Pour water for the starter into the bread machine pan. Sprinkle over the flour, covering the water, and add the yeast. Set bread machine to dough setting and mix for 5 minutes. Switch machine off. Leave the starter in the machine overnight or for 12-15 hours until dough has risen and is starting to collapse.

Add water, milk and oil for dough on top of starter. Sprinkle over the flour and flour improver completely covering the water. Add salt, sugar and yeast. Run machine on dough setting. When cycle has finished, transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for about an hour until tripled in size. Grease and sprinkle 2 baking sheets with flour.

Using a spoon or dough scraper, divide the dough into 2 portions. Carefully tip 1 portion onto each baking sheet without knocking the air out of the dough. Using well floured hands, shape both lots of dough into a rectangular loaf about 2.5cm thick. Leave in a warm place for 20-30 minutes to rise. Preheat oven to 220 °C.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until both loaves have risen and are a light golden colour. Turn onto wire rack to cool.