Milk-enriched White Bread

Directions

1. 1
   Boil the milk, then tip into a bowl, stir in the sugar, add the cold water and leave to cool.
2. 2
   If you're using dried yeast, not fast-action yeast, you'll need to hydrate for 15 minutes before adding to the milk.
3. 3
   While the milk is cooling, mix together the flour and salt.
4. 4
   When the milk is tepid, don't rush this - if it's too hot it will kill the yeast, beat in the yeast and leave for five minutes to dissolve.
5. 5
   Add the flour and melted butter to the milk and yeast mixture and mix together.
6. 6
   When you have a rough but mixed dough, cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes.
7. 7
   Oil your work surface then tip the dough out.
8. 8
   Use your hands to knead gently until it holds together, it will be sticky and messy but as you work it will become smoother.
9. 9
   Oil the bowl and then return the dough to it, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
10. 10
    This time stretch and fold the dough by pulling it into a long shape, folding the top half over and then the bottom half.
11. 11
    Turn the dough round by a quarter and then repeat the pulling and stretching and folding two or three more times.
12. 12
    Use your fingers to push out the dough if you need to.
13. 13
    Replace in the bowl, cover and leave for another 10 minutes, then repeat the stretching and folding.
14. 14
    After the third time, leave the dough to rise for an hour or two if your kitchen is cool, until the dough has grown by a half.
15. 15
    Tip the dough out and push to a rectangle shape, then roll it tightly or push it into the shape you want to bake it in.
16. 16
    I used a straight sided bread tin.
17. 17
    This needs to be buttered and floured.
18. 18
    Leave to proof in the tin or on an oiled baking sheet for about 30-45 minutes until it has risen by half again.
19. 19
    Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
20. 20
    If you push your finger in the dough and the dent stays it's over-prooved.
21. 21
    Flour the top of the loaf and cut slashes with a sharp knife.
22. 22
    Bake for around 40-50 minutes, until golden on the top and the bottom.
23. 23
    Cool on a wire tray.