Slow, slow, quick, quick slow how to

make a fve braid loaf...

So soda bread is the super fast bread on the dough stage, but when more
time is available, I fnd making bread incredibly therapeutic. Its the kind of
thing which can be done in between tasks, so the actual time spent on it only
equates to around 2!2" minutes, which for me is perfect.
#ne of my favourite loafs, and one of the most beautiful, is the plaited loaf.
$ong slender strands of springy dough bound together to make something
like a work of art. %here are many tricks when making bread and once you
have those nailed youll be plain sailing. Its always good to have a packet of
fast action dried yeast in the cupboard and a good strong white and
wholemeal bread &our. 'or me these are a store cupboard must, so whenever
I get the urge, I can (ust bake away.
)aking with fresh yeast is also a (oy. %he bread will have a better &avour and
crumb, but will take a lot longer to make with two risings. Its also near
impossible to fnd, so Im more than happy with the fast action dried yeast.
In this recipe, I have used a combination of white &our to make it nice and
light and wholemeal &our for some nuttiness and depth.
%ake the white &our in a bowl, then sift in the wholemeal. *ost &our has
already been sifted numerous times so there is no need to sift again.
#riginally &our was sifted to remove any foreign bodies from it. %he
wholemeal &our gets a good sift as the bits of bran left in the bottom of the
sieve are good for sprinkling on top of the bread. I usually throw 2+, back in
to the &our and keep the remainder for the top. -dmittedly the fa. factor has
increased slightly, but for la/y weekend days when there0s a little bit of time
to spare, there is nothing better than a hand baked loaf.
1. $ovely bits of bran.
2. %hen cut the dough in to fve equal bits 2so much easier to do with a sharp
knife rather than pulling it3.
,. -nd roll the dough into fve long slender sausage fngers about ,cm long.
If they keep springing back and are di4cult to roll (ust cover them with a tea!
towel for " minutes to allow the gluten to rela5 a little. %hen give it another
go.
6. 7ut them together at one end so they are all connected, a touch of water
may help them to stick. 7ut three strands on the right side and then two
strands on the left as per the picture.
". %ake the strand from the far outside right. %hen put it over the two nearest
it, so it is now in the centre. %hen squidge it up a bit to meet the other two, as
per this picture. 8ow there are three strands on the left and two strands on
the right.
9. 8ow take the strand from the far outside left, and put it over the two
strands over it, so it is in the centre. %hen squidge it up a bit to meet the
other two as per this picture below. 8ow there are three strands on the right
and two strands on the left.
:. ;eep doing this until you come to the end of the strands. -s the dough will
e5pand a little when it is left to rise, the strands need to be quite loosely
folded together to give them room to grow.
<. %hen when it comes to the end, which looks a bit messy, (ust tuck the
messy bits underneath 2no one will ever know3 and lift the bread on to a
baking tray. =over it loosely with some oiled cling flm and leave it for about
, minutes in a warm kitchen.
>.%he loaf will become pillowy and soft and will have grown almost twice in
si/e. Sprinkle with some &our and the remaining bran for that artisan bakery
look and bake.
1. -nd the fnished loaf?
@ecipeA 'ive braid loaf.
,g strong white &our
1"g strong wholemeal &our
2both bread &our3
2 tsp salt 2not sea salt3
15 :g packet of fast action dried yeast
2"!,ml water
%o start, 7reheat the oven to 2Bc.
7ut the white &our in a bowl and sift the wholemeal &our in to the bowl. 7ut
two thirds of the bran left in the sieve back in the bowl with the &our, saving
the remaining third.
-dd the salt and the yeast. %he right amount of salt in the bread is the
di.erence between a good tasting loaf and a bad one, so this part is really
important.
7our in the water and mi5 together the dough with a wooden spoon. -im for a
really light springy dough, the wetter the better. -lthough its not as easy to
handle, the resulting loaf will have a better te5ture if you can put the whole
,ml of water in. %hen get your hands in and bring the dough together.
%o knead the dough, roll it around and squash it down for 1 minutes.
*easure the time on the clock, as then it will be perfectly kneaded. If using a
mi5er, ft the machine with the dough hook and mi5 it for " minutes on a
medium speed.
#nce the dough is well kneaded, divide it into " equal portions. 'or optimum
results, weigh the whole dough then divide it by ". @oll each ball into a long
sausage about ,cm long. If the sausages keep springing back, leave them
covered with a tea towel for " minutes to allow the gluten in the bread to
rela5 a little.
%he easiest thing from here is to scroll up to the pictures and follow the recipe
that way. I fnd it much easier to follow instructions when there are pictures
attached. 'or the braiding follow steps 6!<. #nce the bread is braided leave it
to rise in a warm kitchen covered loosely with cling flm for around ,
minutes, until it has almost doubled in si/e and is soft and pillowy.
%he best way to test if it has risen enough is to put some &our on your fnger,
then prod the side of the bread gently making a small dent. %he dent should
spring back ! not all the way, but about half the way. Chen this happens the
bread is ready to bake.
Sprinkle on a bit of &our and the remaining bran and cook for around
6minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and is hollow when tapped
underneath.
- stunning looking loaf?