Plaited or Braided Loaf Bread

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4.84 from 6 votes

Servings: medium loaf

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Ingredients

300 ml warm water
1 heaped tsp yeast, - dried active – I used the one for hand baking
150 g organic wholemeal flour
300 g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs oil, - olive, rapeseed, hemp, etc.

Instructions

Pour the water into bowl, add the yeast and swirl until it is dissolved. Add the other ingredients.
Knead with the dough hook attachment of your mixer on the lowest speed for about 4 minutes until a smooth stretchy dough has formed (if you knead by hand it will take longer).
Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for a few hours. It should more than double in size.
In the morning turn out onto a floured board and gently knock the dough back. Divide the dough into 3 and roll into sausages about 12? / 30cm long. Place a silicon mat on a baking tray, line the dough sausages up and plait, tucking the ends under. Cover with a sheet of oiled cling film. Leave somewhere warm until doubled in size again.
Place in a preheated oven at GM7 / 220C / 425F and bake for about 30 minutes. For a crustier loaf place a small dish of water in the oven under the loaf.
When it is done it will sound hollow when tapped. It always takes longer to bake than you think it will, so my general rule of thumb is that if you are unsure give it another 5 mins.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.