Instructions: Homemade bread is easy to make impressive and versatile. It doesnt matter if you make it regularly or only for special occasions its your bread and it has its own character. Once youve made one of these breads I know youll try more and then youll really have cracked it!

This is such a good recipe. One basic set of ingredients split up into stages so that you can use any of the variations at the correct stage.

30g/Ioz fresh yeast or 21 9/3/aoz dried yeast (3 x 7g sachets) 30g/loz honey (or sugar) 625m!/just over 1 pint tepid water 500g/just over 1lb strong flour 500g/just over 1lb semolina flour (if you cant get hold of any semolina flour then plain flour will do) 30g/loz salt some extra flour and semolina for dusting

Stage

1. Dissolve the yeast and honey (or sugar) in half the tepid water.

Stage

2. On your largest available clean surface (even a big bowl will do if surfaces are limited) make a pile of the flour semolina flour and salt. With one hand make a well in the centre. (If possible it is preferable to warm the flour and semolina flour.)

Stage

3. Pour all the dissolved yeast mixture into the centre and with four fingers of one hand make circular movements from the centre working outwards slowly bringing in the dry ingredients until all the yeast mixture is soaked up. Then pour the other half of the tepid water into the centre and gradually incorporate all the flour to make a moist dough. (Certain flours may need a little more water so dont be afraid to adjust the quantities.)

Stage

4. Kneading! This is the best bit just rolling pushing and folding the dough over and over for 5 minutes. This develops the structure of the dough and the gluten. If any of the dough sticks to your hands just rub them together with a little extra flour.

You can do Stages 2 3 and 4 in a food mixer if you like using the dough hook attachment.

Stage

5. Flour both your hands now and lightly flour the top of the dough. Make it into a roundish shape and place on a baking tray. Score the dough with a knife this allows it to relax and prove more quickly.

Stage

6. Leave the bread to prove for the first time. Basically we want it to double in size. This is probably the best time to preheat the oven (see oven temperatures for each bread variation). You want a warm moist draughtfree place for the quickest prove for example near the cooker in the airing cup board in the plate warmer of a cooker or just in a warm room and you can cover it with clingfilm if you want to speed it up. This proving process matures the flour flavour and should take approximately 40 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the conditions.

Lets just talk about proving so you know whats going on. The yeast is now feeding on the honey or sugar in the warmth of the tepid water. In theory the three things that a(( bacteria need to grow are heat moisture and food. Any excess of these three things will kill the yeast (as well as salt which we have used to season the bread its not half so nice without it but it does stow down the proving to some extent).

Stage 7. Right its double the size and time to knock it back. Knead and punch the dough knocking all the air out of it for about a minute.

Stage

8. Shape the dough into whatever shape you want round flat filled or whatever (see the variations to follow) and leave to prove a second time in a warm place until the dough is double its size. The important thing is not to lose your confidence now; if you dont think its proved enough leave it a bit longer and check the warmth or for any draughts.

Stage

9. Now its time to cook your loaf. After all your hard work dont spoil your efforts. You want to keep the air inside the loaf so dont knock it put it very gently into the oven and dont slam the door. Bake according to the recipe time and temperature given in the variations which follow or until its cooked. You can tell if its cooked by tapping its bottom (if its in a tin youll have to take ft out) if it sounds hollow its cooked if it doesnt then pop it back in for a little Longer.

Stage

10. Place the bread on a rack to cool for cooking time see each recipe variation. Youre going to love this bread!

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.