To make two 900g (2lb) loaves you will need the following ingredients. Figures in brackets are imperial measurements – please do not mix the two…

700-800ml (24-27 fluid ounces) water
28g (1oz) salt
28g (1oz) sugar
28g (1oz) yeast
1360g (3lb) plain flour

You will also need 2 bread tins, measuring about 21cm x 11.5cm x 6.5cm (8.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.5″ inches). Alternatively, two 19 cm (7.5″) round cake tins will do instead.

Start by heating the water to about 40C (105F). Add the salt and sugar and dissolve. Cream the yeast with a little of the liquid and then mix with the rest of it.

Carefully weigh the flour into a large basin and add sufficient liquid to make an easily workable dough. This must be kneaded well, so give it a good pounding for a couple of minutes.

Leave it to prove (or double in size) in a warm place for approximately two hours.

Heat the oven to 230C (450F) or gas mark 8.

Grease the tins and then turn your dough out on to a floured board and knead it thoroughly again. Divide it into two and put each piece into one of the greased tins to prove

again for about twenty minutes. Bake for approximately 40 minutes until the bread is well browned, and then turn it out of the tins to cool.

This simple bread recipe has been in use for hundreds of years, and has stood the test of time.