One hour Soft White Bread?? I know what you are thinking!! Is she serious??
Maybe you are just like me and have tried yeast bread and it was nothing special leaving you wondering why you bothered!! I wondered was there some special knack to it that I just did not have???
After trying many bread recipes over the years I was never that thrilled with the results. I used a bread maker which was handy as I just threw in the ingredients and left it to do all the work. Some breads like Oat and Honey bread or Cheese and Onion Bread were gorgeous but plain white bread from it was never great.
Then I had a life changing event!!
Well maybe that might be exaggerating a bit (or a lot!) but it made my day anyhow!!
While reading though an old bread recipe book that I got from an elderly aunt years ago I found a recipe for a One Hour Soft White Bread which seemed too good to be true. I thought I might as well give it a go as it was just an hour from start to finish and only ten minutes involved me doing anything. That is my kind of recipe!!
I was a bit sceptical of how fast it was but I got a big shock. It turned out beautifully soft and not at all doughy.The crust is soft and chewy while the centre is a lovely texture but not crumbly.
One Hour Soft white Bread turns out beautifully every time and as a bonus its stays soft for several days if it lasts that long!
Are you nervous of using yeast?
Does seems complicated with terms like fresh yeast and dried yeast or quick acting yeast when you do not know the difference?
Generally only professional bakers use fresh yeast as it a live product and has to be stored and prepared in a particular way. To be honest I have never used it as it. Whats the alternative? Yeast also comes as a dried product which you will find in the baking section of most supermarkets. It comes in a tub or in a box of little sachets which are generally labelled Quick Acting Yeast.
I always use those little sachets of dried yeast which are much simpler than messing about with fresh yeast. I just mix the yeast with warm water and sugar then leave it for 5 minutes until a froth appears on top.
Why? Yeast has to have heat and food to grow. The sugar is the food and the warm water is the heat. Never add yeast to very hot water as you will kill it and it will not grow which means your bread will not rise. The water should be just warm enough that it does not feel hot on your hand (think baby bathwater!). The froth or foam appearing on top means the yeast is starting to work.
At this stage simply add in the flour and salt along with the melted butter. Never add the salt directly to the yeast mixture!!
Why? Salt will kill the yeast if it directly touches it. I know you are thinking how I am killing things trying to make bread??! Do not worry though as it is not complicated and you are ensured of success if you follow these simple steps.
Knead it for 5 minutes until it is smooth. The dough should only be slightly sticky and if very wet add a bit more flour. Do not add too much as you do not want the dough dry or crumbly either. I knead it in the bowl and cover the top of the bowl with clingfilm, then leave for 20 minutes for it to rise in a warm place. The yeast will grow and as it does the dough will rise.
Tip the dough out of bowl and gentle flatten out. Shape into oval shaped loaf and place on a floured baking tray. Sprinkle lightly with flour and cut some slashes in top. There is no need to put the cuts in the top but I like the way it looks plus it makes me feel all professional!! Let rise for 15 minutes in a warm place.
Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned and hollow sounding when you tap it. Ovens vary so your cooking time may be slightly longer. Cool on a wire rack.
It is wonderful with fresh tomatoes and cheese. Teffia loves it with tomato salsa and tomatoes and brings half a loaf to college with her most weeks. It toasts really well and is not at all crumbly.
I also use the dough for One Hour Soft White Bread as a base for pizza. Just roll it out instead of shaping into loaf and top with tomato sauce and cheese or whatever pizza toppings you enjoy. It makes two large pizzas or could make three smaller ones. It depends how thick you like your base. It`s a lovely chewy pizza crust and so much faster than the dough I used to make in the bread maker.
One Hour Soft White Bread
Ingredients
- 350ml/ 12fl oz Warm Water
- 1 Sachet Active Dry Yeast
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Melted butter or margarine
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 800g/ 28oz Plain Flour
Instructions
- Mix the sugar and yeast into the water and leave for five minutes until frothy
- Mix the flour and salt together as salt will kill the yeast if it touches it directly
- Stir in most of the flour and all the butter into the yeast mixture
- Use your hand to knead it in the bowl for five minutes until it is smooth and not sticky. You may not need all the flour or you may need to add in a bit more as moisture content of flour varies. It should not stick to your hand but not be dry and flaky either
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 20 minutes to rise
- Preheat oven to 200C/425F/Gas 7
- When it has risen gently tip it out onto a lightly floured surface
- Knock the air out of it by gently flattening it out.
- Shape into a loaf and place on a floured baking tray. Sprinkle with flour and cut slashes into top
- Leave to rise for 15 minutes
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and sounds hallow when tapped on bottom
- Cool on wire rack
Did you make this recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #aveggiecooks__ and tag @aveggiecooks__. I would love to see it!
Other recipes to try:
