The Easiest, Cheapest Bread
This, my friends, is the bread recipe you need when you want something hot, fresh, and homemade for literally less than the price of a coffee. It’s soft, hearty, and ridiculously easy to pull together - no mixer, no fuss, just good honest bread for about $1.50. You can use whatever pan you've got, and it works with regular, high-grade, or wholemeal flour. This is my go-to loaf on a budget.
Total cost: approx. $1.50
Servings: Makes 1 large loaf (6–8 slices)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rise time: 60–90 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
10 g active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1/3 cup warm water (for blooming yeast)
2 cups (500 mL) room temperature water
800 g flour (high-grade, plain, or wholemeal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
In a large bowl, combine the yeast, a pinch of sugar, and 1/3 cup of warm water. Let sit for a few minutes until frothy.
Add the rest of the water, flour, and salt. Mix together, then knead for at least 2 minutes until the dough is well combined and smooth.
Place the dough into a lined loaf tin (or any baking dish you have). Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Bake for 40 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped and is golden on top.
Let cool slightly before slicing. Best served warm with butter.
