Crusty white bread

1. Mix the fresh yeast (or use 10 g active dried yeast), sugar and 100 ml (2/5 cup) lukewarm water in a bowl and leave until frothy (this is called sponging).
2. In a large bowl, mix 750 g flour with 10 ml (2 tsp) salt. Stir in yeast mixture and remaining lukewarm water to make a very soft dough. Flour board with remaining flour. Turn out dough onto board. Knead until satiny smooth, dimpled and soft (see tips).
3. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled, mixing bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside until double in size.
4. Punch down (knead again) until smooth, shape into loaves and place each in a well-oiled or non-stick loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise until double in size, 30 to 40 minutes.
5. Cut shallow slashes across tops of loaves, using a sharp knife. Mix 30 ml (2 tbsp) warm water with remaining 5 ml (1 tsp) salt and brush tops of loaves. Place loaf pans on a rack in centre of oven and bake at 180 ºC for 1 hour, or until risen and golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
6. Remove from oven. Carefully ease out of pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes 2 x 500 g loaves.