Wholemeal Bread

I really wanted some hummus today but didn't have enough money to buy bread and hummus! Then I remembered that I had Wholemeal Bread Flour and Yeast downstairs! I found this recipe online and tried my hand at baking bread. I got this recipe from http://www.cookitsimply.com/ which is a good website with lots of bread recipes. I think I will be making more bread from now on!

Ingredients:

15 g (1/2 oz) dried yeast

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
275 ml (1/2 pt) warm water
4 cups (450 g) 1 lb wholemeal (whole grain) flour, plus extra for kneading
2 tsp (10 ml) sea salt
butter or oil for greasing

Method:

1. Dissolve the sugar in half the water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Put the yeast into a warm place to froth about 10 minutes.

2. Put the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.

3. Pour in the yeast mixture and the remaining water and mix everything together with a flat-bladed knife.

4.  Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth.

5. Return it to the bowl and make a cross-cut in the top.

6. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Leave the dough in a warm place for one hour to double in bulk.

7. Heat the oven to gas mark 6/200‚°C (400‚°F).

8. Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin (5-cup bread pan) or two 450 g (1 lb) loaf tins (3-cup bread pans).

9. Knead the dough again and either keep it in one piece or divide it into two.

10. Roughly shape it and press it lightly into your bread tin(s) (pans).

11. Put the bread on top of the stove and cover with a clean tea cloth. Leave for the final rising for 15 minutes, or until the dough has risen 1.5cm (1/2 in) above the edge of the tin(s).

12. Bake the large loaf for 50 minutes and the small ones for 40 minutes.

13. Turn the bread onto a wire rack to cool and leave it for 12 hours before cutting.

It smells lovely! I shall report back on the taste!

Billiesue