Artisan Bread

While looking into recipes online one day, I came across a review of a book "Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes A Day." On the author's site they give some of their basic recipes so I know it is fine to share. I was really skeptical at first, if it would even work. I am an avid bread machine user and like it, but I have tried this method more than once and I love the result of the breads.

I have make different varieties and they turn out really nice. I feel it is worth mentioning here because for the small amount of ingredients you put in, you get out so much out. It works out great and more importantly cheap.

The idea is to take basic bread ingredients, mix them up in a bucket, and have them waiting in the fridge (raw) and ready for when you need bread. For up to two weeks. You will need a bucket, yes a bucket with a lid, is in fact the most important part. it does not have to be fancy, but perhaps something you have or can get at the home improvement store. Mine is from the Chinese market and had tofu in it. It probably holds about a gallon of water.

The basic bread dough recipe (AKA Master Bread) makes 4 loaves.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 3 cups luke-warm water
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• 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions

Add all ingredients to your bucket and stir until all the dry lumps are gone and that is it.

NO KNEADING! I love it! You cover your bucket but leave it cracked to let gas escape. Then put it on your counter for two hours. This allows the dough to double in size. After two hours you put the whole thing in the refrigerator and you can use it up to two weeks. The longer it sits the more it takes on sourdough qualities.

When you bake it, you do at 450 degrees F and you use some kind of stone pan or cast iron sheet (that's what I use). There have been reports of people cracking their pizza stones so take caution. Also you want a cookie sheet in the base of the oven for which you take 1/2 cup of water and pour it in after you put the dough in the oven and close the door. It should be the last thing you do. This crisps the outer crust giving it that true artisan quality.

The first time I made it, I immediately did the typical bread that this author is doing in his videos, the round loaf. It turns out that the longer you let it sit, the larger the air holes inside will be. I recommend around 30-40 minutes of rest on a bed of cornmeal and then in the 450 degree F oven, dump the 1/2 cup of water on the cookie sheet, and close the door fast so the steam does its magic.

After the first delicious and simple loaf, I made 8 rolls, 1 Italian loaf with sesame seeds, and cinnamon buns. All from the same bucket. It lasted two days in my house. Now that I have been doing it for a few months it last longer.

The only last thing I can say about this very fun recipe is, watch his videos and learn how he takes out the dough because its very wet and you need to use additional flour to pull the dough out of the bucket and form it into a ball. if you are fast and have worked with dough before you will take to it like nothing.

I suggest his site anyway for other great master recipes for desert doughs or healthy and organic doughs. These are very pricey breads at the store now made for nearly nothing and in a few minutes. I hardly buy rolls anymore if I need them for dinner I let them rise for a couple minutes while I'm cooking, and they are great. Oh, and you can use it for pizza dough too! Enjoy.

Source: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com

By Gina from Collegeville, PA