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Gorgeous and delicious! This distinctive Stacked Cottage Loaf is easy to make, requires only 5 Ingredients and a short proving time. Make your own Traditional Cottage loaf by following my no fuss recipe. Perfect for ambitious beginner bakers!
The Cottage Loaf
This traditional English loaf has been baked and enjoyed by British families for hundreds of years! This unusual loaf was once a very Popular bread, mainly because it remedied a problem! It was all about efficiency. In the mid 19th century the old English bread ovens were very limited on space, so a stacked loaf ‘The Cottage Loaf’ was created in order to maximise oven floor space.
While they remained popular for some time, the birth of better functioning ovens and modern methods saw the Cottage loaf cast a side- though in recent years it has made a comeback due to its traditional, whimsical charm.
Why You’ll love this recipe
- Quick- Well, quicker in comparison to other loaves. Just one hour rise
- Delicious- The added fat (butter) gives it a beautiful soft crumb, an absolute delight to eat!
- Impressive- Looks the part, your guests will think you’re a master baker!
- Budget Friendly – Just 5 affordable ingredients
How I make My Cottage Loaf
Ingredients
- Strong White bread Flour – Can be substituted for Whole-wheat flour if tou prefer
- Sachet of Quick action yeast
- 60 g Butter Room Temperature – Lard can be used as an alternative
- 1 tsp Salt
- 300 ml Warm Water – The warmth of the water helps activate the yeast. ** Don’t use Hot water, it will kill the yeast.
The Basic Steps
- Add The Flour and Salt to a large bowl and mix together
- Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs
- Add the Yeast and stir well
- Pour in the warm water, stir until a dough forms.
- Knead the Dough until smooth and stretchy
- Form two balls of dough, one larger than the other
- On the larger Ball of dough , brush a little water, place the smaller dough ball on top
- Allow to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size
- Preheat the oven
- Score the dough
- Cover and set aside for 15 minutes
- Brush with Beaten egg
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
Tips for a Successful Cottage Loaf
Kneading by Hand
- After adding all the dry ingredients, add the water a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon as you pour until a thick dough forms. With your hands press the dough into all the flour remnants in the bowl, picking up any loose flour with the dough.
- Sprinkle a little flour on your worktop and turn out the dough, knead with your hands for roughly 8 minutes until smooth and stretchy
Using a stand Mixer with a dough hook
- Add the dry ingredients, set the mixer to low. Add the butter and 1/3 of the water a little at a time, mixing as you go until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Set the mixer to a low-Medium setting and knead with the dough hook until smooth and silky
For a Crispier Crust– Pop a Metal baking dish 1/3 full with water in the bottom of the oven. This creates a steamy environment which in turn helps to create a Golden crusty loaf
In a bread Making Mood?
Give some of these recipes a try:
Onion Heart Cheesy Garlic Bread
Tear and Share Apple Cinnamon Loaf
Caramelised Onion Focaccia Bread
Tools Used
Did you make this Recipe? If so, please leave a rating and comment below, I would love to know what you think. Did you take a picture? Great! Tag me on Instagram, I love to share your creations on my stories.
Quick Cottage Loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g Strong White bread Flour
- 1 x 7g Sachet of Quick action yeast
- 60 g Butter Room Temperature
- 1 tsp Salt
- 300 ml Warm Water
For the Egg Wash
- 1 Beaten Egg
Instructions
- Add The Flour and Salt to a large bowl and mix together
- Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs
- Add the Yeast and stir well
- Pour in the warm water, a little at a time, continuously stirring until a dough forms.
- Knead the Dough for around 8 minutes until smooth and stretchy
- Form a ball of dough and cut off around 1/3. You should have 2 pieces of dough. Shape into separate balls, one large, one smaller.
- On the larger Ball of dough , brush a little water on the top, in the centre of the dough.
- Place the smaller ball of dough on top
- Cover loosely with cling wrap or a tea towel, allow to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size
- Preheat the oven 220°c
- Pat down with flour. Score the top dough ball , and score vertical lines on the side of the bottom dough ball (see pictures)
- Cover and set aside for 15 minutes to puff up a little
- Brush with Beaten egg
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the base of the loaf feels hollow when tapped.*For a Crispier Crust Place a metal baking tin 1/3 full with water in the bottom of the oven
