1. Add the agave and yeast to the water and stir thoroughly, put to one side for around 10 minutes while you prepare everything else (you’re waiting for the mixture to form a foamy top layer)
2. Weigh your bread flour and add the salt
3. Heat the oven to 204 C
4. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper
5. Once the yeast mixture has the foam, add to the flour and salt and stir to combine
6. When the dough comes together, knead on a floured surface for a minute or two (it doesn’t need a lot) until it comes together in a ball. If it is too wet or sticking to the surface, add a little flour at a time
7. Shape into a loaf on the tray, dust with more flour and cover with a towel. Put in a warm place (airing cupboard) for 15 minutes
8. Then remove the towel and slice 1cm deep cuts into the bread 
9. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes
10. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack
11. Enjoy with butter or spread of your choice!

Tips

Great for baking on Saturday morning and enjoying over the weekend.

You can mix wholemeal and white flour (400-450g white flour and the rest wholemeal)

When putting 1cm cuts into the bread, straight cuts or crossed cuts (as pictured) work equally well

About Mark

Mark has his own career coaching business, Career Thinking, but escapes from the humdrum through cooking! We hope to try some more of Mark’s recipes in the future.

Click here to find out more about Mark and his tips for preparing for life after uni

Mark has over 25 years’ experience in recruitment. He set up his career coaching business in 2006 and offers a bespoke service, from bite-size guidance such as interview prep or writing CVs, to weekly coaching sessions exploring career options and then helping clients to secure a role in their chosen field.