Paul Hollywood’s Cottage Loaf

Step 1

Start by placing the flour in a large bowl – or the bowl of your standing mixer, if you have one – add the salt to one side and the yeast on the opposite side. Then add the butter and 3/4 of the water and mix or start the standing mixer on a low speed. Continue to add water until all the flour is incorporated into the rest of the dough.

Step 2

Move the dough onto a counter, greased with extra virgin olive oil, and work it for about 5-10 minutes, then let it rise in a greased bowl, covered only with a cloth until it has doubled its size.

Step 3

Move the dough on a floured surface, punch the dough to remove all the air from it, folding it over itself several times. Now divide it into two pieces, one of which will be double the size of the other, and start working on the larger piece.

Step 4

Create a ball with the larger piece, pushing the excess dough into the base of the ball. Repeat the same round movements more than once so that the ball becomes soft but resistant at the same time. Now do it all again with the smallest part of the dough.

Step 5

Place the smaller ball on the larger one and, after dipping a couple of fingers in flour, carve the centre hole by pushing it down. Now you are ready to practice some cuts on both parts of the Cottage Loaf, both to aerate it and decorate it.

Step 6

Let it rise again for 1 hour, turn on the oven to 210°C and, at the bottom of the oven, place a baking sheet that you have previously filled with boiling water from the kettle: this will help the Cottage Loaf to have that great crust.

Step 7

Bake it for 30 minutes on a tray, until golden brown and when tapping the bottom it sounds hollow. Let it cool completely before cutting.