Homemade Bread Recipe/Easy Bread Recipe🤗🍞😋😋

Ingredients:
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 10g salt
- 7g fast-action dried yeast (1 packet)
- 300ml lukewarm water/milk
- 25g unsalted butter (softened) or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5_6 tsp sugar

Instructions:

1. **Mix the Dry Ingredients**:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. If using, add the sugar to the lukewarm water to help the yeast activate.

2. **Activate the Yeast**:
- If your yeast needs activation, sprinkle it over the lukewarm water (not too hot or it will kill the yeast) and let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy. If you're using fast-action yeast, you can skip this step and mix it directly with the dry ingredients.

3. **Combine Ingredients**:
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the softened butter (or olive oil) and the yeast mixture (or just water if you used fast-action yeast). Mix everything together until it forms a rough dough.

4. **Knead the Dough**:
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky—add a little more flour if it’s too sticky, or water if it’s too dry.

5. **First Rise**:
- Shape the dough into a ball and add place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

6. **Shape the Dough**:
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Turn it out onto a floured surface and shape it into a loaf. Place it into a lightly greased loaf tin or shape it freehand on a baking tray.

7. **Second Rise**:
- Cover the loaf with a damp towel and let it rise again for about 30-45 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

8. **Bake the Bread**:
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with foil halfway through baking

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