The National Loaf
From: Ministry of Food – Jane Fearnley Whittingstall
Makes two loaves
1 ½ lb wholemeal bread flour*
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp dried yeast
1 tsp honey or treacle (two teaspoons)
450 ml tepid water (about 2 cups)
1, Mix together all the ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a soft dough. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel, and leave until dough has doubled in size (around 2 hours).
2. Knock back the dough, give a short knead then cut into two equal pieces. Place in 1.5 litre loaf tins (8 X 4 X 3 loaf pans), allow to rise for a further 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400° F) then bake loaves for 30 min. To test the loaves, turn them out of their tins and give the base a tap; if it sounds hollow, they are ready. Allow to cool on a wire rack. *use a food scale for best results
Well, I made it and like those during wartime, I don’t like it.. bla.. its a dull thick bread.. Hubby said and I quote “chewy” I normally make all our own bread and I like heavy breads so I am not sure why this one did not work in the way I thought it would?
I think its because I always use milk, eggs and of course fat in my breads. I find this bread to go stale very fast. I can see what it would be used in a lot of way in meals to not so much stretch this bread as to try and cover some of the blandness of it.
As far as I can see as long as I use the whole wheat bread and keep in my rations I can make my own breads in the challenge and that is just what I am going to do on my next baking day.
Just another Day on the Farm 
No fat would definitely make a difference……I ‘think’ fat was rationed back then as well?
Very much so was fat rationed, but I would rather go without bread most of the time then eat something I really don’t care for. I am interesting in seeing if I can make recipes that make it taste better that way.
I think if I added in even one duck egg, I would find that the fat in the egg would be enough to really change the texture
I make a whole wheat bread at home, except it is a sourdough…if you omit the yeast and use a sourdough starter instead the bread will keep better. If I had a recipe written out, I would share, but I don’t have weights for all the ingredients 🙂
Thanks Amanda, you are right.. no reason I can not use my sour dough starter on the next loafs. I was just wanted to make at least one batch as pure as possible in keeping with trying it.