Crispy Crust White Loaf
How to make a crispy crust white loaf of bread, simple step by step instructions, from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 380g / 13½oz Strong white bread flour
- 220g / 220mls Lukewarm water 40°C / 104°F
- 7g / 2tsp Instant or active dried yeast
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- 15g / 1tbls Butter (softened)
- 6g / 1tsp Sugar
- 1 Small egg (egg-wash)
- Add the sugar to the warm water and stir, once dissolved add the yeast and stir it in thoroughly, set it aside until it activates.
- Once activated, add the yeast mixture to a bowl.
- Place the rest of the ingredients into your stand mixer bowl, and using the dough hook, knead 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.
- Turn out the dough from the mixer and form it into a ball on a flour free bench, place it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl and let it rise for 1 hour, the dough should double in size (this time may vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen) if you can, proof your dough in the oven, with just the light bulb on.
- Grease a 2lb / 900g loaf tin, see video for tin dimensions.
- After the 1 hour, turn out the risen dough onto a non-floured surface, and knock the dough back, this simply means force all of the gas out of it.
- Form the dough into a sausage shape, and place it in the greased loaf tin, firmly pressing it down to fill in any gaps in the sides and corners.
- Lightly flour the top of the dough, then cover it with a dry light weight cloth, and allow it to proof until it has risen approximately 4cm / 1½ inches, over the top of the tin, approximately 45 minutes.
- When you think there is only 10 minutes left on the proof time, preheat your oven to 180°C / 355°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Once the dough has fully risen, very lightly! brush egg-wash over the whole loaf top, being careful not to get egg-wash between the tin and dough, as this may cause it to stick to the tin when baking.
- Using your bakers Lame, or blade, gently score down the centre of the loaf.
- Get it into the preheated oven, and set your timer for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, remove it from the oven, immediately take it out of the tin, and place it back in the oven, and increase the temperature to 200°C / 390°F / Gas mark 6, bake for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, allow it to cool on a wire rack, before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy.
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
