Quick white loaf

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Makes 2 loaves

Preparation time
1-2 hours

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour








Ingredients

200g/7oz whole milk, at room temperature150ml/5½ fl oz water, at room temperature2 tsp fresh yeast, crumbled200g/7oz plain white flour300g/10½oz strong white flour50g/2oz millet flakes (optional)1½ tsp fine sea saltolive oil, for greasingflour, for dusting

Method

1. Place the milk and water into a bowl. Add the yeast and whisk gently until dissolved.2. Place the flours, millet flakes (if using) and salt into a clean bowl and mix together well. 3. Add the milk, water and yeast solution and mix together until it starts to come together a sticky, cohesive dough, then cover and leave for ten minutes.4. Grease your hands and a flat clean surface with olive oil. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for ten seconds, then form the dough into a smooth round ball. Wipe the bowl clean and grease with olive oil, then return the dough ball to the bowl and leave for a further ten minutes.5. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead once more on the clean oiled surface. Shape again into a round smooth ball and return to rest in the bowl, covered, for one and a half hours in a warm (not hot) place.6. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and leave, covered, on a flat, floured surface for five minutes.7. Place a clean tea towel onto a large tray and dredge with flour, rubbing the flour into the cloth to ensure even coverage.8. Place one ball onto a floured work surface. To shape the dough, pat it flat into an oval 15cm/6in front-to-back and slightly longer left-to-right. Take the left and right sides and fold them inwards, towards the centre, by 2cm/1in, to leave a triangular point at the top. Next take the point and fold it in towards the centre, pressing down firmly to seal. Rotate the dough 180 degrees and repeat the process. Then rotate the dough back to its original position.9. If you are right-handed fold the dough in half towards you, starting at the right-hand end, sealing the dough with the heel of your right hand while holding and folding the dough with your left hand. Roll the shaped loaf on the work surface, pressing down slightly more with the heel of each hand to give the ends a gentle point. Lift the dough and place it seam-side-up on the tea towel. Finally fold and pull the tea towel up the sides of the loaf and fold over to cover. Leave to rise for one and a half hours, or until almost doubled in height. Repeat this process with the second ball of dough.10. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.11. Turn the two risen pieces of dough onto a flour-dusted baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut two or three slashes into the upper surface of each, then place into the oven to bake for 45 minutes, or until each loaf is a lovely golden brown.Recipe copyright Mitchell Beazley