White Breads
Basic White Loaf
The loaf every baker should master first. Once you understand how this dough should look, feel and smell at every stage, every other recipe in the app becomes easier. Don't rush it — this is your baseline.
Schedule
Kitchen temperature
22°C · AverageCooler kitchens slow fermentation; warmer ones speed it up. Proof times below adjust automatically — always go by the dough's look and feel, not just the clock.
Drop to 210°C after 10 min. Add steam for the first 10 min for a crisp crust.
Plan this bake
Pick when you want to eat — we'll work backwards.
Method
Preferment
Add a pre-fermented sponge for deeper flavour, better crumb and longer keeping.
Straight dough
—
Mix everything at once. Fastest route to bread.
Why use it
- Quick — same day bake
- Beginner-friendly
- Predictable timing
How to build
- 1.Mix all ingredients in one go.
- 2.Bulk, shape, proof, bake.
Smart calculator
Ingredients
840g total · 840g/loaf
- Bread flour500g · 100.0%
- Water325g · 65.0%
- Salt10g · 2.0%
- Instant yeast5.0g · 1.0%
By Hand method
Before you start
- Use water at 24–28°C / 75–82°F for standard yeasted dough — friction from your hands adds 1–2°C.
- If your kitchen is above 24°C, use cooler water and shorten the knead.
- 1
Combine flour, water, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains.
5 min - 2
Knead on a lightly floured surface using slap & fold or push-pull. Use the slap & fold technique for stronger gluten.
10–14 minCue: Smooth, elastic, passes the windowpane test - 3
Check dough temperature with a thermometer. Adjust water temp on your next bake if it's off target.
Target 24–26°C / 75–79°F - 4
Place in an oiled bowl, cover and bulk ferment until almost doubled in size.
Bulk ferment · check after 1 hr 30 min - 5
Shape gently, place into tin or onto a tray, cover for the final proof.
Final proof · check after 45 min - 6
Bake in a preheated oven until deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Bake
Equipment & gear
Digital scale (1g resolution)Essential
Bread is chemistry — cups won't cut it.
Shop Casa & Casa Electronic Kitchen Scale · £11.75Instant-read thermometerEssential
For dough temp + checking doneness (95–98°C internal).
Shop Brannan Stainless Steel Folding Probe Thermometer · £13.50Bench scraperEssential
For dividing, shaping and cleaning sticky dough.
Shop Wooden Bench Scraper · £12.00Large mixing bowl + cover
Glass or clear plastic helps you see fermentation activity.
Shop Probus Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl (3.6L) · £9.75Loaf tin (450g/1lb)
Dark anodised tins brown the crust better than shiny aluminium.
Shop Large Pullman Loaf Pan & Cover (13 × 4 × 4 in) · £35.00Spray bottle for steam
Mist the oven walls (not the bread) right after loading.
Shop 16oz Aluminum Spray Bottle · £5.90900g / 2lb loaf tin
Or bake free-form on a tray dusted with semolina.
Shop Large Pullman Loaf Pan & Cover (13 × 4 × 4 in) · £35.00
Ingredient notes
Why each ingredient matters — and what you can swap.
Bread flour
12–13% protein content gives the dough strength to trap gas. Plain flour will work but the loaf will be denser and tear easier.
Sub: All-purpose flour + 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten per 500g
Water
Tap water is fine. If yours is heavily chlorinated, leave it uncovered for 30 min — chlorine can slow the yeast.
Sub: Filtered water
Salt
Flavour, plus gluten reinforcement. Without salt the dough is slack and tastes flat.
Sub: Fine sea salt or kosher (use weight, not volume — kosher is fluffier)
Instant yeast
Add directly to flour. If you only have active dry, dissolve in the water first and use 25% more.
Sub: Active dry yeast (×1.25), or 3g fresh yeast per 1g instant
Sensory cues per stage
Dough is ready when… look, feel, smell.
After mixing
- Look
- Shaggy, rough
- Feel
- Sticky, lumpy, no spring
- Smell
- Faint flour smell
After kneading
- Look
- Smooth, slightly glossy ball
- Feel
- Tacky but not sticky — comes off your hands cleanly
- Smell
- Mild, sweet
End of bulk
- Look
- Almost doubled, domed top, visible bubbles on the sides
- Feel
- Soft, jiggly, springs back slowly when poked
- Smell
- Yeasty, faintly beery
End of final proof
- Look
- Risen above tin lip, slight wobble
- Feel
- Springs back slowly leaving a small dimple
- Smell
- Sweet, fully developed yeast aroma
Troubleshooting
Symptom → cause → fix. Use it mid-bake.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dense, gummy crumb | Underbaked or sliced too soon | Bake until internal temp hits 95–98°C / 203–208°F. Cool fully (1 hr+) before slicing. |
| Pale crust, no colour | Oven not hot enough or no steam in the first 10 min | Preheat 30+ min. Add steam (ice in a hot tray, or covered Dutch oven) for the first 10 min. |
| Burnt bottom, raw centre | Tray sitting on a hot stone or rack too low | Move bake to the middle rack. Use a doubled tray or bake on parchment, not directly on metal. |
| Dough tears when shaping | Underdeveloped gluten or too cold | Add a stretch & fold every 30 min during bulk. Let dough come to 22–24°C before shaping. |
| Sticky, unworkable dough | Hydration too high for your flour, or not enough mixing | Wet hands instead of flouring. Do 2–3 sets of stretch & folds — flour develops with time, not extra flour. |
| Loaf collapses in the oven | Overproofed final rise | Bake when dough springs back slowly to a gentle press, leaving a small dimple — not when it stays flat. |
| Tight, even crumb (no holes) | Underproofed or too much flour added when shaping | Extend final proof 15–30 min. Shape on a barely-floured surface; flour the dough, not the bench. |
| Yeasty/alcoholic smell | Bulk went too long | Watch the dough, not the clock. End bulk at 50–75% rise, depending on shape. |
| Crust shatters / shells off | Cooled in a draught or sliced when steaming | Cool on a wire rack at room temp; wait at least 1 hr. |
| Crust separates from crumb | Overproofed and shaped too tight | Bake when the poke leaves a small dimple, not a crater. Shape with light tension, not by squeezing. |
- • Use bread flour for best structure.
- • Final proof is ready when dough springs back slowly.
- • Smooth, slightly tacky dough.
- • Almost doubled in size after bulk.
- • Adding too much flour while shaping.
- • Underproofing — be patient.
Make-ahead
- Bulk in the fridge: shape, cover and refrigerate the shaped loaf for 12–24 hr. Bake straight from cold.
- Freeze shaped (unproofed) dough wrapped tightly in cling film + foil for up to 4 weeks. Thaw in fridge overnight, then proof at room temp.
Storage
- Store crusty loaves cut-side-down on a board, uncovered, for 1–2 days. The cut face stays soft; the crust stays crisp.
- For 3–5 day storage: paper bag inside a bread box. Avoid plastic — it softens the crust and traps moisture.
- Freeze whole or sliced in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Toast slices straight from frozen.
- To revive day-old bread: spritz with water and re-bake at 180°C / 355°F for 5–7 min.
Variations
Spin-offs once you've nailed the base recipe.
Seeded crust
Brush proofed loaf with water and roll in mixed seeds (sesame, poppy, linseed) before baking.
Milk loaf
Replace 30% of the water with whole milk and add 20g butter for a softer crumb and golden crust.
Olive oil herb loaf
Add 15g olive oil and 5g dried rosemary at mix. Brush with more oil before baking.
Substitutions
Smart swaps that actually work — with the gotchas spelled out.
Flour swaps
→ All-purpose flour (10–11%)
up to 100%Hydration: -2%Structure: weakerCrumb will be a touch softer and less chewy. Reduce hydration ~2% to compensate for lower protein.
→ Italian Tipo 00 (9–12%)
up to 100%Hydration: 0%Structure: neutralTipo 00 (Caputo Pizzeria) is ideal for pizza/focaccia — extensible, fine crumb. Less ideal for high-rise loaves.
→ Whole wheat (red)
up to 30%Hydration: +5%Structure: weakerAbove 30% the crumb tightens noticeably. Add 5% more water per 30% swap. Long autolyse (1 hr+) helps the bran soften.
→ Whole wheat (white)
up to 50%Hydration: +4%Structure: weakerWhite whole wheat is milder than red — easier swap. Up to 50% works without major changes beyond hydration.
→ Rye (medium or dark)
up to 20%Hydration: +6%Structure: weakerRye lacks gluten-forming proteins — keep below 20% in a wheat-based loaf. Add 6% water; expect a denser, tangier crumb.
→ Spelt
up to 50%Hydration: +2%Structure: weakerSpelt is more extensible and ferments faster. Reduce bulk ferment by 15–20% and watch closely — it overproofs quickly.
→ Einkorn
up to 25%Hydration: -3%Structure: weakerEinkorn drinks less water and has weak gluten. Keep below 25%, reduce hydration ~3%, do not overknead.
→ Semolina (durum)
up to 30%Hydration: +2%Structure: neutralAdds yellow colour, nutty flavour, classic Italian chew. Pairs beautifully with bread flour at 20–30%.
Yeast converter
For fresh yeast, use 3× the instant amount. For active dry, use 1.25× and bloom in warm water (38°C / 100°F) for 5 min before mixing. Open the calculator for exact gram conversions.
Baker's notes
- Weigh your water too — it's far more accurate than measuring cups, especially at high hydration.
- Dough temperature is the most under-rated variable. Aim for 24–26°C at the end of mix; cool kitchen = warm water, warm kitchen = cold water.
- End fermentation by sight and feel, not the clock. The times in this recipe assume 22°C ambient — a 4°C swing changes everything.
- If your loaf comes out perfect, save the recipe and treat it as your baseline — change one variable at a time on the next bake.
What's happening in the dough
- Yeast eats sugars in the flour and releases CO₂ — that gas is what makes the dough rise. Salt slows the yeast (which is why we add it after autolyse in advanced recipes).
- Kneading aligns gluten proteins into long strands. The 'windowpane test' (a stretched piece becomes translucent without tearing) tells you it's ready.
Serving
- Slice with a serrated knife, sawing not pressing. Pressing crushes the crumb.
- Best for sandwiches at 4–6 hr after baking, when the crust has softened slightly.
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