I love to make my own bread. Usually as a quick and easy starter when we have friends for dinner (served with a good quality locally grown olive oil and a homemade dukkah). But now, the more I read labels in the supermarket, the more I despair in terms of how far we have come from traditional fare. Bread, when made at home, is simple and healthful - nutritious, too. If I'm making it for the kids, I form it in a loaf tin so that it's got a bread like shape for sandwiches.
2.5 cups spelt flour
3/4 cup teipd water
activated yeast (2 tablespoons dried yeast, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 1/3 cup warm water, combined in mug and left to bubble for about five minutes).
In a large mixing bowl, sift the spelt flour then add the activated yeast and 1/2 the tepid water. Mix, adding extra water slowly as needed until you get the right consistency. I use a kitchenaid with the dough hook, but you can easily do this by hand, either using your fingers to combine and then turning it out onto a flat work surface to knead until elastic, or using a spoon if you don't like the squish squish squish of dough.
The test of a dough being ready to rise is when you can lightly press a finger into the surface and the finger mark immediately bounces back. Cover it with a bowl and leave to rise for about an hour, until it's roughly doubled in size. Punch it back once and then either shape it into a loose form bread, or press into a loaf tin. Again, leave it to rise for about an hour, making sure it's covered from draughts.
Preheat the oven to 190'c and bake for around 40 minutes. Once it's finished (and you know it's done by tapping the bottom of the loaf and you hear a solid sound) leave it to cool to room temp. If you're intending to use as a sandwich loaf, refrigerate until cold and then slice thinly. I freeze mine in zip lock bags and then just use as needed.
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