Stoneware Farmhouse Loaf

I have been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time and its been sitting in my drafts folder awaiting a photo.  I always forget to take a photo of it and it gets eaten too quickly!  However, having been asked for the recipe I paid attention today and got a picture.  So here is my basic white loaf, egg and dairy free and vegan too.

You'll notice I use olive oil in this recipe.  It is my favourite oil to use in bread as it gives a very subtle flavour, and a good structure to the bread.  Many recipes ask for butter and milk powder in them.  I ignore the milk powder - dreadful stuff full of preservatives and things for a start! And I simply substitute any butter with my favourite olive oil.

Farmhouse Loaf - Perfect for the Stoneware loaf pan!

Ingredients
475g Strong White Bread Flour
1 1/4 tsp fast action yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
275ml warm water

Method
1. Put the flour in a classic batter bowl. Add salt, sugar, yeast and stir.

2. Add the oil and then the water gradually to make a soft dough.

3. Knead well on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic (or bung it in a mixer with a dough hook if you have one - just watch it doesn't march across the work surface!)

4. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with lightly oiled cling film (or put on the lid) for 45 mins or until double the size.

5. Heat the oven to 200°C.

6. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead for a minute.

7. Grease the sides of the loaf pan lightly with a little veg oil (for the first few times you use it) and put the dough in.

8. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for up to 30 mins.

9. Bake for about 30 mins till golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped on top.

10. Leave to cool in the loaf pan for about 5 mins then remove to a cooling rack using oven gloves.

Watch out because the loaf pan retains lots of heat for ages and can still give you a nasty burn after the five minutes cooling.