artisan bread

This recipe is from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day except that I altered it a little.  It has been such a find for me as I've been baking bread for years but often wished for the convenience and taste of fresh out of the oven crusty bread for dinner.  When I bake once a week, then we don't get fresh bread all the time.  Doing it this way, I can have fresh warm bread anytime we want.  Here's how you do it:

1.  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl or lidded container.  Let sit on the counter for two hours.

2.  Pinch off approximately one pound of dough.  If you're not sure how much a pound is, think small crusty round of sourdough that you'd buy from the bakery.

3. Roll generously in flour and slit the top criss-cross (or any other pattern you'd like)  about a 1/4 in deep with a sharp or serrated knife.

4.  Let this loaf rest on the counter for 40 minutes if you've just pulled it out of the fridge.  You can skip this step if you just let your dough rest for the first two hours.

5.  Slide dough onto pre-heated baking stone, if you have it.  If not (and I actually liked the results of this method better) bake it on parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet.  Mine was a round pizza sheet.

6.  Pour one cup of hot tap water onto a pre-heated baking sheet in the bottom rack of your oven.  Quickly close the oven door to trap the steam.

7.  Bake at 450* for 25-35 minutes.  It should be a nice dark brown.  Mine always starts to smoke just as it is done. (like the flour starts to smoke on the outside of the loaf...)

8.  It's best if you let it rest and cool before cutting into it.  If you have the will to wait.  It's great with balsamic vinegar and oil, or just a pat of butter!

9.  Call them for dinner...

and listen to them humm. 



my recipe adapted from Aritsan Bread in 5 Min. a Day

6 cups of warm water

3 tbsp yeast

3 tbsp coarse salt

7 cups whole wheat flour- fresh ground is best if you can grind it (you can do this all whole wheat but I'd do half milk instead of all water and add some olive oil- probably about a half cup) 

6 cups white flour  (or all white if you prefer)

1/3 cup of honey  (this helps the texture with the whole wheat flour as well as the flavor)