How to Make Bread at Home and Other Easy Baking Recipes

If lockdown has brought out your inner baker and you've found yourself frantically searching how to make banana bread from home, we've rounded up the easiest baking recipes to try now. Want to elevate your cooking even more? Check out the top recipes shared by hotel chefs for additional home cooking inspiration.

Classic Scones

Ingredients

• 450g plain flour

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• a pinch of salt
• 100 g butter, chilled and diced
• 75 g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 250 ml whole milk, plus extra for glazing
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

To Serve

• Good-quality strawberry jam
• Clotted cream or whipped double cream
• 5-cm/2-inch round cookie cutter
• Baking sheet lined with baking parchment

Method for 24 scones

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) Gas 7.
• Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with the baking powder and salt. Add the butter. Start by using a palette knife to cut the butter into the flour, then switch to using your hands to gently rub the butter in. Do not overwork the mixture but lift the flour and butter up in your hands and gently press
and roll it across your fingertips. When there are no visible pieces of butter remaining add the sugar and mix to combine.
• Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add 1 of the egg yolks, the milk and lemon juice. Use the palette knife to cut the wet ingredients into the dry, then gently mix with your hands until almost combined.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Very gently knead until almost smooth. Pat or roll the dough to a thickness of 3 cm/11⁄4 inches.
• Dip the cookie cutter in flour to prevent
it sticking, then stamp out discs from the dough. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet and set aside. Gather the off-cuts of dough into a ball, re-roll and stamp out more scones to make as many as possible.
• Mix the remaining egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk and neatly brush the tops of the scones with the glaze.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 10 minutes until well-risen and golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, cool on wire racks and serve on the day of making with jam and clotted cream.

Classic scone recipe by Will Torrent, shared by the FAB Flour Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by nabim. For more recipes like this head over to fabflour.co.uk.

Wholemeal Bread Loaf

Ingredients

• 500g Carr’s Wholemeal Flour
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1½ tbsp Skimmed Milk Powder
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 25g Butter
• 1 tsp Fast Action Dried Yeast
• 350ml Water

Method

• Mix together the flour, sugar, skimmed milk powder and salt. Rub in the butter and then stir in the yeast. Gradually mix in the water to make a soft dough.
• Knead well on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough and cover with a clean, damp tea towel to stop the dough drying out and leave in a warm place for about an hour to rise.
• When it has risen, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 3 minutes.
• Place in a greased 1½ / 2lb loaf tin, cover loosely with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for about half an hour.
• Uncover and bake in a preheated oven at 230°C (Fan 210°C, Gas Mark 8) for 30-35 minutes.
• Remove loaf from tin and allow to cool before slicing and enjoying!

Flatbreads with Tzatziki Dip

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 200g natural yoghurt
• 100g melted butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Tzatziki dip ingredients

• 100g natural yoghurt
• 50g cucumber (grated)
• 1 tsp mint sauce

Method

• To make the dip, grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess liquid into the sink with your hands. Then place the grated cucumber into the serving bowl, add the yoghurt and mint sauce and mix.
• For the flatbreads, combine the flour, baking powder and cumin seeds in the mixing bowl, then add the yoghurt and 30g of the melted butter to form a dough.
• Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a few minutes.
• Heat up your frying pan to a medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll out into 15-20cm circles.
• Place each one into the hot pan one at a time and cook for 2 minutes on each side until slightly puffed and toasted.
• Once cooked, rub them with the remaining melted butter and serve whole or sliced into strips for dipping.

Recipe from the FAB Flour Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by nabim. For more recipes like this head over to fabflour.co.uk.

No-Knead Bread Loaf

Ingredients

• 360ml Warm Water
• 7g Fast Action Dried Yeast

• 500g Carr’s Strong White Flour

• 7g Salt

Method

• In a large food box with lid, pour in the water and dried yeast. Stir until dissolved.
• Add the flour and salt then mix well, using your hand with a claw action to combine all the ingredients.
• Put the lid over, but don’t close completely. Leave for around 2 hours (or until it’s doubled in size) in a warm place.
• Put the lid firmly on and place in fridge overnight.
• When ready to bake, take out the dough and tip onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough over on itself a couple of times and then shape into a dome. Leave on the surface or on a floured baking tray for a further hour.
• Preheat the oven to 200˚C (180˚C Fan Oven, Gas Mark 6) with your large lidded casserole dish inside.
• Once up to temperature, flour the casserole dish and place your dough inside, seam side up.
• Bake your loaf for around 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Taking the lid off for the last 15 minutes. To check it’s ready, tap the bottom of the loaf and if it sounds hollow it’s ready to enjoy!

Feta and Spinach Quiche

Ingredients

• 150g Baby Spinach
• 100g Carr’s Wholemeal Flour
• 50g Unsalted Butter
• Water
• 4 Eggs
• 150g Feta Cheese or Yorkshire Fettle or Crumbly Lancashire
• Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg to season
• 100g Pine nuts for the top

Method

• Rub the butter into the flour until it feels and looks like breadcrumbs. Add enough water to bring the mixture together to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest for 15mins.
• Roll out pastry on a floured surface and line a 20cm fluted tin, pressing carefully, cut away excess pastry. Put into the fridge to chill.
• Steam the spinach until just wilted. Leave to cool and dry slightly.
• Whisk the eggs together and season with salt, (not too much, the Feta will add some saltiness), pepper and nutmeg. Cut the Feta into chunks and add to the mix.
• Add the cooked spinach and stir, then spoon into the pastry case. Add the pine nuts.
• Bake on the middle shelf in a pre heated oven 180 ˚C (Fan 160˚C, Gas Mark 4) for 35 minutes or until set.

Blacksticks Blue Burgers

Patty ingredients

• 150g Blacksticks Blue Cheese
• 800g beef mince (20% fat)
• 2 shallots or 1 red onion, diced
• 1 egg
• 1tbsp garlic granules
• 1tsp salt
• ½tsp ground white pepper
• 2tbsp American mustard
• 4tbsp ketchup

Burger sauce ingredients

• 4tbsp mayonnaise
• 2tbsp ketchup
• 1tbsp American mustard
• 1tbsp dill, chopped
• 1tbsp gherkins, diced
• 1 tsp gherkin juice

Additional ingredients

• 4 sesame brioche buns
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• ½ head of iceberg lettuce, shredded

Method (Makes 4 burgers)

• Sweat the onion or shallots in a pan with salt until translucent but not browned, remove and leave to cool.
• Mix all of the ingredients for the burgers, other than the Blacksticks Blue, until thoroughly combined.
• Divide evenly into eight meat balls, flatten and shape each ball into a burger patty. Place ¼ of the cheese on top of four patties, sandwich each with the remaining four patties, pinching the edges to seal.
• BBQ or griddle the burgers until cooked to your liking, rest for 5 minutes.
• To make the burger sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.
• Stack your burger with sauce, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and enjoy!

Recipe for Blacksticks Blue Burgers from Blacksticks Blue, produced by Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses.

Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 x ripe bananas
• 75g vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g light brown soft sugar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Mash 3 of the bananas into the measuring jug with the vegetable oil and vanilla.
• In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and combine.
• Pour into the lined loaf tin and top with the 4th banana, halved lengthways.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden on top and springy to touch in the centre.

Recipe from the FAB Flour Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by nabim. For more recipes like this head over to fabflour.co.uk.

Savoury Muffins

Ingredients

• 150g Carr’s Wholemeal Flour
• 100g Carr’s Plain Flour
• 1½ tbsp Baking Powder
• 2 Eggs
• 300ml Milk
• 4 tsp Pesto
• 80g Parmesan (grated)
• 100g Courgette (finely grated)
• A good handful Pine Nuts

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 200˚C (Fan 180ºC, Gas Mark 6). You will need a 12 hole muffin tin and 12 paper cases.
• Sift the flours together into a large bowl with the baking powder. In a jug, beat the eggs and milk and fold into the flour mix.
• Stir in the pesto, parmesan, courgette and pine nuts. Stir into the mixture, but be careful not to over mix.
• Divide the mixture equally into the muffin cases and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 mins. To test if ready, push a cocktail stick or cake tester into the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean without any mixture on, they are ready. If not, place back into the oven for another 5 minutes.
• Enjoy warm, keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them and use when needed.

Basic Sourdough Loaf

Ingredients

• 375g Carr's Strong White flour
• 250g Sourdough Starter (Recipe here)
• 7g Salt
• 175g-225g Tepid Water
• Olive Oil (for kneading)

Method

• In a large bowl mix the flour, starter and salt. Start adding the water and mix in with your hand - try using a claw action using one hand to mix and the other to hold the bowl. Add more water until you have a soft dough and all the flour has been picked up.
• Brush a little olive oil onto your work surface, place the dough on top and knead for 5-10 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first, but the texture will begin to change and form a soft, smooth texture.
• When this has been achieved, place it into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave it to rise in a warm place approx. 22-24˚ C for around 6 hours or overnight until it has doubled in size.
• Tip the dough out onto an oiled surface and fold it over on itself a few times to release the air. This strengthens the structure of the dough. You can either place the dough back into the bowl or into a proving basket inside a clear plastic bag.
• Leave to prove again for another 6 hours or until doubled in size.
• When it’s ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 210˚C (Fan 190°C, Gas Mark 7) and place a tray in the bottom with 2cm of water in. This will keep the bread moist. Sprinkle a little flour onto a baking tray and place in the oven while it pre-heats.
• Tip the dough carefully onto the floured tray and using a very sharp knife make a slash on top of the dough, cutting at a slight angle and cutting approx. 1½-2cm deep. Try experimenting with different shapes and patterns.
• After half an hour check your bread and bake for a further 10 minutes at 200˚C (Fan 180°C, Gas Mark 6). To check it’s ready turn the loaf over and tap the base. It should sound hollow and be golden brown.
• Place on a wire cooling rack and resist eating until cooled!

Paul A. Young Chocolate Creme Eggs

Master chocolatier Paul A. Young shows how to make this tasty treat at home - watch the video to learn the recipe.

Hearty Vegetable Crumble

Filling ingredients

• Approx 600g mixed vegetables. We suggest:
• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 200g Chestnut Mushrooms (quartered)
• 1 Butternut Squash (chopped into small chunks)
• 100g Kale

Sauce ingredients

• 50g Butter
• 1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
• 50g Carr’s Plain Flour
• 400ml Milk
• 2 tsp Sage
• Pinch Salt

Crumble ingredients

• 200g Carr’s Wholemeal or Plain Flour
• 100g Butter (chopped into pieces)
• 50g Grated Cheese
• 30g Porridge Oats
• Handful of Sunflower Seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200˚C (Fan 400˚C, Gas Mark 6).
• Make the crumble by putting the flour into a large bowl and adding the butter. Using your fingers ‘rub’ together the ingredients until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats, cheese and sunflower seeds. Leave to one side.
• In a large pan fry the onion until soft in a little butter, then add all other vegetables and the sage. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
• In a small pan, heat the butter until melted and then add the crushed garlic. Add the flour and keep stirring for a minute, making sure it doesn’t burn. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, while constantly stirring. The sauce will thicken.
• Add the sauce to the vegetables then cook for a further 15mins on a low heat.
• Place in an oven proof dish and then evenly sprinkle the crumble on top. Cook for 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown.

Seeded Carrot Energy Bars

Ingredients

• 175g Butter (or reduced fat butter)
• 175g Golden Syrup (or Agave Syrup)
• 250g Light Muscovado Sugar
• 200g grated carrots
• 350g porridge oats
• 50g wholemeal plain flour
• 50g white plain flour
• 50g mixed seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin or linseeds
• 75g raisins

Method

• Pre heat the oven to 190°C, 170°C fan, gas 5. Line a shallow 23cm square or 18x28cm rectangular cake tin with baking parchment.
• Melt the butter, syrup and sugar in a pan over a low heat. Mix the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl then pour the syrup over.
• Mix and spread into the tin. Press down well with the back of a wooden spoon then bake for 30-35 mins until golden brown.
• Leave to cool in the cake tin then turn out and cut into slices with a sharp knife. These will keep in a tin for 3-4 days.

Recipe from the FAB Flour Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by nabim. For more recipes like this head over to fabflour.co.uk.

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