Black Pepper Sandwich Loaf

Photo: Veggie Chick

Ingredients

7 grams active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups tepid water

2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 cups high protein bread flour

90 grams unsalted butter

1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Add the tepid water to the yeast in a bowl. Add half the sugar and let the yeast activate -- the water should foam in about 5 mins.

Meanwhile, put the flour, the rest of the sugar, butter, black pepper and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer (dough hook attached) and, once ready, add the yeast mixture. Knead on low speed until the mix forms a dough then put the speed to medium for about 8 minutes. The dough shouldn't be too sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).

Knock out the dough and transfer to a pullman loaf pan. Cover and let it set again for about an hour or two till it rises to the rim of the pan or just below.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 200C.

Bake, covered, for 20 mins and uncovered for 10 to 15 or till its golden.

Remove and knock bread out of pan. If the bottom isn't crisp enough, pop it back into the hot but switched off oven for 3 to 5 mins. Remove and cool on rack.