Bread winners: part 2

Nothing beats the satisfaction of making your own bread to enjoy fresh from the oven. Take inspiration from our baker's dozen of Country Living readers' loaves and celebrate the diversity and natural goodness of this true country staple

Bloomer

This slower-rising, longer-lasting loaf is shaped by hand and eye alone, and is prized for its soft crumb and fragile crust.

Preparation: 30 minutes, plus rising
Cooking: 45 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf
15g fresh yeast
675g strong white bread flour
poppy seeds for sprinkling

1 Put the yeast in a small bowl with 100ml warm water and mash lightly with a fork. Leave for 5 minutes to dissolve.
2 Put the flour in a large bowl and stir in 11/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the fresh yeast mixture. Add about 330ml warm water, quickly mixing as you go - you should have a soft but not too sticky dough. Add a little more water or flour as necessary.
3 Lightly flour a worksurface and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it is smooth and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise at a cool room temperature for 5-6 hours until doubled in size.
4 Knock back the dough and knead for 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, recover and leave to rise for 2 hours.
5 Heat the oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan oven) gas mark 8. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes to knock out any air pockets, then leave for 5 minutes to rest. Flatten out into a rectangle 2.5cm thick then fold one side into the centre, followed by the other side on top. Turn over and shape into a loaf.
6 Put on to a lightly floured baking sheet, seam-side down, cover and leave to prove for 15 minutes. Using a scapel or a sharp knife, cut three or four slashes across the loaf.
7 Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf and listen for a hollow sound - this means the bread is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Flute

With its crunchy exterior and moist centre, this classic bread, named after the musical instrument, hits all the right notes.

Preparation: 40 minutes. plus rising
Cooking: 25 minutes

Makes 2 small loaves
20g fresh yeast
500g strong white bread flour

1 Put the yeast in a bowl with 300ml warm water and mash lightly with a fork. Leave for 5 minutes to dissolve.
2 Put the flour in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the fresh yeast mixture. Flick over enough flour to just cover the yeasted liquid. Cover with a tea towel and leave to stand for 20 minutes until frothy.
3 Mix together the flour and incorporate up to 75-100ml warm water, adding a little at a time to form a soft dough.
4 Lightly flour a worksurface and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it is smooth and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for about 11/2 hour until doubled in size.
5 Briefly knead the dough for a couple of minutes to knock out any air pockets then leave to rise, covered, for 45 minutes. Knock back again, recover and leave to rise for another 45 minutes.
6 Divide the dough into two pieces. Flatten out into a rectangle to knock out any air bubbles, fold one side into the middle, then fold the other side over the first to overlap. Press lightly to seal then roll backwards and forwards to make a flute shape about 30cm long. Repeat with the other piece.
7 Heat the oven to 240ºC (220ºC fan oven) gas mark 9. Put on a floured baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and prove for about 50 minutes until doubled in size. Cut three or four diagonal slashes across each loaf then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Split tin

A loaf of two halves - the bottom is a structured oblong and the top rounded and crunchy around the knife-edge cut.

Preparation: 35 minutes, plus rising
Cooking: 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf
15g fresh yeast
500g strong white bread flour
4 tablespoons warm milk

1 Put the yeast in a small bowl with 100ml warm water and mash lightly with a fork. Leave for 5 minutes to dissolve.
2 Put the flour in a large bowl and stir in 11/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the fresh yeast mixture. Add the milk and about 200ml warm water, quickly mixing as you go - you should have a soft but not too sticky dough. Add a little more water or flour as necessary.
3 Lightly flour a worksurface and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it is smooth and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise at a cool room temperature for 11/2-2 hours until doubled in size.
4 Heat the oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan oven) gas mark 8. Lightly oil a 900g loaf tin. Knock back the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes. Flatten into a rectangle the length of the loaf tin. Roll lengthways into a loaf shape and put into the tin, tucking the ends underneath. Cover and leave to prove for 30 minutes.
5 Make a deep slash down the centre of the loaf. Dust with flour. Leave for 5 minutes.
6 Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf and listen for a hollow sound - this means the bread is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Plaited Loaf

Plaited before baking, the dough of this shapely bread is brushed with eggwash to give it a gorgeous golden glow - irresistible!

Preparation: 35 minutes, plus rising
Cooking: 35-40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf
15g butter
290ml milk
15g fresh yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
450g strong white flour
1 medium egg, beaten
milk to glaze

1 Melt the butter in the milk in a small pan. Cool until tepid. Cream the yeast and sugar together in a small bowl.
2 Sift the flour into a large bowl with 1 teaspoon salt and make a well in the centre. Mix together the butter, milk, egg and yeast and pour into the well. Quickly mix together to form a soft but not too sticky dough.
3 Turn on to a lightly floured worktop and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put into a clean, very lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
4 Heat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Divide the dough into three pieces. Knead, then roll each piece into a sausage shape about 10cm long.
5 Put two pieces parallel to each other and the third across, threading it under the left hand piece and over the right-hand. Starting from the middle, plait one end, then turn over and plait the other end. Tuck in the ends and put on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for 15 minutes.
6 Brush with milk and bake for 25 minutes until the loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Bannocks

A quick-and-easy cake-like flatbread from north of the border. Traditionally fired in the embers of the bread oven at the end of the baker's day.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

Makes 6-8
115g barley flour
50g plain white flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
25g butter
175ml buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 Sift together the flours into a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cream of tartar. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2 Mix together the buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda. When it starts to bubble, quickly mix into the flour to form a soft dough.
3 Turn out on to a floured worktop and lightly press into a rectangle 2cm deep. Roughly cut out 6-8 wedges.
4 Heat a heavy-based frying pan or griddle until hot. Cook the bannocks over a low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes turning once until risen and the centres are cooked through. Serve warm.

Food editor's tip
If you can't find buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar into 300ml whole milk. Leave to stand for 30 minutes before using.

[image8]Farmhouse Loaf

Farmhouse
A delicious daily bread to feed all the family. Best served still warm from the oven with a pat of freshly churned butter.

Preparation: 35 minutes, plus rising
Cooking: 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf
15g fresh yeast
500g strong brown flour

1 Put the yeast in a small bowl with 100ml warm water and mash lightly with a fork. Leave for 5 minutes to dissolve.
2 Put the flour in a large bowl and stir in 11/2 teaspoons salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the fresh yeast mixture. Add about 200-225ml warm water, quickly mixing as you go - you should have a soft but not too sticky dough. Add a little more water or flour as necessary.
3 Lightly flour a worksurface and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it is smooth and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise at a cool room temperature for 11/2-2 hours until doubled in size.
4 Heat the oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan oven) gas mark 8. Lightly oil a 500g loaf tin. Knock back the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes. Flatten into a rectangle the length of the loaf tin. Roll lengthways into a loaf shape and put into the tin, tucking the ends underneath. Cover and leave to prove for 30-45 minutes or until the dough is 1cm above the top of the tin.
5 Brush the top of the dough with lightly salted water. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom of the loaf and listen for a hollow sound - this means the bread is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Clay-pot loaves

In the days before ovens, families made their bread in simple containers placed on flatstones over the fire. The original potted pleasure!

Preparation: 40 minutes, plus rising
Cooking: 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf
15g fresh yeast
150ml warm milk
450g strong white bread flour
1 tablespoon each pumpkin, poppy and sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
beaten egg for glazing

1 Lightly grease and line two 14cm-diameter or four 7cm-diameter terracotta flower pots with silicone paper.
2 Blend the yeast with 3 tablespoons milk. Leave for 5 minutes.
3 Sift the flour into a large bowl with 11/2 teaspoons salt. Stir in the seeds. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture, the remaining milk and about 125ml water. Quickly mix together to make a soft, but not too sticky dough.
4 Turn out on to a lightly floured work top and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 11/2-2 hours until doubled in size.
5 Knock back for 2 minutes then divide into two or four pieces depending on the flower pots you are using. Shape into balls and put into the pots - they should half fill them. Cover with tea towels and leave to rise for 30-40 minutes until the dough has risen to within 2cm of the rim.
6 Heat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan oven) gas mark 6. Brush the tops of the dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with the seeds. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

Food editor's tip
If you can't get hold of fresh yeast, use 2 teaspoons fast-action dried yeast and stir into the flour before adding liquid.

Click here to see more of our readers' loaves recipes and to download all 13 in a printer-friendly file

For more inspiring recipes, visit www.bakingmad.com