A Year in Bread - Plain White Loaf

This is my first recipe for bread of the year. It is for a very straightforward, 'never fail' loaf.

1 kg Strong White Flour
600 gms water (it doesn't have to be warm)
15 gms salt
15 gms fresh yeast
15 gms butter (cut into tiny pieces)

Put all the flour into a large bowl. Crumble in the yeast (if it is fresh it will crumble). Add in the butter and the water and begin to mix the dough.

The start. Mixing the ingredients

I use one hand like a claw to start with until it all starts to come together. At this point add the salt and continue mixing until it form a sticky dough, it should leave the bowl almost completely clean. Your hands will get covered in sticky dough, this may feel a bit weird at first but you will get used to it.
Place the dough on a flat surface and begin to knead. There is no need to flour the surface. This is a very personal process.

Ready for kneading.

For a 60% hydration loaf (the ratio of water to flour) like this I find that a pushing away from you with the heal of the hand whilst holding the edge closest to you work well. Then I pull the dough back slightly rolling it back on itself. I then turn the dough through 90 degrees and start again.
Kneading should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on how hard and fast the dough is worked. It will feel light and smooth and will return to its original shape if a finger is gently poked into it.
I tend to use an earthenware bowl for bread making (Mason Cash no 9) and I now clean out any of the original mix using very hot water and I allow the bowl to get warm. The bowl should now be dried carefully and the tiniest pinch of flour thrown in. I then place the dough in the bowl and cover it tight with cling film.

Time for patience.

This is then placed in a draft free place at a constant room temperature for an hour.
The dough should have doubled in size and now it must be 'knocked back' (a term I hate).

Fully risen dough.

Simply take the dough out of the bowl and reshape it back to a much smaller ball forcing some of the carbon dioxide out.

Bubbles before "knock back"

Place the dough back in the bowl and cover again for another hour.
After the dough has risen for the second time take it out of the bowl and divide it into two equal parts, shape these into the particular style of loaf desired place these on a floured baking sheet and leave alone for 20 to 30 minutes. Turn the oven on to 250 degrees and place a roasting dish at the bottom of the oven.

Final prove 

When the loaves have risen for the final time dust them with flour and cut them to enable the to rise in the oven without bursting out of the side! Do not use anything blunt for this; A scalpel or razor blade works well for this.

Cut loaves, ready for the oven

Slide the loaves into the oven and add about 150ml of boiling water to the roasting dish. Allow the loaves to bake without disturbing them too much. Take a look once and turn them if you know your oven has a hot spot. The loaves are done when you turn one over, tap it and it sounds hollow. (Be careful doing this they will be hot!
Take them out when "hollow" and the crusts looks right for you, some like it darker than others!
If you can bear it, let them cool a bit before tucking in.

Loaves ready for butter.