Homemade Artisan Bread
Ingredients:
- 6 cups warm water
- 3 Tbsp yeast
- 3 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 13 cups unbleached flour (you can use any all purpose flour, I just like my unbleached)
1. In a large bowl or mixer bowl (I use my kitchen aid mixer, makes mixing easier), combine water, yeast, and salt. Mix until combined.
2. Add in flour and mix until well combined. Dough will be a little sticky.
3. Now if you hand stirred it, then just cover and let rise for 2 hours. If you used a mixer, transfer to a large bowl, cover, and let rise for 2 hours at room temperature. Dough should double in size.
4. Cut off a grapefruit sized piece of dough. You want to pull all sides, one at a time, to the bottom to form a ball. Flour hands if dough is sticking to them. Don't worry about making the bottom of the loaf look smooth.
5. Set "loaf" pieces on an un-greased baking sheet or pizza stone (whatever you're going to bake it on), and let it rise for 40 min more.
6. While loaf is rising, you want to pre-heat the oven to 450 deg. During the last 20 minutes of rising, put a pan with 2 cups of water on the bottom rack of the oven.
7. When loaf or loaves are done rising, sprinkle a little flour on top. Using a serrated knife, cut an X in the top of each loaf.
8. When loaf, or loaves, are done rising you want to make sure no one is
around because this step is quick. You have to open the oven door and
quickly put the loaf or loaves in the oven without letting much steam
escape. The steam helps bake the bread.
9. Bake bread for 30-40 minutes or until crust is browned and hardened.
10. Remove from oven. If using right away, allow to cool before cutting so essential moisture isn't released.
11. If you are going to package it up, I put each loaf in a gallon ziploc bag after they have completely cooled and then throw them in the deep freezer.
You don't have to make up all the dough at once. If you want to just have it with dinners, then after the initial 2 hour rising cover the dough and put it in the fridge. When you want to use it, follow steps 5-10. It is good in the freezer for up to 14 days. We mostly use it for french toast once a week so I bake it up all at once and then I don't have to worry about it.
Happy Baking!!
Amanda
p.s. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for January's menu and a surprise!!
