Cottage Loaf
- 30m Prep Time
- 40m Cook Time
- 5h Ready In
A traditional British bread loaf made with a blend of white, wholemeal, and rye flours. The distinctive two-tier shape is achieved by stacking a smaller dough ball on top of a larger one.
Ingredients
- 1 3/8 lbs white bread flour
- 1 5/12 oz wholemeal bread flour
- 7/8 oz wholemeal rye flour
- 5/14 oz fresh yeast
- 5/16 oz fine salt
- 0.99 lb water
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 5 of 6 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 121 mg
- Iron: 30.3 mg
- Magnesium: 202 mg
- Phosphorus: 762 mg
- Potassium: 853 mg
- Zinc: 7.36 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 3/8 lbs white bread flour
- 1 5/12 oz wholemeal bread flour
- 7/8 oz wholemeal rye flour
- 5/14 oz fresh yeast
- 5/16 oz fine salt
- 0.99 lb water
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Stir together the white bread flour, wholemeal bread flour, and dark rye flour in a large bowl. Rub the fresh yeast into the flour mixture until evenly distributed. Add the salt and most of the water (reserving a small amount), then mix thoroughly to form a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, adding more water gradually if the dough is too stiff to knead or has dry patches. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at a cool room temperature (15–18°C/60–65°F) for 2 hours.
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Step 2.
After 2 hours, give the dough a single fold: gently stretch and fold one side over the center, then repeat from the other sides. Cover again and let rise for another 45–60 minutes.
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Step 3.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. The side that was in contact with the bowl is the 'good side' and will become the top of the loaf. Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl good side down, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
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Step 4.
Divide the dough into two pieces: one about twice the size of the other (the smaller piece should weigh about 360–370g/12¾–13oz). Flatten each piece to degas thoroughly, then shape each tightly into a ball to maintain a defined shape during baking. Cover the dough and let it rest for a final 45–60 minute rise. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas 7, placing a baking stone or inverted baking sheet inside to heat, ensuring enough headroom for the loaf.
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Step 5.
Slightly flatten each ball of dough. Place the smaller ball on top of the larger one. Using your thumb and two fingers pinched together, or the handle of a wooden spoon, push a deep dimple straight down through the center of the top ball and well into the lower one—if the dough is very stiff, you can go all the way to the work surface. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
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Step 6.
If desired, snip or slash vertical notches on one or both parts of the loaf just before baking. Using a floured peel, transfer the loaf onto the preheated baking stone or sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas 4 and continue baking for another 20–30 minutes until the loaf is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.