Le Manoir - Granary Bread

I make Bread all the time. But, I make it in a machine. How hard can it be to make it... by hand???


Serves 2 X 500g loafs

Preparation Time: 30 minutes + 3 1/2 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Special Equipment:  Bread basket well lined with flour

Ingredients

510g of Malted grain organic bread flour
100g of Strong white organic plain flour
370ml of Water
25g of Fresh Yeast
13g of sea Salt, Maldon

To Finish

70ml of Water

Method

Step 1 - Mixing, kneading, and proving the dough

Pour the flours and fresh yeast into a large bowl and mix, then add the water and mix again!  You need to break up the yeast a little before you add the salt or the salt will 'kill' the yeast.  Finally add your salt and knead and mix!  It's very sticky, but, eventually, after lots of kneading it's ready to take out and knead for about 5 mins on a clean worksurface.  Place the dough in a large clean bowl  and cover the with clingfilm. Allow dough to prove for 1 hour at room temperature (22 - 24 degrees celsius).

Step 2 - Shaping & second proving

Preheat the oven to 260 degrees celsius.
Divide the dough into 2 loaves, shape, and allow them to prove in two, well floured bread baskets, covered with cling film at room temperature until they doubled in size, about one and a half hours depending on the ambient temperature.

Step 3 - Baking

Spray or pour 50ml of water into your oven to generate steam. Open the door slightly and carefully remove the risen dough from the baskets and place them upside down into the preheated oven on a preheated tray or baking stone, spray with a little more water and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour until completely cool.

Pictures of us making Granary Bread

You'll be surprised how easy this is but, you might get tired out because of all the kneading!