Scottish Plain Bread Loaf

Although pretty straightforward, especially the bread, there are some things you will need that are a little harder to get. They should still be somewhere in your local supermarket though, so good luck and here we go…

Plain White Bread 1Lb 8 0z strong bread flour (UNBLEACHED if at all possible)

1and a half Sachet dried yeast

1 and a half ounces salted butter

1 Teaspoon salt 12 Fluid Ounces tepid water. (warm enough to just feel it when you stick a finger in)

A large sided loaf tin, 6 to 8 inches high by 4 wide by 8 long if you can get one. Otherwise, at least as deep as you can get, you all know the shape of a plain loaf!

Firstly, put the bread tin somewhere warm, an airing cupboard or somewhere like that, it wants to be warm not hot ok. In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, yeast and butter together, add water and mix to a soft dough with your hands for 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 5 minutes before shaping roughly and placing into the bread tin. Cover with a damp cloth or tea towel and place in the same warm place for 2 hours. After about1 and 3/4 hours get the oven on to heat, it goes high for this one. Get it to 230C then put the bread on the middle shelf. Ovens will vary here depending on whether you have gas, electric, fan or not fan, or convection but trial and error will get you there and I’m guessing you know your own ovens.

Bake for 40 minutes but keep an eye on the top side to see if it’s getting a bit too dark, (unless you like the dark crust like me) If it is, then take the tin out and shake the loaf out then place back in the oven, (turn the heat down to 200C) on one of the short sides (the doorstep ends) for 10 minutes then repeat the process. Take the loaf out and give the base a tap, it should sound sort of hollow but also a bit sold. Leave on a rack to cool for at least 1 hour before you try it. If not perfect then it will be close and next time it will be better and so on. Mess about a little with the amounts and temperatures until it’s right for you ok. It took me about a dozen goes to get it right so persevere.

Courtesy of John Proctor, FB Scottish Recipes Club.