Step 1 Preheat oven to 200ºC. Sift flour into a bowl. Stir in salt and sugar and using fingers, rub in the reduced-fat spread.
Step 2 Sprinkle in the yeast sachet and stir to spread through the flour evenly. Add warm water to the flour. Use a spoon to combine together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Step 3 Knead the mixture together in the bowl for a few minutes and then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5–7 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough is formed. Place in a warmed, lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or lightly greased cling film. Leave in a warm place to double in size (ideally over the oven). This will take 30–45 minutes.
Step 4 Remove dough from bowl and place on work surface; it should feel quite springy at this stage. Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round or oval shape, cover and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes.
Step 5 Slash the top of the loaf with a knife in 2cm intervals. Brush loaf with milk. If desired, sprinkle top with pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until golden brown.
Gluten-free raisin and cinnamon bread: Place 500g gluten-free bread flour in a bowl with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 3 tablespoons raisins. Separately, mix sachet of yeast with 450ml warm water. Add to bread mix, using electric beater to combine for 3 minutes or until smooth. Transfer dough to a lightly greased loaf tin. Cover; leave to rise for 30–40 minutes. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Brush with 2 tablespoons honey. Serve.
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