Bloomer Loaf
How to make a traditional old English Bloomer loaf at home, easy step by step instructions from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 500g / 17½oz Strong white bread flour
- 310g / 11oz Water
- 45g / 3tbls Olive oil
- 2tsp / 7g Active or instant dried yeast
- 8g /1tsp Salt
- Add the flour salt and yeast to a bowl and mix together with a whisk.
- In a stand mixer add the water and oil.
- Turn the machine on at its lowest setting with dough hook attached.
- Spoon in the flour mixture gradually while the machine is running
- Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 10 minutes.
- If you are kneading this recipe by hand, add all of the ingredients to a bowl and partially mix it all together, tip it out onto your worktop and knead the dough for 10 minutes, then carry on with recipe as shown.
- Turn out the dough from the mixer and form it into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl and let it rise for at a minimum of 1 hour, the dough should have doubled in size (this may take longer depending on the temperature of your kitchen)
- Grease a baking tray (see the video for tray size).
- After the first rise turn out the proven dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Degas / that simply means knock the dough back for a minute and form it into an oval shape as shown in the video.
- Place the dough in the middle of your greased baking tray, sprinkle the formed dough with a little flour, cover it with lightweight cloth and set your timer for however long you did the first rise, in my case 1 hour.
- When there is only 15 minutes left on your second rise, preheat your oven to 200°C / 392°F / gas mark 6, at the same time carefully place a pan of hot water on the bottom shelf of your oven(this creates a steamy atmosphere that makes the bread crispy) also have a spray bottle of water handy.
- Once the dough has risen sprinkle a little more flour on the top of the now fully risen dough and score the top of the bread as shown in the video.
- Place the loaf in the preheated oven (open oven door slowly to prevent a blast of steam) give the inside of the oven a quick spray with water close the door and set your timer for 30 minutes, for a harder crust bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Optional: you can turn the loaf around in the oven after 20 minutes for even baking.
- Carefully remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
- Enjoy.
Equipment used in my kitchen
