Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Art of Baking




OK I found this on line recipe for no knead crusty bread so I tried it - started it around 8 last night and finished baking at 5 pm today - easy and good was VERY crusty so I rubbed the loaf with butter which makes it softer try it both ways - I'm surprised how good it tasted and had a very nice texture See it done here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU
No Knead, Dutch Oven Bread1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting.
You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing

4 comments:

kazumiwannabe said...

It looks delicious. I love bread!
There's an award waiting for you on my blog if you want it!

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

YUUUUUUUMMMMMM! I'm a bread lover to the point of addiction! LOL I'll have to try your recipie! that looks sooooo yummy!
Glad you posted it!

Taunya Rosenquist said...

Yea-a-a-a I tried almost the same reciepe 2 weeks ago.. I let Xander make one and Josie the other! we used my cast iron deep fryer with lid and my stone chicken roaster with lid.. fun!

Taunya Rosenquist said...

Hey I Found a the same reciepe 2 weeks ago and let Xander make a whole wheat version and Josie the white version. we cooked it in the 500 degree oven in my cast iron deep pan and the other in my stone chicken roaster. fun!