EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy, Moderate, Complex
For 1 normal loaf of Country Bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup of any multi-grain mix
- 1/4 teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
- 1 5/8 cups of warm water
For 1 normal loaf of City Bread:
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
- 1 5/8 cups of warm water
For 1 larger loaf of Country Bread:
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup of any multi-grain mix
- 1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 1/4 cups of warm water
For 1 larger loaf of City Bread:
- 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 1/4 cups of warm water
For traditional baking:
Preheat oven to 425°
Method
- Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly.
- Add the water and stir until a wet dough forms.
- Continue stirring until the dough incorporates all the loose flour in the bowl, about 60 seconds in total.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest in a warm place for 18 hours.
- It will double in size, bubble and long gluten strands will form.
- Knock the dough down and form it into a baking pan. Rest the dough a second time.
- In 2 to 3 hours it will rise again and double in size once more.
- Bake 45 minutes in a preheated oven.
For baking in a covered pot:
- Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly.
- Add the water and stir until a wet dough forms.
- Continue stirring until the dough incorporates all the loose flour in the bowl, about 60 seconds in total.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and rest in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours.
- It will double in size, bubble and long gluten strands will form.
- Lightly flour your hands and the work surface then remove the dough from the bowl. Quickly form it into a ball.
- Thoroughly flour a cotton towel and rest the dough on it. Cover it with another floured cotton towel.
- You may also rest the dough on a non-stick ‘Silpat’ mat and cover it with just one towel.
- Rest the dough a second time.
- In 2 to 3 hours it will rise again and double in size once more.
- A half an hour or so before the dough is ready preheat your oven to 450° with a heavy covered pot in it.
- You may use cast-iron, steel, enamel or ceramic.
- When the dough has fully risen slide your hand under the towel and quickly invert the delicate dough into the hot pot.
- Shake the pot a bit to settle it then place the lid on the pot and start baking.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid then remove it and bake for 15 minutes more.