Large White Bloomer

Hello and thank you for stopping by. I’m so excited to share my recipe for a Large White Bloomer bread today. Because, this bread is easy to make and even easier to eat!

I was inspired to make this Large White Bloomer by a loaf I saw on Twitter. Ooh it looked good and I knew I had to try and make my own loaf. And I am so glad that I did. Because now I get to share the recipe with you.

You may wonder why you should make your own bread? Since most supermarkets sell freshly baked bread and most high streets still have a bakery. Yet, I can honestly say that nothing beats the taste and smell of fresh, homemade bread. Also, you know exactly what has gone into your loaf. Have you looked at the ingredient list on plastic wrapped bread lately? Even supermarket bakery bread contains flavour enhancers, flour improvers and all manner of other additives that aren’t present in a home baked loaf.

While you may not bothered by the additives in shop bought bread, what about the cost? My Large White Bloomer is made with organic, stone ground flour and costs no more than £1.00 to make! Have I got your attention now?

 

 

A Tasty And Cost Effective Bake

Since we are a family of five we eat a lot of bread. So, it is simply too cost effective for me NOT to make our own bread. No we don’t eat all organic food. And yes, I do occaisionally buy bread. Although, everytime I do it reminds me why I bake my own. It takes very little time, especially if you use a bread maker or stand mixer to do the kneading/mixing part for you. Even if you knead by hand, double up on this recipe, pop one loaf in the freezer and timewise you’re quids in.

Have I convinced you? What I love about this Large White Bloomer is, the only piece of baking equipment you need is a baking tray. Also you will be able to make and bake my Seeded Cob Loaf.

Recipe : Makes 1 Large White Bloomer

400ml/14 fl oz Warm Water – body temp.

10g/3tsp/1.5 Sachet Dried Easy Bake Yeast – I use Allinson

2tsp Honey

675g/1.5lb Strong Plain White Flour, plus extra for dusting and rolling

10g/1.5tsp Salt – I use Maldon

25g/1oz Unsalted Butter – alternatively use 1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil (Canola Oil)

Method :

Note : if making by hand, knead the dough for 10-15 minutes before proving. The dough will be sticky to start but continue kneading and it will transform into a soft, pliable dough.

The ‘bowl’ refers to a large bowl for hand mixing, a stand mixer bowl, or a bread maker pan.

Making The Dough

Place the water into a bowl. Add the yeast and honey. Use your clean fingers to swish and mix everything together.

Add the flour. On top add the salt and butter.

In all methods stir the ingredients with the end of a wooden spoon 10 times.

Set your bread maker to dough cycle and start. When the dough cycle is complete, restart the mixing cycle on your bread maker. Allow to mix and knock back your dough for 5 minutes. Follow instructions with the photographs.

Attach a dough hook to a stand mixer. Mix on low – medium speed for 15 minutes. Stop the mixer, clean the dough off of the hook, form into a ball, place back into the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave in a draught free place until doubled in size.

If mixing by hand bring all the ingredients together using one hand and proceed as above for kneading. Form the dough into a ball, place into a bowl and proceed as for stand mixer.

Shaping The Large White Bloomer

For stand mixer or hand mixed dough, once the dough is doubled in size, punch down into the bowl to knock back the dough. Hand knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 – 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth.

Whichever method you use, as soon as the dough has been knocked back and mixed or kneaded, place on a lightly floured surface.

Proving The Shaped Loaf

I actually used the excess flour from the worktop to dust my loaf with. Because waste not want not!

Cover the loaf with a clean , dry cloth and leave again in a draught free place until doubled in size, mine took 45 minutes on a warm day, don’t worry if it takes longer. Because, the longer bread takes to rise (prove) the deeper the flavour.

15 minutes before your loaf is ready to bake, place a tray/grill pan in the bottom of the oven and fill with water. Preheat your oven to its hottest – 230C/210C fan, gas mark 8, 450F. 

When your loaf is doubled in size remove the towel.

 

Baking The Bread

Place your loaf in the middle of the preheated, steamy oven. Immediately turn the heat down to 220C/200C fan oven, gas mark 7, 425F and bake for 20 – 30 minutes depending on how dark you like your crust. My loaf was baked for 25 minutes.

When golden and crusty remove your Large White Bloomer from the oven.

Taking care, as the bread is extremely hot, turn it over and rap your knuckle against the base. The bread is baked if you hear a hollow sound.

 

Cooling The Bread – An Important Step

Transfer your bread to a cooling rack. Doing so will avoid it getting a soggy bottom. Breathe in deeply. And remember the smell. Because this is the wonderful smell of homemade bread and can’t buy that!

 

While it may be tempting to slice straight into your loaf, it’s better to leave it to cool completely as it will slice better. If you can’t resist tearing a chunk off go ahead. Also it may be a good idea to bake another loaf, as warm bread is addictive and easily snaffled!

 

For a healthier, lighter wholemeal bloomer use the following quantities:

• 275g Strong Wholemeal Flour
• 400g Strong White Flour

Make as per the instructions given above. To create the diamond effect score diagonally left to right and then repeat scoring from right to left. The bread may need 5-10 minutes longer baking time. The bread is baked when rapped on the base and sounds hollow.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for a Large White Bloomer you may also like these:

Farmhouse White Loaf

Crunchy Seeded Bread 

Oat Bran White Bread

 

When I make bread for people as a gift (and I use the word make in it’s loosest term as my bread maker does the hard stuff) it always receives a rapturous welcome. And out of everything I bake it is probably the MOST appreciated.

If you make this loaf I’d love to see it. Find me on Twitter @sammiefeasting.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Extra Bread Shaping Tips

To make a longer, more uniform bloomer loaf, follow these steps.

Following the last fold of the dough, turn it over and roll the dough using both hands, while gently encouraging the dough to lengthen. Doing so will even out the dough, resulting in a longer, more uniform shape.

Place the dough onto a greased baking tray and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to prove for 30 minutes, dust lightly with flour and then score across the dough five times.

Leave the dough to prove for a further 15 minutes and then bake in a preheated oven as given in the recipe.

Also, scoring the dough allows the bread to expand while baking. Not scoring the dough is likely to cause the bread to burst at its weakest point while baking, creating an irregular shaped loaf.