Between vampire and zombie books I’ve been squeezing in more artisan-style bread cookbooks, learning why most people give up when they learn that the 12-step program refers to bread making!
Previous dough rose in the refrigerator at least overnight. I also used a pan of water in the oven to create steam and baked on a hot pizza stone. Very pleased with the results, but wanted to try something a trifle different. Made the same basic dough (which I’ve been using for English muffins a lot!) but left it out on the counter over night, didn’t refrigerate it. I dumped the entire container on a floured board and very lightly kneaded it to basically just form a nice round loaf shape; then I lightly floured the top and covered with a slightly damp towel (not terry ’cause gross things will stick). Left it for a few hours to rise again. About 30 minutes before baking, I turned the oven to 500º and put a clean Dutch oven on a rack about 1/3 from the bottom.
Told you cast iron rocks! Flopped the loaf in the pot, scored the top to allow steam to escape, the put the lid back on and put in the oven, reducing the heat to 450º. After about 20 minutes, I checked and the top was all pale and shiny, which is just what it was supposed to look like (gah). Bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, until it’s a nice dark brown and you’ll end up with a loaf that looks like this.
The taste is incredible: PITA has already had two slices and DH, after first asking why I’d make such a large loaf of bread, has already finished his first slice with more to come.
Next time (and there will be one), I’ll “try” to wait a little longer before taking it out of the oven, so the crust is even darker.
I was digging for your bread recipes yesterday! I am so excited to try some! I need to buy different flour, but I picked up the book from the library. So excited!
I wouldn’t buy any special bread flour – I mean that’s part of what causes us all to think it’s some kind of major deal. Think about it: People have been baking bread for thousands of years, right? Did they have access to special bread flours or even yeast? Nah. Next step will be making my own leaven (google it). Good luck – send photos, please!
I only briefly looked at the recipe book, the same Artisan one you had. It said ‘unbleached’ flour. It said it made a difference. I saw you had unbleached in yours too. And being the cheap glitch myself, I only have bleached. I USUALLY try to make a recipe close to directions first round, but we aren’t afraid of much over here! I am off to Meijer’s for an afternoon of robbing them, so photos soon! Promise!
I picked up 8 bags of EE bleached flour by mistake and have been using that (got the unbleached ones afterward). I have seen no difference in anything, frankly. I think they’re talking about nutrition or something ’cause I would definitely start with what you have. Heck, I’m using yeast that years old! It was vacuum sealed, and now it’s in a zip in the freezer and I use twice as much and it works fine.
LMAO! I did get some unbleached, but will bear that in mind. BTW, I just grabbed almost $80 of the Purina One Beyond from Meijer’s FRRRRREEEEE! (The Purina $5.15 off with 3 computers and Target $1 off, then an mperks that took $10 off $60. Well… It wasn’t free, sorry. I paid $10, but got $10 on my next order from Purina!) Fantastic! And I think the mperk expires today and you don’t have the sale going on your side of the Lake yet, so I didn’t mention it… well, other than bragging rights. 🙂
YUM. Looks SO delicious.
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