Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 410 to 465 gms – 3 ¼ to 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ tsp salt
  • 7 gms – ¾ tbsp dry yeast
  • 25 gms – 1/8 cup sugar
  • 325 ml – 1 1/3 cups warm water
  • 30 ml – 1/8 cup vegetable oil

Instruction

  • Mix the yeast with the warm water and half of the sugar. Set aside to activate.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine half the flour, salt, oil, yeast and water mixture, and the remaining sugar. Mix until combined.
  • With the mixer running gradually add the remaining flour until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball that clears the bottom and sides of the bowl and doesn’t leave a lot of doughy residue on your fingers when touched while still being just slightly tacky (not over-floured and dense). For me, 410 grams – 3 ¼ cups of flour were just right.
  • Knead for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple.
  • Make the dough into a bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
  • Grease and flour a 23×12.5 cm – 9×5 inch loaf pan.
  • Shape the dough into a loaf. To do so, lightly punch down the dough. Press the dough into a thick rectangle about 20 cm – 8 inches long. Now fold the bottom third of the dough over itself (like a letter) and then fold the top of the dough down to overlap the other layers and pinch it closed with your fingers (on all sides).  Roll the loaf over so that the seam is down, then fold the 2 sides and tuck them underneath.  Now gently put the loaf into the pan. The seams should be on the bottom with the tight surface facing up. 
  • Cover with lightly greased cling wrap and let rise until doubled and the dough has risen about 2.5 cm – 1 inch above the top rim of the pan, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
  • Bake the bread in a pre-heated oven at 180°C – 350°F for 30-35 minutes until golden and baked through.
  • Remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a wire rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it.