White Bread Loaf - Ellas Better Bakes

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Alter quantities (metric only) 12 thick slices

Here's what you'll need...

Stand mixer with bread hook attachment (or your can knead by hand)
2 lb loaf tin
Measuring Spoons
Wooden spoon
Cooling rack
Bread sling optional

Ingredients you'll need...

500 g Strong white bread flour plus extra for rolling out the dough
7 g Fast action dried yeast or 2 level teaspoons
1½ teaspoon Fine salt
1 teaspoon White granulated sugar
1½ tsp Diastatic malt powder optional
300 ml Luke warm pre-boiled water at about 36-37℃
30 ml Olive oil plus extra for greasing the bowl

Here's what we do...

Mix together your flour, yeast, salt, sugar and malt powder (if using) in your stand mixer bowl.
Add your olive oil to your lukewarm pre-boiled water and mix.
Fit your dough hook to your stand mixer and start mixing the flour mixture on a low setting (I use the lowest setting on my KitchenAid).
Immediately begin slowly trickling in your water and oil mixture whilst the mixer is running.
Leave your dough to mix for 5 minutes.
Remove your dough from the bowl. The texture should be slightly sticky, and the dough should be smooth. If not, then mix for another couple of minutes.
Shape your dough into a ball.
Lightly oil your mixer bowl with a little extra olive oil, then place your ball of dough into it. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap), or I find using a new clear shower cap works very well.
Allow the dough to rise and double in size. This usually takes about 1-1½ hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is. My kitchen about 23-25℃ and I find an hour is plenty.
If using a bread sling, place it into your 2-pound loaf tin and lightly flour it. If not, grease the tin instead with some extra olive oil or butter, then sprinkle over a light layer of flour.
Lightly flour your work surface and then tip your dough out onto it.
Spread the dough into a rectangle, the length of which should match the length of your tin.
Taking one of the shorter sides of your rectangle, fold it over into the middle, then fold the other side on top of it. This will give you 3 layers (see blog post for a picture). Then roll the dough up, starting from the shortest end.
Place the dough in your prepared loaf tin, cover it again with cling film and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes until it fills the tin and has a smooth domed top.
Whilst your dough is rising, preheat your oven to 190°C Fan/210°C/410°F/Gas Mark 6.
Sprinkle a little flour over your dough and then bake in the centre of your oven for 30-35 minutes until golden all over.
To double-check your loaf is fully baked, place a temperature probe into the centre of the loaf. If it is between 205-210℃, then it is fully baked.
Remove your bread from the tin and allow it to fully cool before slicing up.

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Supporting Notes

Making this bread by hand? No problem...

You can make this bread my hand rather than stand mixer if you prefer.

Completed Steps 1 and 2 above and then:

Make a well in the centre of your flour mixture and pour in half of your olive oil and water mixture. Using a fork start folding the flour over the water and mixing together. Then add the rest of the water and repeat until you have a dough.

Lightly flour your work surface and then tip the dough out onto it.

Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth. Kneading stretches and pulls the gluten so that it becomes strong and holds up the structure of the bread when baked. It involves simply using the heels of your hands to push the dough forwards and stretch it. You then fold it back into a ball and keep repeating.

Then continue from Step 9 above.

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