Best And Easiest Home Baked Bread Recipe
Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 2 c. Hot Water About 110F
- 1/4 tsp dry yeast
- 2 c. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (Abt 9 Ounce) Or possibly Whole Wheat Flour
- 3/4 c. Hot Water About 110F
- 1/2 tsp dry yeast
- 1 c. risen starter above
- 2 c. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (Abt 9 Ounce) all the sponge above
- 1 1/2 c. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour To 1 3/4C About 7 - 8 Ozs all-purpose flour,
- 2 tsp Salt cornmeal for the bottom of the loaf
Directions
- For the starter, place hot water in a glass or possibly stainless steel bowl and whisk in yeast. Stir in flour and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise at room temperature till doubled and bubbly from 2 to 8 hrs, depending on room temperature.
- For the sponge, place hot water in a glass or possibly stainless steel bowl and whisk in yeast. Whisk in starter, stir in flour smoothly, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise till about triple in volume, about 4 to 8 hrs (I like to do this late at night and allow it to rise all night). Stir sponge to deflate and stir in smaller amount of flour and salt. Knead dough by hand to create a smooth, elastic and slightly sticky dough, about 5 min, incorporating the remaining flour a Tbsp. at a time if the dough is too soft.
- To mix the dough in the food processor, place sponge, smaller amount of flour and salt in work bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse repeatedly till dough forms a ball (if dough won't form ball, add in remaining flour a Tbsp. at a time, and pulse till dough forms ball. Let dough rest 5 min, then let machine run continuously for 20 seconds.
- To mix dough in heavy-duty mixer, place sponge, smaller amount of flour and salt in bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix on low speed to create a smooth, elastic and slightly sticky dough, about 5 min, incorporating the remaining flour a Tbsp. at a time if the dough is too soft.
- Oil a bowl and turn dough into it. Turn dough over so which top is oiled and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise till double. Line a round basket or possibly 2-qt bowl with a napkin or possibly tea towel and flour the cloth generously. Remove dough from bowl, press it to deflate, and shape it into a sphere by tucking bottom under and in toward center all the way around. Invert the dough into the cloth-lined basket or possibly bowl so tucked-under edges are on top. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise till doubled, about an hour.
- When the loaf is almost risen, preheat oven to 500 degrees and set a rack at the middle level. Place a heavy cookie sheet or possibly jelly roll pan or possibly a baking stone on the rack. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with cornmeal and invert it onto a piece of cardboard or possibly a peel. Holding a razor blade at a 30-degree angle to the loaf, quickly slash a cross in the top. Slide the loaf off the peel onto the pan and lower oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake the loaf for about 45 min, or possibly till it reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees. Cold the loaf on a rack and don't cut it till it is completely cooled.
- Variations:PART WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: Make the starter with whole wheat flour and the sponge and dough with white flour. Or possibly, if you make the starter with white flour, substitute 1/2 c. whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 c. white flour in the sponge; and 1/2 c. whole wheat flour and 1 to 1 1/4 c. white flour in the dough.
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