How to bake a simple white tin loaf at home

Why a tin loaf is worth mastering

A soft white tin loaf is the workhorse of the British kitchen. It slices neatly for sandwiches, takes a generous layer of butter, and makes toast that holds its shape rather than collapsing into crumbs. It is also the most forgiving loaf you can bake: the tin supports the dough as it rises, so there is no wrestling with slack shaping or a crust that spreads sideways on the tray. Master this one and you have a dependable weekly bake, plus a solid foundation for the heritage flours you may want to explore later.

What you will need

For one 900g (2lb) loaf, gather the following:

• 500g strong white bread flour. The high protein content is what gives you a soft, well-risen crumb. A blend works beautifully here: try 400g strong white plus 100g of a heritage white flour, milled from an older British wheat variety. Heritage grains are often a little lower in protein and noticeably thirstier, so keep an extra splash of water to hand.
• 7g instant dried yeast (or 10g fresh yeast, or one 7g sachet). If your kitchen is cool, use the full amount; in a warm room, 5g is plenty.
• 10g fine sea salt. Weigh it — a teaspoon is not accurate enough for bread.
• 320ml lukewarm water. Around 30°C: comfortably warm but never hot, or you will knock the yeast back.
• 15g unsalted butter, softened, or a tablespoon of olive oil. This is what keeps the crumb tender and the crust soft rather than leathery.

You will also need a 900g loaf tin, lightly greased, a large mixing bowl, a dough scraper or blunt knife, cling film or a clean tea towel, and a wire rack.

Mixing and kneading

Tip the flour into the bowl with the salt on one side and the yeast on the other — salt sitting directly on yeast slows it down. Add the butter or oil, then pour in most of the water. Bring it together with one hand or a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy, slightly sticky mass. If there are dry patches, add the remaining water a tablespoon at a time.

Cover and leave for 10 minutes. This short rest lets the flour hydrate and makes everything easier to handle. Then tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes. Push with the heel of your hand, fold the dough back, give it a quarter turn, and repeat. The dough will start ragged and end smooth, springy and only faintly tacky. To check, stretch a small piece between your fingers: if it forms a translucent window without tearing, you have kneaded enough. A stand mixer with a dough hook does this in 5–6 minutes.

The first prove

Shape the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl, turning it once so the top is lightly oiled. Cover and leave somewhere draught-free at around 20–22°C for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size. Press a finger into the dough: if the indent springs back slowly and only partly, it is ready. If it snaps back immediately, give it longer.

For a deeper flavour, prove the dough overnight in the fridge — 10 to 12 hours is ideal. Take it out an hour before shaping to let it come back to room temperature, otherwise the dough will be stiff and hard to work.

Shaping and the second prove

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a rough rectangle, about 20cm by 30cm. Roll it up tightly from the short end, pressing the seam with the side of your hand. Pinch the ends and tuck them under. Place seam-side down in the greased tin; the roll should fill the base without stretching.

Cover loosely and prove for 45–60 minutes, until the dough crowns about 1cm above the rim of the tin. Press it lightly: it should feel pillowy and the indent should fill in very slowly. While it proves, heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas mark 7).

Baking, cooling and serving

Bake the loaf on the middle shelf for 35–40 minutes. If it browns too quickly, tent it with foil after 25 minutes. The loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. If it sounds dull, slide it out of the tin and return it directly to the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. This is the hardest instruction in baking, but cutting a warm loaf squashes the crumb and gives you gummy slices. Once cool, the loaf keeps for three days in a bread bin or cotton bag, and freezes beautifully for up to three months — slice it first, so you can toast straight from frozen.

For sandwiches, cut across the loaf in thin slices; for toast, thicker is better. And when you are ready to experiment, try a 50/50 blend of strong white and a heritage wholemeal flour. The method stays exactly the same, though you will need a little more water and a slightly longer prove to get the best from those older grains.