Instructions: This recipe makes 1 large plaited loaf, 4 1/2 pound loaves, 2 1 pound loaves or 24 small rolls. The bread is very light and delicate and makes excellent toast when a day or so old.

Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and dried yeast in a large bowl.

Put one whole egg and one white in a measuring jug and reserve a yolk until later. Add the oil to the jug and beat well. Make up to 15 fluid ounces with hand-hot milk (you will need about 10 fl oz milk but this depends on the size of your eggs) stirring as the milk is added.

Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and mix, first with a fork and later with your hands until the dough begins to cohere and leave the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and scrape the bowl clean.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic sprinkling on a LITTLE flour if the dough proves impossibly sticky.

Put the dough back into the bowl which you have lightly oiled, cover tightly with foil, cling film or a well fitting lid and leave in a warm place until at least doubled in size (1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours).

Turn out and knead again until elastic.

Shape into loaves or rolls, cover with plastic film or a large plastic bag and leave to rise 1 hour.

Take the reserved egg yolk, beat with a teaspoon of cold water and brush this mixture over the tops of the risen bread. Do this with a light hand to avoid deflating the loaves.

If liked sprinkle the bread with sesame, poppy or caraway seeds or coarse salt.

Bake in a preheated oven 220C for 15 minutes by which time rolls should be cooked. If baking loaves turn the heat down to 190C and bake for another 20 minutes for 1/2 pound loaves, 25 minutes for 1 pound loaves or 30 minutes for a large plait.

All baking times are approximate and the loaves are cooked when they sound hollow if tapped on the underside.

The mixing of the dough can equally well be done in a kitchen mixer.

John Wright - Yorkshire, England

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