Basic Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

30 g fresh yeast or 21 gms dry yeast (i.e. 3 7 gm sachets or about 7 tsps)
30 gms honey (or sugar)
625 ml just over tepid water
1 kg strong bread flour (I use all purpose flour)
30 gms salt
Some extra flour for dusting

Method:

1. Dissolve the yeast and honey/sugar in half the water
2. On a clean surface or in a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture.
3. Using your fingers, making circular movements, slowly bring in some flour till the yeast mixture is absorbed.
4. Pour the remaining water into the well and slowly incorporate all the flour to make a moist dough. (Some flour may need more water while others less so adjust the quantities accordingly).
5. Knead the dough well to activate the gluten and develop the structure of the dough. Use the extra flour on you hands to stop the dough from sticking.
6. Lightly flour the dough, shape it into a round and place on a baking tray.
7. Deeply score the top of the dough with a knife so that it can relax and prove with ease.
8. Leave it for about an hour or so in a warm draught free place till it doubles in size. (I usually pop it in the oven of the microwave- both switched off of course! Cover it with cling film to speed things up a bit.)
9.  When the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out by punching it and kneading it again for about a minute.
10. Now you can shape it into whatever shape you like - round, flat, stuffed... - and leave it to prove again. This second proving stage is important to give the bread its lovely soft texture.
11. Once it has doubled in size, you can bake your loaf. Be careful not to knock the air out when putting it in the oven, Be gentle while closing the door etc. 
12. Put the loaf into a pre-heated oven (depending on the recipe variations you are following - for the plain loaf, I baked it at 200 for 25-30 mins) 
13. You can tell its cooked by knocking the bottom. If it does not sound hollow pop it back in the oven.
14. Once done, place on a rack to cool... cut slices or chunks.
    
    Enjoy!  

Zopf - Swiss white bread

This is a beautiful white bread that is traditionally made for Sunday breakfast/brunch. I got the recipe from a friends and it is so easy to make and delicious I thought I must share it right away! Thanks Maria for this recipe!

500g white flour 
60 g butter 
7g dry yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsps ) 
300 ml milk (hand warm) 
1 teaspoons salt 
1 teaspoons sugar 
1 egg yolks  

1.Combine flour, salt and sugar.  
2.Add butter and crumble into the flour evenly till it resembles breadcrumbs  
3.Dissolve the yeast in the hand-warm milk stand for about 5 mins or until creamy and foamy Pour into the flour and mixing it all together  
4.Knead the dough forcefully so as to activate the gluten  
5.Once well kneaded, set aside with a lid on the bowl and let it rise to double its size (takes a little over an hour I would say)  
6.Once risen, divide the dough into 3 equal bits and roll each piece into a long cylinder 7.Braid the pieces together and place on a baking sheet.  
8.Cover with a very light damp cloth (optional) and let rise until doubled in size, about 1/2 hour.  
9.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).  
10.In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with a tiny bit of water.Brush risen loaf with the egg yolk and bake for 35 to 45mins or until golden.  
11.To check if the bread is done, grab it with an oven mitt and tap the underneath with a wooden spoon, if it sounds hollow, it done.  

Enjoy with a spread of your choice or dunk it in a stew. I ate mine with some lemon curd 
spread on it and later with the beef stew and it was divine!