Home Made Bread

Place your flour in a clean mixing bowl and mix the ginger, sugar, and salt when mixed make a well in the centre. Pour half the water into the well. Mix in until it starts to turn dry then add the remaining water. Continue to mix until it starts to ball and bonded together.

Lightly Flour a board and your hands, empty your mixed dough onto the board. Now for the fun part, push, fold, with the palm of your hand and roll the dough around, over and over, for 4 or 5 minutes until you have a silky and elastic dough.

Lightly oil your mixing bowl and place topside down, cover with cling film, and allow it to prove for about an hour until doubled in size. Ideally placed in a warm, moist, draught-free place. This is important as it will improve the flavour and texture of your dough.

Once your dough has doubled in size, knock the air out for 30 seconds by squashing it. now turn out on your board. You can now shape it or flavour you loaf as required. Place your loaf in a loaf tin or shape on a tray with a light dusting of plain flour. Place it back in a warm place for it to prove for a second time for another hour until it has again doubled in size. This is the most important part, as the second prove will give it the air that finally ends up being cooked into your bread, giving you the really light, soft texture. Let the yeast do its thing.

Preheat your oven to 200 C. and place a metal baking tin in the bottom of your oven and half fill with water then place your loaf in the oven. Don't slam the door or could lose all the the air that the yeast has made. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked and golden brown.

Now test your bread by tapping its bottom if it sounds hollow it's done, if it doesn't then pop it back in for a little longer. Once cooked, place on a rack and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes.