Crusty Farm Bread

Preparation should start the day before. Mix the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl. Add 200ml of lukewarm water with the beer and vinegar and mix well to form a dough. Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rise at room temperature for approximately 18 hours.

The next day place the Le Creuset Siganture Cast Iron Round Casserole in the oven for 10 minutes at 40°C/ Gas Mark ¼ to warm through.

Place the soft dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or for 5 minutes with a dough hook in a mixer. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and brush the inside with oil, then place the dough into the dish.

Leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/ Fan 210°C / Gas Mark 8.

Cut a cross in the dough with a sharp knife before lightly dusting with flour.

Bake the dough in the casserole dish with the lid on for 25 minutes.

Remove the lid from the casserole dish and turn the oven down to 190°C/ Fan 170°C / Gas Mark 5 for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and remove from the casserole after 5 minutes – the base of the bread should sound hollow when tapped – if not, place the loaf back in the oven upside down for a further 5 minutes.

Let the bread cool on a wire rack before serving.

Cook’s Notes: Strong white bread flour may be used to replace spelt flour and if you are using fresh yeast, double the quantity and just crumble into the bowl and mix as you would with dried yeast.