What you'll need to get:

• 1 sachet (7g) fast action dried yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 500g strong white flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 250ml warm water (1 part boiling/2 parts cold).

For the poppy seed glaze:

• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp cold water
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 50 ml boiling water

You’d be hard-pressed to find a cottage loaf, with its unique fairy tale shape and soft, chewy texture, in the supermarket. If you’re trying to sell your house, have it baking in the oven when potential buyers are viewing!

The recipe makes one medium-sized white cottage loaf – delicious with a bowl of soup or in a Ploughman’s lunch. The poppy seeds are an optional twist on the traditional recipe, adding a subtle crunch and tangy flavour to the crust.

Size: 1½lb loaf

What you need to do:

1. Mix the dried yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for 15 minutes.
2. Mix the salt and flour together.
3. Add the olive oil to the salt and flour and pour in half the yeasty water.
4. Mix well, gradually adding the remaining yeasty water until you have a soft dough. Add more water or flour if necessary.
5. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10–15 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 50 minutes.
7. Punch down the risen dough, and rip off roughly a third.
8. Shape both pieces into balls, place the smaller on top of the larger, then flatten slightly with your hand. Push your finger down through the centre of the loaf, from the top to the bottom, until you can feel the working surface and both balls stick together.
9. Transfer to a floured baking sheet, cover and leave for 40 minutes, somewhere warm.
10. Preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 7.
11. Vertically slit each of the rounds every 2 to 3 inches, which helps the dough to expand while baking.
12. Make the glaze by mixing together the cornflour and cold water in a bowl. Add the boiling water and mix. Allow to cool slightly before adding the poppy seeds.
13. Brush the tops of the loaves with some of the poppy seed glaze and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown, or until the base sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
14. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.