Bread is made from flour, water, salt and yeast. The skill lies in handling and timing.
The basic ingredients
Use strong bread flour if you can, since its protein content gives structure. Dried or fresh yeast both work; follow the packet instructions.
Mix and knead
Combine the ingredients into a rough dough, rest it for a few minutes, then knead until it is smooth and stretchy. Kneading builds the gluten that traps air.
Let it rise
Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place until it roughly doubles in size. Time depends on temperature, so judge by the dough rather than the clock.
Shape it
Gently press out the air, shape the dough into a loaf or round, and place it on a tray or in a tin. Let it rise again.
Bake
Bake in a hot oven until golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Steam in the oven helps create a good crust; a tray of hot water works.
Cool before cutting
Let the loaf cool on a rack. Cutting too soon can make the inside gummy.
Keep practising
Each loaf teaches you something. Notice how the dough feels and adjust next time.
