adapted from Richard Burr

(makes 8 small rolls or 2 loaves)

• 650g white bread flour
• 25g rice flour
• 9g salt
• 6 g active dry yeast
• 250ml warm water
• 125ml beer – I used Old Speckled Hen
• 40g honey

Mix together the bread flour, rice flour, and salt.

Mix the water, beer, honey and yeast, stirring well.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. When mixed, tip out onto a floured counter.

Knead by hand for about 10 minutes until you have achieved a smooth dough.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for about 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, punch down and divide the dough into eight equal pieces for rolls or in half for loaves.

Shape each roll into a round, and leave to rise for 45 minutes on a baking tray/sheet covered in baking parchment. (I use a peel and corn meal.)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Dust with flour and slash with a sharp knife.

Bake rolls for 20 minutes or about 25 minutes for loaves.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

You’ll note that the loaves are more elongated rather than round. It’s because of the way I slashed them. By slicing them in the same direction, the bread takes the path of least resistance and pushes back along the slit. If I had made more of a cross on top – cutting equally in both directions – the dough would have remained more round.