craig's recipes

Home Made Artisinal Bread

This recipe and method makes a delicious bread in a boule shape. Everyone seems to like it. It requires almost no kneading, so it is easy to make, but takes some time because it must be allowed to rise for 12 to 18 hours or longer. The bread is baked inside a covered 8 quart pot, so you will need a pot with a lid that can safely be put into the oven.

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour

½ teaspoon instant yeast

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

Additional flour for dusting

¾ cup plain yogurt with active cultures

1 cup heavy cream, half and half, or milk

 

Preparing the Bread

In a large bowl, glass works best, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the yogurt and cream and stir together until blended and mixture forms a dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest and rise a minimum of 12 hours at room temperature. I ususlly just put the bowl on top of the refrigerator and leave it over night.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour, and flour your hands. Fold the dough over on itself a few times, then cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about fifteen minutes.

Knead the dough lightly, folding it over on itself a few more times, then dust well with flour. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for two hours.

About one and a half hours into this rising period put your eight quart pot and lid, not on the pot, into the oven to preheat. Heat the oven to 450° Farenheit.

When the dough is ready, using pot holders, take the pot out of the oven. I spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray, then heavily flour it to keep the bread from sticking. Dump the dough into the pot, put the cover on the pot and return to the oven. Bake the bread with the cover on the pot in the oven, for about 30 minutes.

Cool the bread on a wire rack. Brush off any excess flour that may be on the bread before serving.