Finally I've attempted Paul Hollywoods 8 breaded plait and yes I now feel the pain that the contestants on Great British Bake off felt with the whole "8 under 5, then under 1".
I have to be fully honest now and say, I fell at the first hurdle of plaiting so decided to bend the rules. (Sorry Paul) I ended up just plaiting it without following the correct method.... rules are for breaking right.
However, I will write them in below in case any one wants to give them a try. Please let me know if you actually managed to do it.
- 500g - Strong White Bread Flour
- 10g - Salt
- 2 x 7g Fast Acting Yeast
- 20ml - Olive Oil
- 340ml - Water (at room temp)
- 1- Beaten Egg, mixed with a pinch of salt for glazing
- Put the Flour into a mixing bowl then add the Yeast to one side and Salt to the other (as the salt can kill the yeast)
- Add the Oil and mix
- Add 3/4 of the Water and bring together with your hands.
- Work in the rest of the water, then knead the dough 10 for minutes until silky and very stretchy.
- Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl - cover lightly with cling film and leave to rise for an hour until doubled in size.
- Punch down the risen dough- empty onto a floured worktop and mould into a ball
- Divide into 8 equal pieces, using your hands roll each piece into a thin sausage shape (about 40cm long)
- Lay strands onto a floured worktop - like an octopus and tack the ends together onto the worktop with your thumb.
- Number them 1 > 8 and plait following the sequence below:
- (please note every time you move a strand, the order of the numbers with revert to the original 1>8 sequence) - think this is where I went wrong.
Step 1: Place strand 8 under strand 7 then over strand 1.
Step 2: Strand 8 over strand 5
Step 3: Strand 2 under strand 3 then over strand 8
Step 4: Strand 1 over stand 4
Step 5: Strand 7 under stand 6, then over strand 1
Repeat from step 2 until all strands are plaited.
Then tuck the ends under the loaf to neaten.
- Set the loaf on a floured baking sheet and leave to rise at room temperature for an hour till doubled in size.
- Brush with egg and sprinkle with salt, then bake in the oven at 200'C for 20-25minutes, until golden brown.
Make slices and top with Banana or Cinnamon and Sugar, then put under the grill until caramelised.