Basic White Loaf

method:

• Sieve the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips. Add the salt, sugar and yeast and stir everything together.
• Make a well in the centre then pour in the water and stir together with a wooden spoon. Use your hands to bring the dough together. It should be very sticky at this point so add a little extra flour if needed.
• Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead for about ten minutes. Put the heel of your hand on the dough and push away from you, then turn the dough over and pull it back to you. You will soon develop a rhythm. The dough should be smooth and silky.
• Sit the dough in a clean, lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with clingfilm and put it somewhere warm for it to rise for about one hour. It should double in size.
• Now knock back the dough. This means kneading the dough again for a couple of minutes. This way the yeast is distributed evenly in the dough. Shape the dough to fit a 2lb (1kg) loaf tin. Grease and lightly flour the tin and put the dough seam side down into it. Loosely cover with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave it to prove somewhere warm for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
• You can slash the loaf if you wish and dust with flour. Put it in a preheated (230C/450F/Gas 8) oven on the middle shelf and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Remove the bread from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.