Ingredients

• 200g/7 ozs. stoneground 100% wholewheat flour
• 25g/1 oz. wheatgerm
• 450g/1 lb. organic strong white bread flour
• 2 flat teaspoons salt - (Maldon sea salt has an excellent flavour)
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or grapeseed oil (or any mild flavoured oil)
• 425 nls/15 fl. ozs. cold water
• 15g/½ oz. fresh yeast

Method

1. Crumble the yeast into the cold water, and whisk to dissolve.
2. Put the flours, wheatgerm and salt into the bowl of your food mixer.
3. Stir briefly to mix.
4. Pour the yeasty cold water over the mixture.
5. Pour the oil over the water.
6. Mix, on the lowest speed until a clump of dough forms around the dough hook.
7. If the mixture is too dry, add some more water, but only a dessertspoon at a time, until the ball of dough is formed. Stop the mixer as soon as the dough is mixed.
8. This whole process should take about three minutes only. Do not be tempted to over-mix in the food mixer.
9. Lightly flour a work surface. Tip the dough on to this and knead it by hand for about five minutes, or until the dough has become non-sticky, and looks slightly shiny.
10. Put the dough into an oiled container - a bowl, or even a saucepan will do, and cover it with a clean damp tea towel, and put the container in the coldest part of the house overnight.

Next morning

You will find that the dough has risen beautifully while you slept! Next :-

1. Lightly flour your working surface.
2. Knead the dough until it is the original size, and all the air has been expelled (about five minutes).
3. Shape the dough and put it into a large lightly buttered loaf tin.
4. Cover again with a damp tea towel, and leave it to rise again at room temperature. Don't be tempted to put it too near the Aga - a slow rise gives a better bread.
5. When the dough has reached the top of the loaf tin put it gently in the oven. Jolting or banging the tin can make the dough subside!

Baking

2 & 4 oven AGA - ROASTING OVEN - Grid shelf resting on the floor of the oven.

Baking Time:Approximately 33 minutes. To test the bread remove the loaf from the tin and tap the bottom of the bread. It if sounds hollow then it is baked. If not, put the bread back into the hot oven without the tin fur a further five minutes. Test again for the hollow sound. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!