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Bacon and wild garlic bread

Name: Bacon and wild garlic bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 4 free-range smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into strips; 8 large wild garlic leaves, finely chopped (or 1 wet garlic bulb, crushed, plus 25g baby leaf spinach and 15g fresh flatleaf parsley, both chopped); 415g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting; 2 tbsp milk powder; 2 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp dried yeast; 30g salted butter; 225ml warm water; Vegetable oil for greasing

Published: 28 Feb 13
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Use seasonal wild garlic (available from from mid-March to May) in this springtime bread recipe – best served still warm from the oven and slathered in butter. If wild garlic isn’t in season you could use spinach or parsley instead.

You can learn how to forage for wild garlic here.

Easy
March 2013

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8
Hands-on time 20 min, oven time 25 mins, plus proving

You can learn how to forage for wild garlic here.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 268kcals
Fat: 7.4g (3.3g saturated)
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrates: 44.2g (4g sugars)
Fibre: 2.5g
Salt: 1g

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Ingredients

4 free-range smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into strips
8 large wild garlic leaves, finely chopped (or 1 wet garlic bulb, crushed, plus 25g baby leaf spinach and 15g fresh flatleaf parsley, both chopped)
415g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp milk powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried yeast
30g salted butter
225ml warm water
Vegetable oil for greasing

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Method

In a non-stick pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain off any excess fat, then add the chopped wild garlic (or alternative – see know-how) and wilt with the bacon. Set aside to cool.
Combine the flour, powdered milk, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add the yeast. Melt the butter in the water and gradually mix into the dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Add the bacon and ransoms, then mix well to combine. Knead on a dusted work surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball, put in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave somewhere warm for 45-60 minutes until twice the size.
Preheat the oven to 210°C/fan190°C/ gas 6½. Knock back the dough (see know-how), then shape into a smooth round. Put back in the bowl, cover and leave for 25 minutes until puffy.

Gently place the dough on a lightly oiled tray. Bake in the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until a light brown crust has formed and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Let the bread cool before slicing it.

Recipe from March 2013 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 268kcals
Fat: 7.4g (3.3g saturated)
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrates: 44.2g (4g sugars)
Fibre: 2.5g
Salt: 1g

delicious. tips

Knocking back dough is done by kneading briefly to remove overly large bubbles that have formed.
Wild garlic grow in woods and parks from mid-March to May. If you find a patch, harvest and freeze them – they’re well worth having.