Ingredients
500g 'light brown' plain flour (or 50-50 wholemeal and white) plus some extra; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 25g fresh yeast; 350ml lukewarm water; 3 teaspoons sunflower oil
Equipment
Mixing bowl, teaspoon, measuring jug, oiled baking sheet, palette knife, very large and preferably clear plastic bag
Method
* Put the flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and mix together with the fingers.
* Crumble in the fresh yeast and rub into the flour mixture. Feel for the pieces of yeast and rub them to disperse.
* Tip in the water and oil and mix with the hands to form a soft, loose bread dough. Add a little more water if necessary to keep the dough soft.
* Do not knead: if brown/wholemeal dough is kneaded the bread will be tough.
* Cover, and leave the dough for ten minutes.
* On a lightly floured surface, roll into a sausage shape and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a greased baking sheet.
* Balloon the plastic bag up over the rolls so they have room to rise without touching it.
* Leave to double in size in a warm place (about 20 minutes), then uncover and bake at once in a pre-heated oven at gas 71/2, 220xC for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
* Turn the rolls over and bake another three to four minutes. Cool on a wire tray.
* Eat when completely cold, preferably the next day as newly-baked bread can be indigestible. Store, as with any bread, in a paper bag in a cool but not too cold place.
A note on yeast
Ask for fresh yeast in bakers' or health shops. It will keep two or three days in the fridge and will also will freeze well. If using frozen yeast, let it soften a little, then chop it up and let the children rub it in as per the recipe. Never eat uncooked yeast.