A bread loaf made from 1 lb of flour is the classic single-loaf batch: 1 lb (about 3 1/2 cups) of strong white bread flour, 300 ml of warm water, a teaspoon and a half of salt and a packet of yeast, baked in a 2 lb loaf tin. It gives one full-size sandwich loaf with a soft crumb and a crisp crust, and it is the quantity most older British and American recipes were written around, which is why “1lb of flour” still turns up on so many hand-written recipe cards.
Why 1 lb of Flour Is the Standard Loaf
One pound of flour absorbs roughly 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) of water, which produces about 1 lb 12 oz of dough. That fills a 2 lb loaf tin to the right level: the dough comes about two-thirds of the way up before proving and crowns just above the rim after baking. Use a 1 lb tin and the loaf will mushroom over the sides; use a bigger tin and it bakes flat. If you do not have a loaf tin, the same dough makes a round cob on a baking tray.
Bread flour matters more than the brand. Its higher protein gives the gluten strength to hold the rise. Plain or all-purpose flour will still make a loaf, but expect a shorter rise and a more cake-like crumb.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g, about 3 1/2 cups) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, helps the yeast start)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (one 7 g packet) instant or fast-action yeast
- 1 tablespoon soft butter or oil
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water, around blood heat
Makes one 2 lb loaf, roughly 14 slices.
How to Make a 1 lb Flour Bread Loaf
- Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt to one side and the yeast and sugar to the other, then stir them in; salt sitting directly on yeast slows it.
- Add the butter and most of the water and mix to a rough dough with your hand or a wooden spoon, adding the last of the water if any dry flour remains. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes by hand (or 5 to 6 minutes on low in a stand mixer with a dough hook) until smooth and springy.
- Shape into a ball, return to the oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise until doubled, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen.
- Knock the air out, flatten into a rectangle as wide as the tin, roll it up tightly and place seam-side down in a greased 2 lb loaf tin.
- Cover loosely and prove for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough has domed just above the rim.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Dust the top with flour or slash it once lengthways, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when the base is tapped.
- Turn out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing.
Wholemeal and Mixed-Flour Versions
For a wholemeal loaf, use 1 lb of strong wholemeal bread flour and increase the water to about 330 ml, because bran absorbs more liquid. The loaf will be denser and rises less, so do not wait for a full doubling on the second prove. For a half-and-half loaf, use 8 oz white and 8 oz wholemeal with the original 300 ml of water; this is the version most people find the best balance of flavour and softness.
Seeded loaves take a small handful of sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds kneaded in at the end of the first knead, with a few more pressed onto the top after the second prove.
Tips for a Good Rise and Crust
- Weigh the flour if you can. A pound is a pound, but “3 1/2 cups” can vary by an ounce or two depending on how it is scooped.
- Warm, not hot, water. Water that feels hot to the wrist kills yeast. Lukewarm is right.
- Do not rush the second prove. A loaf baked before it has domed above the rim will be tight and heavy.
- Steam for a crisper crust. Put a small tray of hot water on the oven floor when the loaf goes in.
- Cool fully. Cutting a hot loaf lets steam escape and the crumb turns gummy.
Storage and Freezing
Keep the loaf in a bread bin or paper bag at room temperature for up to 3 days; a plastic bag softens the crust. For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf, freeze the slices in a bag and toast straight from frozen. The dough itself can also be frozen after the first rise: shape it, freeze it in the tin, then thaw overnight in the fridge and prove as normal.