Place the cake flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt and thyme to one side and the caster sugar to the other. Add the yeast to the side with the sugar. Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Heat the milk until warm to the touch. Pour into the dry ingredients in the mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. With the dough hook on medium speed, add the eggs one by one until each is incorporated and mix for 10 minutes.

Gradually add the softened butter, a few cubes at a time, until combined. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and place a tea towel over the bowl. Proof for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Transfer to the fridge and proof for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C Conventional / 160°C Fan / Gas Mark 6. Grease a Le Creuset 23cm Cast Iron Loaf Pan.

Remove the bowl from the fridge and lightly dust your work surface with flour. Tip the dough out onto the surface and lightly knock it back. Weigh out 8 balls of dough to roughly 120g each. Use a knife or dough scraper to cut. Shape into neat, tight balls by cupping your hand and rolling the balls on the surface. Place them into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a tea towel and prove for another 30 minutes.

To make the egg wash, beat the egg with a fork, add a splash of milk, and brush the dough. Sprinkle a little extra smoked salt and picked thyme. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Best served warm with salted butter.