How to Make a Super Soft & Crusty White Bread

strong white flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is heart-healthy and can be more affordable.

milk

🥗Healthier: plant-based milk

💰Cheaper: water

Plant-based milk caters to dietary restrictions.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey adds natural sweetness with a unique flavor.

Welcome to the video and introduction to the recipe.

Mention nostalgic feelings about soft white bread and its texture.

List ingredients needed: white bread flour, water, 1 egg, melted butter, yeast, salt, sugar, sugar for topping, yeast for topping, olive oil, water for topping, and finely ground rice flour.

Explain the importance of using fine rice flour, not ground rice powder.

Introduce the equipment needed: bowl, scales, dough scraper, temperature probe, brush, and a baking tin.

Suggest reducing ingredients by a quarter if using a smaller baking tin.

Start making the topping by combining yeast, salt, sugar, rice flour, olive oil, and water in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Cover the topping and set aside.

Pour water into a large bowl, add yeast, salt, sugar, egg, and melted butter, and mix to dissolve the salt, sugar, and yeast.

Add bread flour to the mixture and use a dough scraper to mix into a dough.

If cold fermenting, place the dough in the fridge after mixing for 30 minutes, then fold and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.

For room temperature fermentation, cover the dough and let it bulk ferment for 2 hours, folding halfway through after 1 hour.

Dust the dough with flour, flatten it out, and fold it over itself to create tension, then cover and let it rest for another hour.

Perform a pre-shaping step by dusting the dough with flour, releasing it from the bowl, and folding it up loosely to build tension.

Cover the pre-shaped dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Grease the baking tin with butter or oil to prevent sticking.

Shape the dough into a loaf by flattening it, folding corners, and rolling it up tightly before placing it in the greased baking tin.

Stir the topping to ensure it's smooth and brush it generously over the loaf.

Suggest dividing the dough into smaller rolls but doubling the topping ingredients if doing so.

Let the loaf proof for 1.5 to 2 hours without covering it.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) with the fan on.

Bake the loaf for 45 to 50 minutes, checking for a dark crust and adjusting baking time if necessary.

Observe the loaf's rise and texture after baking, noting it should be light and soft.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens