Results

After all my trepidation, it actually came out OK.

The loaf rose like a champion, the crust was, well... crusty, the texture was light and airy and chewy but the flavour - disappointing.

The plain white Lidl's bread flour isn't exactly the stuff of gastronomic orgasmitude( ??) and I didn't put enough salt in. One teaspoon of Neptune's' gift wasn't enough to lift it, but all in all, not bad for not following a recipe.

What was good was; the crust - golden brown, crunchy and yet not hard as concrete; the texture - springy and white and stretchy and chewy without wearing out ya gums.

So, for a first effort with sub-standard materials I am very pleased... now down to the shops for some more serious ingredients and a date with my new bread book - Dough by Richard Bertinet, apparently the bible for those who know. I would love to do his 5 day course, but at £800 I'm afraid that her indoors puts that firmly on the 'nice to have, when we are millionaires' list.