Chef Stef's kitchen: How to Make White Bread

Ingredients

400g white strong bread flour plus extra for dusting

15g fresh yeast or 7g of dried yeast

1tbsp salt

350ml warm water

a half tsp sugar

Method

1. Crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl, add the sugar, 50g of the flour, and about 100 ml of the warm water. Mix well; leave it for about 10 minutes or until the mixture starts bubbling and has doubled in size.

If you use dried yeast you don't need to do this, so go to section 2.

2. Sift the flour in a large bowl, mix in the salt then make a small well in the centre.

3. When the yeast is ready, pour it into the well then slowly start to add the warm water, at the same time begin squeezing the mixture together to form a dough, making sure you pick up all the flour in the bowl.

4. Transfer the dough onto a clean surface that's already been dusted with flour.

I've added a quick video below to show you the process of kneading dough.

Sprinkle flour from time to time. Continue to do that for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pliable.

Chefs tip: Cut the dough with a knife a few times during the kneading process. This adds more air into the dough making the cooked bread softer and more fluffy.

5. Put the dough in the bowl and leave for an hour to rise, or until it has doubled in size.

6. Oil loaf tin and dust with flour.

7. Turn the fully risen dough onto the work surface and knead for a minute, then mould the dough into the shape of the type of loaf you are looking for.

8. Put it in the tin and leave to rise again for 40 minutes - 1 hour.

Chefs tip: If you would like to.add a cheesy flavour to your bread, lightly brush egg yolk on the top, sprinkle with grated cheese then place into the oven to cook.

9. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

10. Once the dough has risen again place it in the oven. After 10 minutes turn the oven to 180°C and bake for 50 more minutes.

11. Take out of the oven and turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool