salt water and mix everything to a dough.
Turn the dough on to a floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth
and elastic.
Return it to the bowl, cover it with a clean tea cloth and leave it in a
warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200 C, 400 F, Gas Mark 6.
Knead the dough again. Put it either into one 1kg (2lb) greased loaf tin or
divide it between two 500g (1lb) loaf tins.
Put the loaves in a warm place, cover them with a cloth again and leave
them until the dough has risen above the tops of the tins.
If liked, brush the dough with the beaten egg to glaze it. Bake the large
loaf for 50 minutes or the smaller ones for 40 minutes.
When cooked, they sound hollow when tapped. Turn them on to wire racks to
cool.
Note: the dough can be shaped into one or two round loaves, or into long
”bloomers”, and baked on a baking sheet for the same amount of time; or
you can make small, round rolls and bake them for 20 minutes.
Yields
1 servings