Posted: Sunday 10 January, 2010
Now, bearing in mind that we've been at this smallholding lark for some years, it may come as some surprise that I made by first "proper" bread yesterday. I've made oatmeal bread before but this was "proper" bread with yeast and stuff!
It was a really easy recipe from Delia's big " learn to cook everything" book and it didn't need to be kneaded. I used half white and half wholemeal flour and it turned out rather nice with a lovely crust. I don't think it will keep (fat chance), though.
Next time, I'll use less salt - two teaspoons seems like a lot to me although it didn't taste salty. I reckon it cost about 60p plus electricity for the oven, but it wasn't very big, at elast not as big as a shop bought loaf, but it's more substantial and doesn't have the added flour improvers and stuff.
I intent for bread making to become part of my routine, certainly after we move.
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Judy
Friday 15 January, 2010 at 3:49am
I've been baking bread, off and on, for decades. Best bread ever is the one Mark Bittman wrote about in the New York Times several years ago. Great crust, fantastic oven spring, lovely texture. So simple.
3 cups bread flour
1 2/3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon instant rise / quick yeast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir all together in a large bowl, using a spatula for a slack, wet dough
Loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 18 hours
Turn dough out onto floured towel (definitely NOT terrycloth) Gently turn two ends towards each other, ditto with sides. Loosely recover with plastic wrap. Let sit 15 minutes. Turn over, top for bottom. Cover with plastic wrap, let sit for 2 hours.
Before 2 hours are up, turn oven on to preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 3 quart heavy enameled cast iron pot and lid in oven to pre-heat. I use Le Creuset.
When ready to bake, dust upper surface of dough with cornmeal. Turn into pot, cornmeal side down, replace lid, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove lid, bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack.
Attempt to wait long enough for it to cool before you start eating. Fabulous bread. If it lasts for 2 days (before all is devoured) it makes fantastic toast.
There are all sorts of variations - with some whole wheat flour, I developed a rye bread, with inclusions such as olive & rosemary - just search on No-Knead Bread.
Enjoy.
Judy