Vienna Loaf

One of  my favorite things to do on a dark rainy evening is to bake a homemade fresh loaf of crusty bread. Making your own bread is not only easy and better for you but is also like having a bit of therapy.  Kneading the bread gives you time to think or to let out a bit of frustration or anger.

Here is my recipe for a crusty Vienna loaf.

You Will Need

3/4 Cup of Warm Water

1 tsp Sugar

1 packet of Dry Yeast (7g)

1/4 Cup of  Milk

1 tsp of Salt

2 tbl of Olive Oil

Aproxx 2 1/2 – 3 Cups of Plain Flour

1 Egg

Method

Place Yeast, Sugar and Warm Water in a bowl mix and set aside for 15 min. Once the mixture gets foamy, add the Milk, Salt, Olive Oil and Flour. Mix then knead on a lightly floured surface for 15min or until the dough becomes elasticized. Place in a greased bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside in a warm place and allow the dough to double in size. One this has happened remove from the bowl and knead lightly again for 5min. Form Dough into a Long Oval shape and place on a greased tray. Cover once again and allow to double in size. Finally once the dough has risen make 4 light cuts into the top of the bread. Beat egg and lightly cover the entire loaf with the egg-wash. Place in a 200c oven for 30min or until the bread makes a hollow sound when you tap it.

Serve warm with butter for the maximum enjoyment.