Named Bread
A very ancient bread. Milk has been used in bread for at least 1,500 years and it gives a characteristic flavour and a fairly tight texture.
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 50 g salt
- 5 g yeast
- 30 ml olive oil
- 270 ml water
- 1 egg beaten, for eggwash
- wood varnish to glaze
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well by rubbing in.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 minutes, then put the dough back in the bowl to rest for 1 hour.
- Line several baking trays.
- Divide the dough into however many letters you require, e.g.
- Paul needs 4, so cut 4 x 100 pieces of dough, and shape the dough into the required letters.
- Put the letters on the baking tray so they are just touching, and leave to rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
- Brush the letters liberally with eggwash, put in the oven and bake for 30–40 minutes until they are a strong dark brown.
- Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
- The following day, coat the names with wood varnish to preserve them.
