Sunday Bread

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   Today I did what I often do on a Sunday morning - baked bread for lunch and Monday's sandwiches.I just wing it because I have made it so often, I seldom measure anything other than the flour and yeast, I just know what it should look like. The more you bake the more you get a feel for how things should look, feel, smell and sound. There is no right or wrong, just be observant and use what you like and don't repeat what you didn't like.

Here is my recipe. 
Anne's Sunday Bread
Essentially this is 4c dry ingredients and 350mls wet.
Recipe times are based on 20 - 22 deg C air temperature. If the day is warmer everything will happen faster, colder = slower.
Warm your bowls first. Yeast don't like cold shocks. Think of them as wee pets with a flatulence issue.

Make the wet sponge.

Whisk together in a bowl that is deep enough to allow for rising...
3 tsp dry yeast. No vitamin C, no additives, just a nice natural tasting yeast.
3 Tbs clear liquid honey
300ml warm to hot water (blood temperature) I gauge this by putting my finger in it. If I can comfortably leave my digit in the water for a count of ten it's perfect.
Wrap the bowl in a couple of a tea-towels and leave for 15 - 20 minutes in a place with no draughts.
Once risen, whisk and make up to 350mls with more water or milk or (Optional) add an egg to your sponge, just be certain you have 350mls of fluid.

Now...
Into your warmed mixer bowl goes the dry ingredients...
4 cups High Grade flour
1 tsp salt
25g unsalted butter, or salted butter or evoo or lard... (doesn't matter it's just shortening).
Mix with the paddle on low setting.
Using the (warmed) dough hook, add the liquid and allow to knead on slow for 10 minutes.
Remove the dough hook and cover the mixer bowl with a warmed plate. (grease the bottom of the plate - just in case). Leave to prove until doubled in bulk.

Re-attach the dough hook and knead again 2-3 minutes.
Turn onto a floured board and form into whatever shape appeals. I am fond of the traditional cob.
But this divides into 16 knot rolls or 8 hamburger buns, 2 plaits or focaccia, or a single cob or large loaf tin. Just make whichever shape you need for the day. To ensure each portion is the same size, weigh the dough and divide by the number of finished buns that you want
I once divided it into 64 mini burgers for a finger food evening, they were tiny, 11g each.

Loosely cover your formed loaves/buns with greased cling film and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size. check that the film doesn't cling tightly and inhibit the shape.

Bake at 200 deg C.
Single loaf is around 25min
Two plaits 20 min
Knot rolls 15ish etc

The trick is to turn it upside down and knock on the base, if it has a hollow sound it is done.

Variations:
You can half bake smaller buns and rolls. Bake 10 minutes, cool and freeze. To finish at a time when you need fresh hot bread fast, heat the oven to 200 deg C, thaw for 20 minutes,  bake 10 minutes.
For focaccia or pizza bases, leave out the egg, milk and substitute a little olive oil for shortening, adding a little more water if needed...e.g. My family love focaccia studded with halved yellow cherry tomatoes, scantly sprinkled with coarse rock salt, marjoram, basil and oregano ( I harvest the leaves at the end of summer -  mix them in a zip-lock bag and freeze, once frozen, crush with a rolling pin - instant Italian herb sprinkle!) and a dusting of finely grated parmesan. Drizzle with evoo.
Wheatmeal - use 1/3 whole meal flour 2/3 white flour. Good baked in a tin for a toast loaf, sprinkle the top with poppy seeds. I use 4 Tbsp honey with wheat-meal - those wee yeasties need a sugar rush to pump that heavy flour.
Spelt bread - use 1/4 spelt flour, 1/4 ancient grains 1/2 white, less water and more salt. I will write more on my spelt flour experiments as it is a topic in its own right.
Sometimes I bake twice on a Sunday - the first batch seldom survives past lunch. 