Have you jumped on the bake-your-own bandwagon? If there’s anything regular pandemic lockdowns have taught us, it’s that taking the time to bake your own bread is not only a satisfying and pleasurable time-filler, but also often a better, tastier and healthier option than buying processed loaves from the supermarket.
So if you’re running low on your sandwich stash and want to avoid a shopping trip, give this quick-knead recipe from our CHOICE kitchen experts a go. It’s so simple to make and there’s no breadmaker required: you can do it all in your trusty cast-iron pot (also known as dutch oven). You just need to prepare it a day in advance.
“Dutch ovens are great conductors of heat, so if you bake bread using this method it will cook very evenly,” says CHOICE’s kitchen expert Fiona Mair.
“Baking with the lid on for the first stage traps steam inside the dutch oven, which is what you need to get that initial rise. It also gives a nice shape and structure to your finished loaf.”
How your dough should look after step one. If yours looks a little dry, add some extra water, one tablespoon at a time.
Recipe for quick-knead bread
Ingredients
4 cups plain flour
1 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
450ml warm water
1 tbsp white vinegar
Method
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients using a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles a stodgy, sticky dough.
Cover and let the dough stand overnight, or for approximately 8 hours. You may like to prepare the dough in the afternoon and leave overnight so it’s ready to bake in the morning. After resting, your dough will be bubbly and sticky.
Place dough onto a well-floured surface and knead for 4 minutes, adding flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
Shape your dough by folding the edges into the centre, then turning it upside down and tucking in the sides to form a ball.
Line base and sides of a 4L or 5L dutch oven with greaseproof paper and gently place the dough in the centre.
I came to CHOICE in March 2019 after working as an editor on many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
As CHOICE's audience and engagement editor, my job is to bring the unique stories, surprising facts and the personalities behind CHOICE's data and research to our readers.
I spend a lot of my time in our labs and offices speaking to our testers and experts to find those gems of information that resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions.
You can find me on LinkedIn.
I came to CHOICE in March 2019 after working as an editor on many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
As CHOICE's audience and engagement editor, my job is to bring the unique stories, surprising facts and the personalities behind CHOICE's data and research to our readers.
I spend a lot of my time in our labs and offices speaking to our testers and experts to find those gems of information that resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions.
You can find me on LinkedIn.
I'm a home economist and test coordinator at CHOICE. I work in the kitchen lab, testing and comparing kitchen appliances. I am also involved in Test Research, helping manufacturers with product development for kitchen appliances such as microwaves, ovens and cooktops.
I help conduct food taste tests and have been on the judging panel for a number of taste tests such as hummus, strawberry jam and pesto, and coffee when we test coffee machines. I also write recipes for our members on some of the food products that we test so they have the option of making the product themselves (like corned beef, baked beans and mulled wine). I have just been accepted as an associate judge for the Royal Agricultural Society and hope to be participating in the Sydney Royal Fine Food show this year.
I started working at CHOICE in 1997 and previously worked as a dietary supervisor at a children's hospital. I have a degree in home economics and dietary supervision.
I've been at CHOICE for over 20 years and have cooked over 8000 scones, 4000 chickens, 3000 sausages, 1000 meringues and 500 pizzas, to test over 3000 appliances!
I want to help consumers save time and money in the kitchen, reduce waste and landfill, and enjoy eating foods that they've prepared from scratch.
Read more about my day-to-day life at CHOICE (and pick up a few kitchen lab secrets along the way).
You can find me on LinkedIn.
I'm a home economist and test coordinator at CHOICE. I work in the kitchen lab, testing and comparing kitchen appliances. I am also involved in Test Research, helping manufacturers with product development for kitchen appliances such as microwaves, ovens and cooktops.
I help conduct food taste tests and have been on the judging panel for a number of taste tests such as hummus, strawberry jam and pesto, and coffee when we test coffee machines. I also write recipes for our members on some of the food products that we test so they have the option of making the product themselves (like corned beef, baked beans and mulled wine). I have just been accepted as an associate judge for the Royal Agricultural Society and hope to be participating in the Sydney Royal Fine Food show this year.
I started working at CHOICE in 1997 and previously worked as a dietary supervisor at a children's hospital. I have a degree in home economics and dietary supervision.
I've been at CHOICE for over 20 years and have cooked over 8000 scones, 4000 chickens, 3000 sausages, 1000 meringues and 500 pizzas, to test over 3000 appliances!
I want to help consumers save time and money in the kitchen, reduce waste and landfill, and enjoy eating foods that they've prepared from scratch.
Read more about my day-to-day life at CHOICE (and pick up a few kitchen lab secrets along the way).
You can find me on LinkedIn.
