A simple easy to follow recipe, to make the best homemade bread - white cob loaf.Traditional British farmhouse style bread, made from basic store cupboard ingredients, strong white flour, dried instant yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil. Mix and knead by hand or using a stand mixer. This round crusty loaf of bread is cheap to make and can be baked in the oven, or for a quick proof and cook try using a pressure cooker. Serve soft sliced white bread as part of an English breakfast, in doorstep slices for lunch, or as a side at dinner. Ingredients are given in UK and US measures (it is best to use weighing scales).
Mix the ingredients together by hand, it will be messy and seem too wet to start, just continue until it all forms together. Do not add more flour!
Place on a floured board and start to knead the bread for 10 minutes until a smooth elastic texture. Move on to the Oven or Pressure cooker cooking method.
Homemade bread using stand mixer
Add all the ingredients to the stand mixer bowl.
Use a dough hook on your stand mixer start on a slow speed and use a silicone spatula to reincorporate anything stuck to the sides.
Once formed together increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes (this is the kneading stage)
Transfer to a floured worktop and form into a ball with your handsMove on to the Oven or Pressure cooker cooking method.
Oven bake method
Place in an oiled round cake tin, cover with cling film and leave for about 1-3 hours. It should have doubled in size, leave for longer if needed.
Preheat oven to 200°C Fan / 220°C , Gas 7, 425°F.Once doubled in size, place in the preheated oven on the middle shelf.
Oven cook for 30 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Sprinkle with flour once cooled.
Slice and serve!
Pressure cooker method
Line the pressure cookpot with parchment paper, add the kneaded dough.
To proof:Put on lid with pressure valve closed and program on yoghurt setting for 40 mins. If you do not have a Yoghurt setting leave for 1-3 hr with a damp tea towel over top.
Once the bread has been proofed.Program the pressure cooker on the cake setting and cook for 40 mins, with the pressure valve closed.
Optional to brown off crust.Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C /Gas 6 / 400°F.Transfer the bread onto a baking tray and place it in the oven for 10 minutes.