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1
Boil the milk, then tip into a bowl, stir in the sugar, add the cold water and leave to cool.
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2
If you're using dried yeast, not fast-action yeast, you'll need to hydrate for 15 minutes before adding to the milk.
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3
While the milk is cooling, mix together the flour and salt.
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4
When the milk is tepid, don't rush this - if it's too hot it will kill the yeast, beat in the yeast and leave for five minutes to dissolve.
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5
Add the flour and melted butter to the milk and yeast mixture and mix together.
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6
When you have a rough but mixed dough, cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes.
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7
Oil your work surface then tip the dough out.
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8
Use your hands to knead gently until it holds together, it will be sticky and messy but as you work it will become smoother.
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9
Oil the bowl and then return the dough to it, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
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10
This time stretch and fold the dough by pulling it into a long shape, folding the top half over and then the bottom half.
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11
Turn the dough round by a quarter and then repeat the pulling and stretching and folding two or three more times.
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12
Use your fingers to push out the dough if you need to.
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13
Replace in the bowl, cover and leave for another 10 minutes, then repeat the stretching and folding.
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14
After the third time, leave the dough to rise for an hour or two if your kitchen is cool, until the dough has grown by a half.
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15
Tip the dough out and push to a rectangle shape, then roll it tightly or push it into the shape you want to bake it in.
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16
I used a straight sided bread tin.
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17
This needs to be buttered and floured.
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18
Leave to proof in the tin or on an oiled baking sheet for about 30-45 minutes until it has risen by half again.
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19
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
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20
If you push your finger in the dough and the dent stays it's over-prooved.
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21
Flour the top of the loaf and cut slashes with a sharp knife.
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22
Bake for around 40-50 minutes, until golden on the top and the bottom.
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23
Cool on a wire tray.
