White Cob Loaf

Best for dipping, eating warm, recipes that call for "crusty bread"

Rise time: 2 hours, divided
Bake time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 500g bread or all-purpose flour
• 10g salt
• 10g active dry yeast
• 30g unsalted butter, softened
• 320ml cool water (about 15-20° celsius -- basically room temp)
• olive oil for kneading

Instructions

1. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add salt to one side of the bowl and yeast to the other. Add the butter and three-quarters of the water, and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the remaining water, a little at a time, until you've picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more -- you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
2. Coat the work surface with a little olive oil, then tip the dough onto it and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size -- at least 1 hour, but it's fine to leave it for 2 or even 3 hours. [1]
3. Line a baking tray with baking parchment or silicone paper.
4. Once risen, the dough should be bouncy and shiny. Scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. First shape into a ball by folding it inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out and the dough is smooth. Then form it into a smooth, round cob shape.
5. Put the dough on the baking tray and place in a clean plastic bag [2]. Leave to prove for about 1 hour, until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 230°C (about 450°F) and put a roasting tray [3] in the bottom to heat up.
6. Dust the dough with some flour, then slash deeply with a knife. Fill the hot roasting tray in the oven with hot water: this will create steam and give your bread a lighter crust. Put your bread into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until it is cooked through and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

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[1] Leave it somewhere warm and dark. I like to put it in the (turned-off) oven.
[2] this is British for "cover to let rise" (aka "prove"). I guess plastic proofing bags are a thing there? Anyway, I use a tea towel and put it in the turned-off oven (the same thing as step 2). Alternatively you can put it in the fridge overnight, which is really useful if you want fresh bread in the morning.
[3] make sure the roasting tray is metal. Glass ... does not work so well. Trust me on this.

Posted by Piera

Original recipe: How to Bake by Paul Hollywood of the Great British Bake Off. I copied the recipe without any modifications, for the British charm. Click the "Read More" link for a photo of the original.