Bread, glorious bread!!

After getting lots of tips from Paul Hollywood on the Great British Bake Off, and bending my friend Dave's ear about bread, I thought I should give it a whirl. I haven't made bread properly for years, bar the odd pizza base, since the days of hedgehog rolls as a child! Over the last couple of days I've made some pizza rolls and a nice loaf of white bread, super easy, just need a bit of patience for the double proofing (the rising of the bread)! Considering how much bread our house gets through, I think I shall definitely be making more in the future!

I used the same dough recipe (actually off the side of the Sainbsury's strong white bread flour bag) for the bread and the rolls, just halved it when I made the rolls! I'm a great fan of all in one recipes so here we go...

Basic White Bread

500g/20oz strong white bread flour (make sure you don't use plain or self raising by mistake, it needs to be strong bread flour),
25g/1oz butter or 1 tbsp oil,
1 tbsp sugar,
1 1/2 tsp salt,
7g packet of fast action yeast,
320ml of warm water (run the hot tap for a few minutes to get the right temperature, don't use boiling water or you will kill the yeast. Cold water won't help it to activate).

1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with a knife until they come into a ball.

2. Knead the dough for ten minutes until stretchy. Cover the bowl in cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

3. When the dough is ready you should be able to pull it back from the side and see all the air pockets. Knead the dough again and form into whatever shape you want. Alternatively, grease a 2lb load tin and place the dough into that.

4. Leave again do the dough to double again in size. Preheat the oven to 220C/205 fan/gas mark 7.

5. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, make sure you check it so the top doesn't burn.

6. Put on to a wiring cooling rack, tap the bottom, it should sound hollow if it is cooked through. 

 Pizza Rolls

Half of bread recipe above with oregano added to the dough at the start,
Passata/pasta sauce,
Cheese,
Any other fillings you like, you could use small pieces of ham, pineapple, pepperoni, mushroom, peppers etc.

1. Follow steps 1-2 of the bread recipe above.
2. Roll the dough out when it has double in size, try and get a sort of rectangle or you will have some mini rolls on the end, like mine!
3. Spread the dough with the tomato sauce and cover with the toppings.

4. Roll the dough up into a long sausage shape (hopefully a bit tidier than mine!)

5. Cut into slices and put onto a greased baking tray, with the joined side down. Leave to double in size. Preheat the oven to 220C/205 fan/gas mark 7.

 6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the tops have started to brown. Enjoy warm, I think they taste great on their own, or with a salad or soup!

 

They were a big hit in our house and so simple to make! Will definitely be doing them again. 

Enjoy

xxx