Ingredients

  • 500 g Neill's Strong White Bread Flour
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 7 g sachet of dried fast action yeast
  • 300 ml slightly warmed milk
  • 30 g butter

Method

  1. Put the flour and the salt in a bowl and rub in the butter.
  2. Stir in the yeast and the milk to get a soft dough.
  3. Turn on to a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Put in a clean bowl and cover with cling film. Stand in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.
  4. Heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7 and put a roasting tin in the bottom to heat up.
  5. Turn the dough out onto the floured work surface again and mould into a round cob shape, slash the top with a knife.
  6. Fill the roasting tin in the bottom of the oven with hot water: this will create steam and give the crust a light but crisp finish.
  7. Bake the bread in the centre of the oven until golden and risen, about 30-40 minutes. The base of the loaf should sound hollow when you tap it. Turn on to a wire rack to cool.