This week, I’ve been experimenting with quick-to-mix and easy bread recipes. I tried this recipe, and am happy with the results. Actually, I’ve made two of the loaves this recipe makes, with slightly different baking times, and both times had great results.
The recipe:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 3c. lukewarm water with 1.5T each kosher salt and yeast (1.5 packets). Just stir the yeast and salt into the water until mixed (not dissolved). Add the flour and stir until uniformly mixed. The dough will be pretty sticky.
Here’s how mine looked:
After mixing, put in the fridge if you’re not going to bake it right away. This will make the dough a little easier to work with, and you can chill it for anywhere from an hour to 14 days. This is great because the recipe makes 4 medium loaves, and we eat a loaf every 2-3 days. So the 1 mixing will last us for two weeks.
Once chilled, cut or tear off a large (grapefruit or a little larger)-sized hunk of dough. Note of caution: make sure you’ve floured your hands well! Shape the dough into a ball, folding the outer dough around the ball shape to the underside to create a smooth crust. You may have to just sprinkle the dough liberally with flour to accomplish this! Put this ball on your silpat or other floured surface, and let it sit for 40 minutes or so. In the meantime, with 20 minutes left before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 450, and make sure your baking stone or baking sheet is preheating with the oven. If you’d like to cook with steam, put water into your broiler pan and put it on the floor of the oven at this point too. After the oven has preheated for 20 minutes (whether it’s at 450 or not!), take a sharp knife, slice the top of the bread however you like, put the bread into the oven, close the oven door, and set your timer for 30 minutes.
Here’s how the dough ball looks.
After 30 minutes, the crust should be a beautiful golden color, done inside and out. An easy test as to whether bread is finished baking is to rap on it with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, you’re golden.
If you prefer a crustier bread, leave it in for 35 minutes. Baking it this long makes a great dinner bread. Not such a great sandwich bread. Delicious both ways, though!
Here’s the finished product!
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