Grate the cooked beetroots then blend to a puree using a stick/immersion blender or food processor: a rough puree will give you flecks of beetroot in the finished bread, a smooth one will not.

Put 250 ml of the measured milk in a jug along with the lemon juice then stir in the beetroot puree.

Put the bread flour, salt, and instant yeast into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Pour in the contents of the jug and start stirring with a silicone spoon to bring the ingredients together. Add more of the remaining measured milk as necessary to create a wettish but not sloppy dough, stirring well so there are no dry bits of flour.

Tip: it's important not to let the dough get too wet as the beetroot is likely to release more liquid.

Cover the dough and leave to ferment at room temperature overnight or 12 - 14 hours.

Tip: the natural sugars in beetroot can cause the dough to ferment more quickly, especially if the room is warm. If necessary, you can do the ferment in the fridge. Allow it to come back to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

The dough should have risen, spread out and be very bubbly. If not, leave a little longer.

Dust your work surface, ideally covered with a silicone mat, with bread flour and use a dough scraper to transfer the dough onto it. Fold over itself several times until smooth: add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Cover the dough with the upturned bowl and leave to rest for 5 - 10 minutes.

To help create structure: stretch and fold the dough by lifting up the top edge (think of it as 'north') then folding it into the middle. Repeat with the 'east', 'south' and 'west' sides.

Repeat the process twice more to get a plump piece of dough.

Tip: if the dough still seems wet or sticky, add more flour as you fold but ensure it's well incorporated.

Sprinkle a generous amount of flour inside a lined proving basket or tea towel-lined bowl.

Fold the dough again, this time shaping it to fit your proving vessel. Sprinkle flour all over the top, spreading it with your hand, then put it in the vessel with the rounded side facing DOWN. Dust the side now facing up with more flour.

Place in a large reusable polythene bag or cover it and leave in a warm place for approximately 30 - 45 minutes.

While it's proving: preheat your oven to 240°C / 220° Fan / Gas 9 / 475° F and put a lidded cast iron pot or Dutch oven on the middle shelf.

Check if the dough is ready to bake: gently insert a finger into the dough and see if the dough quickly or slowly springs back.

- If the dough springs back slowly and leaves an impression, it's ready.

- If it springs back immediately and doesn't leave an impression then prove another 5 - 10 minutes and check again.

When ready to bake, remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid.

Carefully flip the dough into the pot so the rounded side is now facing UP.

Use a sharp knife, razor blade or baker's lame to cut a slash down the length of the dough.

Put the lid on the pot, place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

After 35 minutes, reduce the heat to 220° C / 200° Fan / Gas 7 / 425°F.

Remove the pot from the oven, tip the bread out of it, then return the loaf to sit directly on the oven shelf.

Bake for a further 10 - 15 minutes or until the bread is cooked through: it should sound hollow when tapped underneath.

Place on a wire rack until completely cold before slicing.

Best eaten within 3 days or can be frozen.

Tip: slice before freezing so you can take out as much as you need without waste.