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Basic White Loaf recipe

This recipe is designed for absolute beginners. Take your time and follow each step. You don’t need a mixer—just your hands and a bowl.
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Equipment

  • baking bowl
  • linen cloth or tea towel to cover
  • loaf tin
  • lame/sharp knife or blade
  • cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 2 tsp fine salt
  • 7 g dried yeast one standard sachet
  • 300 ml warm water about body-temperature

Instructions
 

Mix the dry ingredients

  • Place your bowl on weighing scales and use a scoop or serving spoon to measure the flour into the bowl
  • Sprinkle the yeast onto one side of the bowl and the salt on the opposite side

Add water and form a dough

  • Pour in 300 ml warm water. Use your hand or a wooden spoon to mix until the dough comes together.
  • If it’s very dry, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time.
  • Goal: a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Knead (10 minutes)

  • Lightly flour your work surface.
  • Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold back, turn, and repeat.
  • After 8–10 minutes the dough should feel smooth and stretchy.
  • Tip: If it sticks, dust your hands—not the dough—with flour.

First rise (1–2 hours)

  • Place the dough back in the bowl.
  • Cover with a clean cloth
  • Leave somewhere warm until it doubles in size.

Shape the loaf

  • Gently tip the dough onto the surface. Press the air out with your fingertips.
  • Roll or fold it into a tight loaf shape.
  • Place into a greased loaf tin or on a baking tray.

Second rise (30–45 minutes)

  • Cover again and let it rise until puffy and slightly larger.
  • Do not rush this—good rise means soft bread.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 430°F.
  • Just before putting the bread dough in the oven, slash 3 cuts across the top of the dough with a lame or sharp blade
  • Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  • The loaf is done when the top is golden and it sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

Cool

  • Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Cutting too early makes it gummy.

Notes

Temperature matters: Water should feel warm, not hot. Hot water will kill yeast.
Patience: If the dough hasn’t doubled, leave it longer—yeast works at its own pace.
Practice: Every loaf teaches you something. Trust the process.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!