recipes

Date and Fig Bread

Date and Fig Bread

This is a moist, chewy bread packed with goodness. For me it’s a breakfast bread, but it would be equally at home on a cheeseboard.
Portions:2 small loaves
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Ingredients

  • 400 g wholemeal flour
  • 100 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 10 g salt
  • 20 g yeast
  • 50 g butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon treacle
  • 300 ml water
  • 75 g dried figs chopped
  • 75 g dates chopped

Instructions

  • Put the flours, salt, yeast, butter, treacle and water into a bowl and mix for 5 minutes.
  • Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, then put the dough back in the bowl and leave for 1 hour to rise.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Incorporate the figs and dates into the dough, then divide it into two pieces.
  • Shape the pieces into balls, place on the baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
  • Dust the loaves with flour and, using a knife, make three equidistant horizontal cuts all around each ball.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread
Cuisine India

Curried Naan Bread

Curried Naan Bread

I was asked by a chef to come up with a naan to go with his extensive buffet.
I love curries so this was the obvious recipe.
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Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for frying
  • 50 g mild curry powder
  • 15 g yeast
  • 300 ml water
  • 100 gsultanas
  • 3 tablespoons mango chutney

Instructions

  • Put the flour, salt, oil, curry powder, yeast and water into a bowl and mix together for 2 minutes.
  • Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable.
  • Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Incorporate the sultanas and chutney into the dough.
  • Divide the dough into six pieces, put on the baking tray and leave to rest for 1 hour.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a circle, 25.
  • 5 cm/10 inches in diameter, put back on the tray and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil.
  • Shallow-fry each dough until browned on both sides, then set aside to cool slightly before serving.
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Course Bread
Cuisine India

Stilton and Bacon Bread

Stilton and Bacon Bread

This multi-flavoured and coloured bread is ideal for indecisive families – there are rolls of four flavours in each loaf. It’s great for dinner parties, too. The dough can be frozen when made, if not using immediately, and then defrosted overnight before baking.
Portions:2 loaves
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Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 500 ml water
  • 20 g yeast
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 75 g Stilton cheese crumbled
  • 125 g bacon chopped and fried

Instructions

  • Put 125 g/4 oz of the flour, 120 ml/ 4 fl oz of the water and 15 g/1⁄2 oz of the yeast into a bowl and mix together by hand, then whisk with a hand whisk for 5 minutes.
  • Leave to rise in a warm place overnight.
  • The dough will now smell fermented, rather like beer.
  • Add the remaining flour, water and yeast and the salt and knead well for 5 minutes, then leave to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two pieces.
  • Add half the Stilton and half the bacon into each piece, then shape them into two rounds, put on the baking tray and leave to prove for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Dust the loaves with flour and bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread / Pork

Guinness and Treacle Bread

Guinness and Treacle Bread

This bread is an old favourite of mine, originally created for the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Dorchester. Serve as a sandwich, piled high with crisp green salad, roasted red and yellow peppers and slivers of mustard-roasted beef. You need to start this the day before.
Portions:2 loaves
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Ingredients

  • 350 g wholemeal flour plus extra for dusting
  • 150 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 10 g salt
  • 20 g yeast
  • 20 tablespoons treacle
  • 150 ml Guinness
  • 120 ml oz water

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together for a few minutes.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, then put the dough back in the bowl and leave to rest for 1 hour.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Tip the dough out onto your floured surface and shape into a ball, then flatten and roll up.
  • Put the dough on the baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Cut several slashes across the bread and dust with wholemeal flour.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread

Beer Bread

Beer Bread

Another hearty loaf, with a little extra iron (i.e. Guinness). Eat yourself fit!
Portions:1 loaf
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Ingredients

  • 250 g wholemeal flour
  • 250 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 10 g salt
  • 20 g yeast
  • 30 g butter softened
  • 300 mlgood beer

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until all the flour has been picked up.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and creamy.
  • Put the dough back into the bowl to rest for 1 hour.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Tip the dough out onto your floured surface and shape into a ball, then flatten out with your hands and cut diagonal lines across the top.
  • Put the dough on the baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the loaf for 30 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread

Cheese and Onion Soda Bread

Cheese and Onion Soda Bread

Not that I drink a lot of beer (I prefer lager), but this bread is delicious!
Serve with a good mature Cheddar cheese.
Portions:2 loaves
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Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 300 ml buttermilk
  • 75 gbutter softened
  • 20 g baking powder
  • 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 75 g Cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Put all the ingredients except the onion and cheese in a food mixer and, using a paddle blade and medium speed, blend together for 2 minutes.
  • Alternatively, put into a bowl and mix well by hand for 5 minutes.
  • Add the onion and cheese and incorporate, either by hand or in the mixer (don’t overmix), into the dough.
  • Divide the dough into two pieces and tip out onto a lightly floured surface.
  • Shape each piece into a ball, then flatten each with your hand so they are approximately 5 cm/2 inches thick.
  • Cut a deep cross into each, dust with a little flour and put on the baking tray.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then serve warm.
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Course Bread

Wholemeal Soda Bread

Wholemeal Soda Bread

A nice twist on the traditional bread, and tastes fantastic!
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Ingredients

  • 250 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 250 g wholemeal flour
  • 20 g baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 75 g butter softened
  • 270 ml milk
  • 30 ml buttermilk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and work together to form a soft dough.
  • Shape into a ball and flatten slightly and cut a cross into the top, then dust the top with a little flour.
  • Put onto the baking tray and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Variation:
This bread can be made with 100 per cent white flour – just replace the wholemeal flour with 250 g/9 oz of white flour. Proceed as above.
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Course Bread
Cuisine European / Ireland

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

I first ate this bread, baked for me by monks, while staying in Roscrea Monastery in Ireland.
Portions:2 loaves
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Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 20 g baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 75 g butter softened
  • 200 ml buttermilk
  • 150 ml milk

Instructions

  • Put the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and work in the butter.
  • Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Combine the mixture with your hands to make a dough, then divide the dough into two and shape into balls.
  • Flatten the balls out and cut crosses in the top of each, then put on the baking tray and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Dust the dough lightly with flour and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread
Cuisine European / Ireland

Dark Rye Bread

Dark Rye Bread

I’ve tweaked this recipe over the years and am finally proud of it. It’s gorgeous served fresh from the oven with lots of butter.
Portions:2 small loaves
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Ingredients

  • 350 g dark rye flour plus extra for dusting
  • 150 g wholemeal flour
  • 1 1 ⁄2 teaspoons salt
  • 20 g yeast
  • 4 tablespoons malt extract
  • 2 tablespoons treacle
  • 385 ml water
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

Instructions

  • Put 175g/6oz of rye flour and 75g/3 oz of wholemeal flour into a bowl, then stir in the salt, yeast, malt extract and treacle and 150 ml/1⁄4 pint of the water.
  • Mix well for 5 minutes, then leave in the bowl to rise for 5 hours.
  • Line a baking tray.
  • Add the remaining flours and water and the cumin seeds to the dough and mix well.
  • Tip out onto a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into two and shape each into an oblong sausage.
  • Coat each sausage with rye flour, place each in a rye basket and leave to rise for 2–3 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
  • Tip each loaf out onto the baking tray and bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread

Milk Loaf

Milk Loaf

This earthy, hearty, full-flavoured loaf is from Eastern Europe. It will take up to 30 per cent more water than most bread doughs. The recipe uses rye baskets – they can be bought in basketware shops or ordered through the Internet.
Portions:2 450 g
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Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 60 g butter softened
  • 25 g yeast
  • 300 ml milk

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients into a large bowl.
  • Using a mixer, begin blending slowly, then speed up as you start to pick up all the flour.
  • Alternatively, mix by hand.
  • Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
  • Put the dough back in the bowl and leave to rise until doubled in size.
  • Tip the dough out onto your floured surface and divide into two pieces.
  • Shape each piece roughly into a sausage shape and place crease-side down into two 450 g/ 1 lb loaf tins.
  • Leave to rise for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Bake the loaves for 25–30 minutes until golden brown, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
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Course Bread