Classic white loaf

Name: Classic white loaf
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 8 (16 slices)
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting and sprinkling; 1½ tsp salt; 1 tsp caster sugar; 7g fast-action dried yeast; 310ml lukewarm milk, plus extra for glazing; 1 medium free-range egg; Flavourless vegetable oil (such as sunflower) for greasing

Published: 11 May 16
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Use this recipe for a classic white loaf to make the most diverse of breads – cut thick slices for proper doorstop sandwiches, serve alongside soup or simply spread on plenty of salted butter.

Serves 8 (16 slices)
Hands-on 30 min, oven 40-45 min, plus rising & proving

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Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting and sprinkling
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp caster sugar
7g fast-action dried yeast
310ml lukewarm milk, plus extra for glazing
1 medium free-range egg
Flavourless vegetable oil (such as sunflower) for greasing

Method

Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a large mixing bowl and stir together well. Measure the milk into a measuring jug, crack in the egg, then beat together with a fork. Add the mixture to the flour, quickly stir it in, then bring the dough together.
Gently knead the dough in the bowl, then put in a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead on a medium setting for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, knead on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes until the dough springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.
Put the dough in a lightly oiled, large mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour until nearly doubled in size.
When the dough has risen, return to a clean surface and gently knead to knock out any large air pockets. Shape the loaf into an even round and put on a greased baking tray. Use the flat of your hand to flatten the dough a little. Slash the top 3 times with a sharp knife, then cover with a plastic bag or some lightly oiled cling film. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
Leave to prove in a warm place for 45-60 minutes. Brush the loaf with a little milk, sprinkle flour over the top, then bake for 40-45 minutes until risen, golden and the loaf sounds hollow when gently tapped on the underside. Cool on a wire rack, then slice.

Recipe from April 2016 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Per slice

Calories: 136kcals
Fat: 1.5g (0.7g saturated)
Protein: 5.2g
Carbohydrates: 25g (1.4g sugars)
Fibre: 1g
Salt: 0.5g

delicious. tips

If you’re kneading by hand, we recommend you add three-quarters of the liquid, then see if it needs the rest (some flours take more liquid than others). If the dough really is too wet to knead, add an extra handful of flour.

A plastic dough scraper is useful when hand-kneading wet, sticky dough – find them in all good cookshops or on Amazon.
You can leave the dough to rise overnight in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before shaping and proving. You can also freeze dough after kneading: freeze in an airtight freezer bag, easing out as much of the air as you can before sealing. Defrost completely, then let the dough puff up again before shaping and proving. After overnight rising or freezing, it may take a bit longer than usual to prove.

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Classic white loaf

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