Basic bread

Michael Craig

I have always been reluctant to make bread. It seems like such a big thing and so much effort.

But it really isn't. This is a simple recipe which goes wonderfully with butter and jam when it's fresh from the oven. I recommend having a good look through some expert baking books and getting into it. I was giving the beautiful Bourke Street Bakery cookbook a few years ago, from the gorgeous Sydney bakery and cafe. It's a bread-making bible and a great start if you want to experiment. Some great recipes can also be found online. In the meantime, here's a simple recipe to get you started.

Ingredients

2 cups	Plain flour (Main)
1 tsp	Sea salt
1 tsp	Dried instant yeast (Main)
¾ cup	Water, lukewarm
2 Tbsp	Oil

Directions

1. Combine flour and salt and yeast in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, and add ¾ cup water and oil.
2. Mix to form a soft dough, adding more water if required. Place on to a floured bench and knead lightly for 2 minutes.
3. Place in an oiled bowl and leave to (roughly) double in size (up to an hour).
4. Roll the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about 2 minutes.
5. Roll out on to an oiled baking tray, rub over a small drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle over your favourite dried herb, or a little sea salt.
6. Bake at 200C for 25-30 minutes.

See more of Delaney's basic kitchen recipes

• Pasta
• Strawberry and vanilla jam
• Chambord icecream