A Loaf of Bread

Last week I visited Tuxford Windmill. I try to visit at least a couple of times each year to buy flour and oats from the miller and of course have a home-made scone with jam from the millers wife. Tuxford windmill stands in full sail in the village of Tuxford (Nottinghamshire). It is not very large, but the welcome you receive is overwhelming. There is a small coffee shop where the millers wife bakes bread, cakes and scones and serves a most welcoming cup of coffee after your journey. You can pay to go inside the windmill and see the miller at his work producing the bags of flour he sells in his shop and around the many farmers markets in the area. I like to buy the 4 Grain Flour, Stoneground White Flour and the Jumbo Oats.

Rosemary Bread
400g Stoneground white flour
100g 4 Grain flour
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 Sachet dried yeast
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
300ml (approx) hand hot water
Method
1. Place the flours, salt, sugar, yeast and rosemary into a large mixing bowl - mix
well.
2. Make up approx 300ml hand hot water (I usually put 100ml boiling water into a
measuring jug and top it up with cold water - if you can put your fingers into
the water for a couple of seconds without burning it is ready)
3. Add the olive oil to the water.
4. Make a well in the flour and pour in the hand-hot water.
5. Using a wooden spoon mix the water into the flour until you have a soft dough - no dry bits.
6. Now using your hands turn the dough onto a floured table and knead for 2
minutes - till your arms begin to ache. Add more flour on the table if
necessary but do not get the dough too dry.
7. Once kneaded and smooth place the dough back into the bowl, cover with cloing
film and a tea-towel and leave in a warm place to double in size - approx 1 hour
8. 'Knock back' the dough with your fist and knead once again on the floured table.
9. Shape the bread into an oval shape and place in a greased and floured loaf tin
10. Cover with the tea-towel and leave to rise again - just above the top of the tin.
11. Bake for 10 mins on Gas 8/220C. Reduce the het to Gas 6/200C for a further 10
mins. Turn the loaf over and bake for another 10 minutes.
12. The bread will sound hollow when the base is tapped.
13 Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

This bread is wonderful with soup or spread thickly with strawberry jam.
I find it hard to resist cutting a slice straight from the oven.
I use the jumbo oats for making Flapjacks - another recipe I must give you.

Vist Tuxford Mill yourself: www.tuxford-windmill.co.uk