This is another one of the recipes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I have to say, I have been having trouble with some of the recipes I’ve been trying recently. However, I had no problems with this recipe. The dough was the right consistency and there were no problems getting the dough to rise.
I used the first bit of dough for Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Pizza with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Spinach last night (which was fantastic, by the way). This afternoon after Sis got home from a run she decided to forgo her favorite bread she brought back from her recent trip to Whistler, to try a slice of this bread.
ingredients.
- 3 c. lukewarm water
- 1 ½ T. instant yeast
- 1 ½ T. Kosher salt
- 1 c. whole wheat bread flour
- 5 ½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
directions.
- Mix the yeast, salt and water in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the flour using a spoon, food processor with dough attachment, or heavy-duty stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately two hours.
- The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise or refrigerated in a lidded container and used within 14 days.
- When you’re ready to bake, dust the surface of the dough with flour and cut off a hunk of dough approximately the size of large orange or grapefruit. Dust the chunk of dough with flour and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the dough a quarter of a turn. Allow to rest and rise on a piece of parchment paper dusted with whole wheat flour for 40 to 60 minutes.
- Place a baking stone on the top rack (in the middle of the oven) and an empty broiling pan on the rack below the stone. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Just before baking sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and slash a cross, scallop or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top using a serrated bread knife.
- Set the bread on the hot baking stone and quickly pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiling pan beneath the stone. Close the oven door as quick as possible. Bake for about 35 minutes, until deeply browned and firm.
- Cool on a wire rack (to avoid a soggy bottom) before cutting or eating.
Here’s Sis’s verdict on this recipe:
It tastes just like bread.
What she meant was, it didn’t taste at all wheat-y. It had a slightly crusty crust with a pillowy soft inside. And, she was right. It tastes just like homemade non-wheat bread.
Recipe rating:
Food Snob 