Mary Berry White Bread Recipe

This classic White Bread is a bakery staple as well as being incredibly therapeutic to make! Kneading the dough stretches the gluten to make the crumb go light and airy, which along with the golden crust adds a satisfying crunch to this loaf that is so perfect for a bacon sandwich.

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Mary Berry White Bread Recipe Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) strong white flour (bread flour), plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp salt (fine table salt)
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 25g (1 oz) butter (softened) or lard
• 300ml (1/2 pint) tepid water (approx.)
• Oil, for greasing

How To Make Mary Berry White Bread Recipe

1. Mix the dry: Place the flour, salt, and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Crucial: Put the salt on one side of the bowl and the yeast on the other. If the salt touches the yeast directly before mixing, it can kill the yeast.
2. Rub the fat: Add the softened butter (or lard). Use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until it vanishes.
3. Form the dough: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the tepid water. Use your hand or a round-bladed knife to mix the flour into the water to form a soft, rough dough. If it feels dry, add a splash more water; if it’s too sticky, add a dusting of flour.
4. Knead well: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook). Stretch the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then fold it back. Repeat until the dough is smooth, silky, and elastic.
5. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Shape the loaf: Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and “knock back” (punch it) to remove large air bubbles. Knead for 1 minute. Shape the dough into an oblong shape.
7. Second rise: Grease a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin. Place the shaped dough into the tin, pressing it into the corners. Cover with oiled cling film. Leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes until the dough has risen just above the rim of the tin.
8. Bake: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7). Bake the loaf for 30–35 minutes until golden brown and well-risen.
9. The knock test: Turn the loaf out of the tin and tap the base. It should sound hollow. If it sounds dull, put it back in the oven (out of the tin) for 5 minutes to crisp the base. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe Tips!

• Water Temp: The water must be “tepid” or “hand-hot.” Dip your finger in—it should feel neither hot nor cold (body temperature). If it’s too hot, it kills the yeast; too cold, and it won’t rise.
• Strong Flour: You must use “strong” flour (bread flour). It has a higher protein content than plain flour, which creates the strong gluten network needed to hold the air bubbles for a high-rise loaf.
• The Windowpane: To check if you’ve kneaded enough, tear off a small piece of dough and stretch it. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing, the gluten is developed.
• Lard vs. Butter: Mary often suggests lard for an old-school, lighter crust, but butter gives a better flavor. Use whichever you prefer!

What To Serve With Mary Berry White Bread Recipe?

This Mary Berry White Bread Recipe is a daily staple that makes everything better! A thick slice toasted and slathered with Salted Butter and Strawberry Jam is the ultimate breakfast. For lunch, it is sturdy enough to hold a Ploughman’s Sandwich loaded with cheddar, pickle, and ham! It is also the best bread for dipping into a hot bowl of Tomato Soup or mopping up gravy.

How To Store Mary Berry White Bread Recipe

• Room Temp: Store the cooled loaf in a bread bin or wrapped in paper. It stays fresh for 2-3 days. Avoid plastic bags as they soften the crust.
• Refresh: If the crust goes soft, pop the whole loaf back in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp it up again.
• Freeze: This bread freezes perfectly. Slice it first, then bag it up. You can toast slices straight from frozen!

Mary Berry White Bread Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 190 kcal
• Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 6g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice (approx. 10-12 slices).

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry​ Millionaire Caramel Shortbread Recipe
• Mary Berry Shortbread Cookie Recipe​
• Mary Berry Soda Bread Recipe​