Preparation

Place the flour into a large bowl and add the fast action yeast to one side and the fine salt to another. Stir together with a spoon and make a well in the middle. 

Pour in the cold water and vigorously mix together, it should form a rough dough with no dry patches of flour. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 30 minutes.

With wet hands do a set of stretch and folds by pulling the dough up from one side of the bowl and folding into the centre, work your way round the dough in a circle until all sides are folded into the centre, this technique stretches the gluten. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 30 minutes.

With wet hands do a set of coil folds. Using two hands, one on the left side of the dough one of the right side, lift the dough up over the bowl allowing the top and bottom of the dough to stretch and flop down. Place back into the bowl and give a quarter turn, repeat 4 times. This technique stretches the gluten and helps to create air pockets in the dough. Place a tea towel over the bowl and leave for 30 minutes.

Repeat a set of coil folds. Place a tea towel over the bowl and leave to prove for 4 hours until big and bubbly. Alternatively you can place into the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours for a slower prove.

Carefully remove the dough from the bowl and using a dough scraper shape it into a ball that will fit into the 4.7L HexClad Casserole Dish, you may need a small sprinkling of flour to help. Leave the dough on the surface and allow to prove for 1 hour uncovered.

Preheat the oven 240°C fan, place the empty HexClad Casserole Dish with the lid into the oven and allow to heat, a hot casserole dish will help your loaf to rise and cook evenly.

Remove the HexClad Casserole Dish from the oven and carefully place the loaf inside. Slash the top of the loaf a couple of times using a sharp knife and sprinkle with some flour. Place the lid on and put into the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 200°C fan and place back into the oven for another 30 minutes.

Carefully place the loaf onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before eating with lashings of salted butter.