Paul Hollywood’s easy white bread recipe shows you step by step how to make bread that’s crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. If you’re new to making bread, this one’s great for beginners. Bread can be bought ready-made or be homemade. Supermarkets and shops stock more varieties than they used to, but specialist bakeries or bread proofing bowl will sell more interesting varieties.

A baked loaf placed in the refrigerator will stale much more quickly than one left at room temperature, so keep bread in a bread bin at room temperature for 1-2 days, wrapped in wax paper. Bread loaves can be wrapped and frozen for up to three months. Whether it is fully baked or part-baked, freeze baked bread as soon as it has cooled to avoid the crumb drying out. Wrap well, and slice first if that’s more convenient. It won’t harm the bread as long as it’s been tightly wrapped. If serving bread that was frozen straight after baking and has only been frozen for up to a week, simply defrost it as usual. To reheat fully baked frozen breads use the following times and temperatures as a guide, but always make sure the centre of the bread is piping hot when you remove the bread from the oven.

For part-baked breads refer to the instructions on the packaging. There are key stages to producing a loaf of bread that apply to most leavened varieties. The dough must first be kneaded: a vigorous massaging and stretching process that encourages the development of the flour’s gluten and makes the dough smoother and more elastic. Flour: Bread flour is often labelled as ‘strong’ flour in the UK. It contains a lot more gluten, a protein that makes the dough elastic.

Regular plain flour can be used for bread, but the loaf will not rise as well, the crust will be hard and the texture more crumbly than one made with strong flour. Yeast: A raising agent such as yeast is usually necessary for leavened bread. As yeast grows, it produces carbon dioxide, which makes the dough expand and rise. When you want to substitute dried or easy-blend yeast for fresh, use half the quantity specified for fresh. Dried yeast granules are typically sold in tubs. Water: Water is the key to making a good dough.