Fresh From The Oven 6 - June 2011 - Sandwich Loaf.

This month, Jo from Jo's Kitchen challenged us to make Michel Roux Jnr's sandwich loaf recipe from the BBC programme The Great British Food Revival.  I loved the series.  It really inspired me to use seasonal produce local to us but Steve felt the programme was a bit naff and I must agree that sometimes it seemed that it was a programme slung together a bit rather than being based on something the presenters really believed in.  I can't remember exact examples but I'm sure there were times when they would make something using ingredients from half way across the world in their attempts to get us to revive something so there didn't seem to be a huge consistency in their message.  I loved the programme anyway - it's about food and it had recipes!!!

  

This made a lovely, versatile loaf.  It made excellent sandwiches and excellent toast.  You could vary it in any number of ways too.  We don't eat a lot of white bread so our first attempt at varying it will be to try to make it wholemeal.  Thanks Jo for the challenge as I am really pleased to get to try recipes for really simple, everyday bread as well as the more exotic things we sometimes do.  This will certainly be my staple white loaf recipe from now on.

The recipe can be found on the BBC site here but I'll write it out below to make sure I always have a copy of it.

Recipe.

Ingredients - 

20g/1oz golden syrup

25g/1oz melted butter

350ml/14 fl oz warm milk

10g/ 1/2oz fresh yeast (I used one 7g sachet of dried)

250g/8 oz plain flour

250g/8 oz strong bread flour

10g/ 1/2oz sea salt

Method - 

1. Stir the golden syrup and melted butter into the warm milk until well combined.  Crumble the yeast into a large bowl, then pour over the warm milk and stir until the yeast has dissolved.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until a smooth dough forms.  Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for 5 mins.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins, or until smooth and elastic (I used my Kenwood chef - it was a very sticky dough).  Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and place into a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.

4. Meanwhile grease and flour a 12cm X 20cm/5" X 8" bread tin.

5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface again and knock back a few times.  Divide equally into two pieces and shape into balls.  Place the dough balls side by side in the prepared tin, cover with cling film and set aside to rise again, until doubled in size.

6. Preheat oven to 220C/410F/GM 7.

7. Using a sharp knife, slash the dough a few times and place into the oven immediately.  After 10 mins, reduce the heat to 180C/350F/GM 4 and bake for a further 30 mins, or until the bread is golden-brown.

8. Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack. 

Have a look at Fresh From The Oven to see other versions of this loaf or to join in the challenges.