Tiger Bread

Place the flour in a large bowl, add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the sugar and salt to the other, mix to combine. Make a well in the centre and the melted butter and tepid water. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all combined.

Tip the dough onto a surface dusted with flour and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth.

Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil and cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, tip onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead for about a minute to knock out the air bubbles. Shape the dough into an oval shape. Flour a baking tray and place the dough on the baking tray.

Cover the baking tray in oiled cling film and leave the dough to rise for 30-60 minutes – to check the dough is fully proofed make an indent with your finger into the side of the loaf, if the indent stays then the dough is ready to bake.

Whilst the dough is proofing, mix together the topping ingredients, it should be a smooth thick consistency – if it is too thin add some more flour, if it is too thick add some more water.

Using a pastry brush paint the topping onto the top and sides of the dough. 

Bake the bread at 200°C /180°C fan/Gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes. The base of the bread should sound hollow when tapped when the bread is baked and the top all crackled.

Leave the bread to cool on a wire rack. Now it's time to tuck in and enjoy your homemade tiger bread, oooh the small of freshly baked bread!