Share this recipe
White Bloomer Bread Loaf
Typically, oval in shape with a series of cuts across the top, this eye catching white bloomer bread loaf is baked on an oven tray rather than in a tin. It’s fun to add a dressing of poppy seeds to the dough shape before the final dough proving which will create stripes in the baked crust.
Ingredients
- 500g Wessex Mill Strong White Bread Flour
- 2 tsp quick yeast (we like to use Doves Farm)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 300ml tepid water
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- plus oil, for tray
Equipment
- 2 x mixing bowls
- 1 x large baking tray
Method
220˚C, Fan 200˚C, 425˚F, Gas 7
-
Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl and blend them together.
-
Pour in the water and stir until everything looks craggy and lumpy.
-
Stir in the oil and bring together a doughy mass.
-
Using your hands, gather everything together into a ball of dough.
-
Knead the dough in the bowl for a minute. It may become a little sticky but avoid adding flour if possible.
-
Cover the dough bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it in a warm place for the dough to double in size, which will take about an hour.
-
Rub some oil around the inside of a large baking tray.
-
Scatter the poppy seeds on a large plate.
-
Dust the work surface with flour, tip the dough out of the bowl, dust it with flour and knead the dough for a couple of minutes.
-
Shape the dough into a 25cm/10” inch long oval.
-
Dip a hand or a pastry brush in water and wet the top of the loaf.
-
Pick up the dough oval, turn it upside down and gently press the top onto the poppy seeds.
-
Put the dough onto the baking tray with the poppy seeds on top.
-
Take a very sharp knife, and working briskly, make 12mm/½” inch deep cuts across the top of the dough every 12mm/½” inch.
-
Invert a large mixing bowl or clean washing up bowl over the bloomer and leave it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
-
Preheat the oven.
-
Remove the bowl and bake for 35-40 minutes.
-
Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and leave to cool.
