Rustic Bread

As usual time has gotten away from me writing on a regular basis. I missed September completely and just about missed October, which is my favorite month because of all the yummy treats that I get to create.
      Sorry readers, I have been going back to school to get my BS degree and its has its days where it sucks the life out of you and you wind up getting lost in it.

I found this bread recipe in a taste of home book. I make it plain but it calls for cranberries and oranges or cheddar cheese. I love bread. It that comfort food that is always best warm with butter.  Every time I find a new bread recipe I just have to try it out and see how it holds up. No pictures of this one. Seems as soon as I make it, its gone.

I did vary from the instructions, but the end result was still warm yummy delicious bread.

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup water about 75degrees
3 .5 cups of flour ( I used bread flour)
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cornmeal

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. I add just a pinch of sugar to feed the yeast. In a large bowl, mix 3.5 cups of flour and the salt together. Using a rubber spatula, mix the yeast mix into the flour mixture until smooth. Cover and let sit 1 hour. Do not knead.
Punch down dough, then turn out onto a floured surface, Pat into 9in square. Fold dough into thirds forming a rectangle 9x3. Fold rectangle into thirds again forming a 3 in square. turn dough over, place in greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down and repeat the process. Return dough to bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Line a pan with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal . Turn dough onto a floured surface. Gently knead 8 times and shape into  6 in round loaf. Place in prepared cookie line sheet  cover with plastic wrap and let rise until dough has expanded in size. about 1.25 hours.
Pre heat oven to 500 . Using a sharp knife, slice across the bread dough making grooves. Not very deep about 1/4 in deep. Bake on lowest rack about 25 min. Make sure you cover the dough tightly with tin foil.Then reduce oven heat to 450. Remove the tin foil and cook another 25-35 min. Until the outside is a deep golden brown.  remove to cool.

Now to add ingredients to it. Before kneading you want to add 4 oz of shredded cheddar or 4 oz of dried cranberries and 4 tsp of grated orange zest.

When I did this, I skipped half the steps. I let it rise the first time in the bowl, then the second time. Then I would shape it into a large baguette, and place it on the cornmeal sheet. When I was ready to cook it I transferred it to my oven cooking stone that was already heated. I set my oven at 450. for the entire time. I let the out side get a dark golden color.  I temped it out at 190 degrees.
Result came out a large puffed up baguette. Very good . Just simplified the steps for me. If you try it the way I wrote it, let me know how it comes out..


Happy Eating