Our cottage loaf is a great starter recipe for beginners who want a simple fresh-from-the-oven bake. Just follow our six-step guide using Allinson white dough and you’ll have your own cottage loaf, with its distinctive shape and beautiful golden crust.
Why is it called a Cottage loaf?
It is thought that the unusual shape of the cottage loaf was a result of the need to be as efficient as possible with the small baking space available in the ovens of earlier times. The term “cottage bread” is often used to describe a variety of breads that all have the cottage shape in common.
Fans of the handsome Cottage Loaf should try our delicious seeded knot rolls, also made with Allinson white dough.
6 ingredients6 steps
Egg-Free Recipes
Vegetarian
Method
Step 1
MIX
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until only fine ‘crumbs’ are left. Mix in the water with a cutlery knife.
Step 2
KNEAD
Tip onto a lightly flour dusted surface and knead for 10 minutes (or use the dough hook attachment on your mixer).
Step 3
RISE
Lightly grease the mixing bowl with some oil. Put the dough back in, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size.
Step 4
SHAPE Knock back the dough by gently kneading just 5 times to get the air out. Separate the dough into one-third and two thirds. Shape each into a round ball. Dust a baking sheet with a little flour, and sit the largest ball on it with the smallest ball sat on top. Flour the handle of a wooden spoon and push it down through the centre of both balls until you hit the tray below.
Step 5
PROVE
Cover the dough with a clean tea towel again and leave to prove until doubled in size again. Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas mark 6).
Step 6
BAKE
Lift the tray onto the middle oven shelf and bake for 30-35 minutes, until when you tap the base of the loaf it sounds hollow. Cool on a wire rack.
Ingredients
MetricImperial
For the Bread
500gAllinson's Strong White Bread Flour
1 sachetAllinson's Easy Bake yeast or Allinson's Time Saver Yeast
1.5 tspBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
1.5 tspSalt
1 tbspButter (softened)
300mlWarm water
Utensils
Baking tray
Mixing bowl
Nutritional information per 47g serving
Energy 120cal
Fat 1.2g
of which Saturates 0.6g
Carbohydrates 23g
of which Sugars 0.5g
Protein 4.1g
Salt 0.47g
11 Baker Ratings
Actually so nice! Looks a bit odd but so yummy
Love this?
I made the cottage loaf and it turned out beautifully, was not sure why golden caster sugar but will have a slice tomorrow and see how it tastes.
