As discussed on ABC Sydney this evening, this recipe is simple and quick to make at home. This delicious bread is well worth making. I’m providing here some variations here as well.

Incidentally, if anyone would like other recipes that were discussed, such as the homemade gravy, pesto, ice cream, stock, jam or chutney, just let me know and I will post them.

Easy Homemade Bread

For this recipe I use 24cm x 13cm bread (loaf) tin that is 9cm deep.  Anything close to that size is fine.

Makes 1 large loaf

4 cups plain flour

4 teaspoons instant dried yeast

3 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups warm water, approximately

Method

In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. 

Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and water and mix to a soft dough, adding a little extra water if needed. 

Cover with a tea towel or cling wrap and leave to rise for about 1 hour or until approximately doubled in size.  At this stage you can take the dough to the following step, or just turn it over with a spoon and let it rise again.

When ready, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (about 2 minutes).  Shape into 2 equal sized balls and place side by side in the tin.  Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise almost to the top of the tin.

Bake at 200°C (fan forced) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 170°C and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until well risen and golden and when the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles.  Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Variations

Bread Rolls – shape into balls  – place on tray, pretty close together, and allow to rise 15 minutes, then bake for 15 minutes approximately until golden brown.

Savoury Scrolls – pat the dough (after the first rising) out to a rectangle about 1cm thick, then sprinkle with ham, cheese, olives, capsicum, salami etc. 

Even vegemite and cheese are delicious.

Roll up from the long side and cut into 3cm pieces and place side by side on a tray.  Leave to rise for 15 minutes, then bake at 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cheese and Bacon Scrolls

Make as for savoury scrolls, using chopped bacon and grated cheese as the filling.

Blue Cheese Cob Loaf

Prepare the dough to rectangle stage as for savoury scrolls. 

Sprinkle 200 to 250g crumbled blue cheese, along with 30 to 60g grated tasty cheese and 30g grated Parmesan.

Roll the dough over the blue cheese into a log shape and then shape into a spiral.

Grease a 23cm round cake tin and line base with baking paper, grease again.  Place spiral into this, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise almost to the top if the tin (about 30 minutes or so).

Bake at 200 degrees C for 45 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when taped with the fingertips.

After 5 minutes, turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Chelsea Buns – as for savoury scrolls above but instead spread patted out dough with 60g melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar (60g), cinnamon and dried fruit (as much as you like) and roll up and then cut into 3cm slices. 

Allow to rise 20 minutes then bake for 20 until golden.  Glaze with honey, melted quince jelly or golden syrup after baking if liked.

Pull Apart Bread – make as for scrolls and then layer in a large greased bread tin, the base of which has been lined with baking paper (grease over this). 

Allow to rise almost to the top of the tin, then bake at 200 degrees C for 40 to 45 minutes till loaf sounds hollow when tapped with the fingertips.

Fruit Buns – add about 2 teaspoons of mixed spice and same of ground cinnamon, one coarsely grated cored apple (optional) and the finely grated rind of a lemon.

Turn out onto a floured surface, sprinkle with flour and knead until smooth.  Shape into a rectangle, sprinkle fruit over and then knead in.  Cut into balls (60g to 90g) place, on baking paper lined trays and allow to rise for 20 minutes, then bake at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes.  Glaze with honey, melted quince jelly or golden syrup when they come from the oven.

Place on trays quite close together and allow to rise 20 minutes, then bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.  If you like, brush with honey or golden syrup as soon as they come from the oven.

Fruit Bread – use fruit bun recipe to make the dough, following the same rising procedure.

Turn out onto a floured surface, sprinkle with flour and pat to a rectangle.  Sprinkle dried fruit over the dough and fold in as shown.

Pizza pockets

After first rising shape dough into balls and then pat or roll out to approximately 6mm thick.

Have ready a mixture made with things like salami, onion, olives, capsicum, semi dried tomatoes et, – whatever you have to hand.

Place a generous spoonful in the centre of each.

Brush half way around each of the circles with water, then pinch edges together, wet section to dry, making a kind of pastie shape.

Draw up the crimped edge and pinch together tightly to make a ball once more.  Place on trays seam side down, allowing a little room for spreading.

Sprinkle with a little extra cheese and bacon if desired.

Bake at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.