Using stencils in the home

What is Real Bread Week?

Real Bread week is the annual celebration of additive-free bread and the people who bake it.

The Real Bread Campign, launched in 2010, had two main aims:

To encourage consumers to buy Real Bread from local, independant bakeries
To encourage everyone to bake their own Real Bread

What is Real Bread?

Real bread is defined as being made with all-natural ingredients, and without the use of any processing aids or additives. Amazingly, in the UK above 90% of all loaves sold do not qualify for this title!

So why is Real Bread important?

Health

Processed flour which is present in 'normal' bread has been milled to remove the bran and germ of the grain, as a result, all the fibre and much of the vitamins have been removed.
By using unrefined flour and baking the bread in small batches, the bread can retain more of its nutritional value.
Eating bread that does not contain additives and preservatives, is much better for our digestive system.

Supporting the local economy

Buying bread from an independent bakery, rather than a global brand, means you are contributing to the growth of your local economy

Sustainability

Less waste - smaller bakeries caterer to demand, this produces less waste at the end of the day!
Buying locally reduces your carbon footprint
Small bakeries use less packaging and sometimes avoid packaging completely should the consumer wish.

The 'Real Bread' mark is the visible sign that your loaf adheres to being additive free, just real ingredients.

Celebrating Real Bread Week 2023 with Lasercutit

In celebration of Real Bread Week (18-26th February 2023) we collaborated with Wilmslow Kitchen Cookery School who run a bakery course to teach students how to bake the best loaf.

Once the students had prepared their dough, they had fun using a variety of our bakery stencils to decorate their breads. Below is our step by step guide to help you do the same!

Decorating your bread dough with a stencil at Wilmslow Kitchen Cookery School

Step 1.

Prepare the dough - the students created sourdough loafs and individual baguettes

Two students preparing the dough

Step 2.

Hold the stencil very still on top of the dough and dust a generous amount of cocoa or flour over the stencil. You could also sprinkle with chocolate powder, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, herbs or spices.

Student decorating bread with a leaf pattern using a stencil and flour