Easy Basic Bread Recipe for the Bread-maker

Here's my basic bread recipe which I adapt as needed (try making it with kids - it's better than playdough!). You can use this recipe to make mini pizzas, garlic dough balls or flat breads.

Makes 1 loaf, 8-10 rolls/mini pizzas, 16-20 dough balls or 2 pizza bases.

• 1 cup water/milk (or 1 egg made up to 1 cup with water/milk)
• 3 cups strong bread flour (any combination of white/granary/wholemeal)
• 1 tbsp olive/vegetable oil/butter
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast or 10g fresh yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Flavourings (optional see below*)

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl (or bread maker) add the wet ingredients and flavourings.

Mix well until you have a smooth dough (on dough setting in bread maker).

Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.

Cover the bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes.

Place the dough into a greased loaf tin, or shape into a ball, flatten and place on a greased baking tray (or follow alternative ideas below**).

Allow to rise for a further 30 minutes.

Bake at 200C/Gas 6 for around 20 minutes - or until well-risen and golden.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Bread-maker version: Place all of the ingredients in the bread-maker and set to a medium, basic white loaf setting. If making rolls or pizza bases, use the dough setting.

*Flavourings -
Any combination of : 2-4 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes/anti pasti/stoned olives, 1 tsp dried herbs/1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, ½ cup grated hard cheese with 1 tsp dried paprika/mustard powder, ½ cup chopped nuts/sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds, ½ cup chopped dried fruit, ½ cup chocolate chunks/chips, 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

**Alternatives:

• For bread rolls - Divide into 8-10 pieces. Place on a greased baking sheet and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
• For pizza bases (or mini pizzas) - Divide into 2 (or 8-10 mini) pieces. Flatten into circles on greased baking sheets. Spread with tomato puree and sprinkle with dried herbs. Add toppings (peppers, mushrooms, onion, olives, sweetcorn, pineapple, cheese etc) and bake for 10-15 minutes.
• For garlic flat bread (or dough balls) - Divide into 4 and flatten on a greased baking sheet (or make 16-20 balls) . Make garlic butter using 50g/2oz softened butter/dairy-free spread mixed with 1 crushed clove of garlic and some chopped parsley. Spread garlic butter over unbaked dough and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Suitable for freezing.

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