THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION
BREAD-MAKING TIPS
• A wet dough is best when making bread, so we’ve included plenty of liquid in these recipes. If you’re kneading by hand, we recommend you add threequarters of the liquid, then see if it needs the rest (some flours take more liquid than others). If the dough really is too wet to knead, add an extra handful of flour.
• A plastic dough scraper is useful when hand-kneading wet, sticky dough – find them in all good cookshops or on Amazon.
• Find a step-by-step guide to making brioche (and most wet doughs) by hand, as well as some more expert bread tips, in This Month In Our Test Kitchen.
MAKE AHEAD
For all these recipes, you can leave the dough to rise overnight in the fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before shaping and proving. You can also freeze dough after kneading: freeze in an airtight freezer bag, easing out as much of the air as you can before sealing. Defrost completely, then let the dough puff up again before shaping and proving. After overnight rising or freezing, it may take a bit longer than usual to prove.
Herby breadsticks
MAKES 20. HANDS-ON TIME 35 MIN, OVEN TIME 14-16 MIN, PLUS RISING & PROVING
• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
• Fine polenta for dusting
• Sea salt flakes to scatter
SO MUCH BETTER THAN CRACKERS Herb and sea salt breadsticks
1 Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl, stir in the oil and water, then bring together into a dough, first with a palette knife, then your hands. Tip the dough onto a lightly flour-dusted surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic (or knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 8 minutes).
2 Knead the herbs into the dough, then put in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3 Knock the dough back in the bowl to distribute the air, then turn out onto a surface dusted with polenta and roll out into a rectangle about 30cm x 45cm. Halve the rectangle widthways using a sharp knife, then cut into strips, around 30cm x 2cm wide. Roll into stick shapes, then put on 2 baking sheets, scattered with more polenta. Leave somewhere warm to puff up/prove for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
4 Brush breadsticks with oil and scatter with sea salt. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Serve cool or warm with dips or cheese.
PER BREADSTICK 117kcals, 2.6g fat (0.4g saturated), 3.3g protein, 19.7g carbs (0.4g sugars), 0.6g salt, 1g fibre
Breakfast brioche
SERVES 10-12. HANDS-ON TIME 1 HOUR, OVEN TIME 50 MIN, PLUS RISING & PROVING
• 5g fast-action dried yeast
• 10g caster sugar, plus a sprinkle
• 300g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 level tsp salt
• 45ml warm milk, plus extra to brush
• 3 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 200g unsalted butter, very soft, cubed, plus 50g melted and extra to grease
• Sea salt flakes to scatter