Try baking bread this bank holiday

Nothing compares to the melt-in-your-mouth crumb of a freshly-baked homemade bread. This classic monkey bread is a sweet pull-apart loaf baked in a bundt tin. It is a bit like a hot cross bun, except that it is done in a tray. Pulling it apart is good fun for children of all ages – and that includes adults! It is delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. You could also put some dried fruits into the mix. I like sultanas, or raisins, or cranberry. Dried yeast is quick and easy to use.

The technique for the tear-and-share bread with Camembert needs a bit of practice to master. It is an ideal centrepiece for events like first communions, but do it a few times before the day. Your family will be happy to eat your first efforts, but the look will improve each time. The bread almost looks like a wreath, giving a real wow factor.

Monkey bread

Serves eight to 10

Dough:

300ml (½ pint) milk

2 tsp fast-action dried yeast or 25g (1oz) fresh yeast

5 tbsp caster sugar

500g (1¼lb) strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

50g (2oz) butter, plus extra for greasing

Coating:

200g (7oz) butter, melted

400g (14oz) demerara sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. To make the dough, put the milk into a pan and gently heat until warm to the finger, then pour into a bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and one teaspoon of caster sugar.

Lightly whisk, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until a light foam forms on the surface.

2. Sift the flour, salt and remaining caster sugar into a large bowl (or use a stand-alone mixer with a dough hook). Beat in the butter until it forms fine breadcrumbs, or rub together with your fingertips.

Add the yeast mixture and mix everything together to form a soft dough. If using a mixer, mix for five minutes on a medium speed, until the dough is quite soft, sticky and shiny. A tacky texture between your fingers is ideal.

If kneading by hand, turn it out on to a floured surface and knead gently for about five minutes. Wash and dry your hands, then sprinkle the dough with a little more flour and continue to knead for another 10 minutes, until it is very pliable, smooth and slightly shiny – slightly sticky, as described previously.

3. Place the dough into a large lightly-oiled bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave in a warm place for two hours or until doubled in size and spongy. Generously butter a 23cm (9in) bundt tin or Savarin mould. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knock it back with your knuckles. Knead for a minute and divide into about 30 equal balls. Then coat each ball in the melted butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Layer these into the prepared bundt tin, building up a second layer on top. Cover the tin loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until the dough is well risen.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas mark four. Bake the dough for 25-30 minutes, until the dough balls are cooked through and golden brown. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then release on to a wire rack. They are best served warm.

TeAR-and-share bread

with baked Camembert

Serves six to eight

500g (1¼lb) strong white flour, extra for dusting

1 tsp sugar

50g (2oz) butter, at room temperature

1½ tbsp fast-action dried yeast

300ml (½pint) tepid water

2 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing

250g (9oz) Camembert (in a wooden carton)

good pinch fresh thyme sprigs

beaten egg, to glaze

good handful dried cranberries or sour cherries

good handful walnut halves, very roughly chopped

sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Rub in the butter and then stir in the yeast. Add the water with two tablespoons of the olive oil and then mix to make a soft dough. You can also do this in a standalone mixer with a dough hook attachment if you have one. Once the dough starts to come together, scoop it around with one hand to pick up any stray bits.

2. Turn the dough out on to a lightly- floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Folding, stretching and pulling until you have achieved a smooth, elastic texture. It’s ready to prove when you poke it with a finger and the hole springs back.

3. Lightly oil a clean bowl with oil and pop the dough into it. Cover with clingflim and leave in a warm place for about one hour, or until it has doubled in size.

4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with a little more oil.

5. Unwrap the cheese and carefully slice off the top rind. Put it back into its wooden carton and place in the centre of the parchment paper.

6. Tip the risen dough out on to a floured surface and divide into five equal pieces – it can help to roll the dough into an even sausage shape and mark it with a knife first to get equal pieces. Take one piece and divide into five again. One at a time, roll each of these five pieces gently into a ball. When you have finished you should have 25 in total.

7. Arrange a circle of dough balls, close to the Camembert, but with 2mm (½in) gaps between the balls. You will need 10 balls for the inner ring and 15 for the outer ring. Arrange the outer circle of dough balls around the first in a nice pattern. Wrap loosely in clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes to one hour, until the balls have doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark six. Once the dough balls have risen and joined together to form a wreath, sprinkle the Camembert with the thyme leaves and give a good grinding of black pepper. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt.

9. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the bread rolls are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Transfer to a wooden paddleboard if you have one or use a nice chopping board. Scatter the dried cranberries or cherries and walnuts over the bread rolls to serve.