I’m like the little red hen. Who will help me bake my bread? Thankfully, I’m hooked on making easy bread from Artisan Bread In 5 minutes and it helps me. I also have one to give away in my freezer cooking class beginning tomorrow at BBC.
I simply mix up the ingredients in a plastic shoe box and let it sit out for 2 hours (no kneading, just stirring, no kidding). Then I stick it in my fridge and wait until the urge hits me.
Oh, the urge hit me 2 days later, which is today, aren’t they calling for snow and ice? I’ve got my vegetable soup in the crockpot and I’m making 2 loaves of Artisan bread to take a Cubscout potluck tonight.
I always use my favorite white whole wheat flour.
Remember it sat in my fridge for 2 days (it has a week shelf life). I pinched off two grapefruit size pieces, smoothed it somewhat by turning the folds under the loaf. Then I stuck it on my baking stone dusted with cornmeal.
It sits out for an hour and half or more. Then I slash it three times with a sharp knife and bake it. I baked mine at 3 p.m.for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.
And this is what it looks like on the cooling rack. Yummy, healthy whole wheat bread.
Here’s the dough recipe. 100% whole wheat bread with olive oil
7 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast or 2 packets
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten (you need this for the rise when you use ww flour, you can find it in the specialty flour section of Ingles)
3 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup olive oil
This makes at least four 1- pound loaves. Bake for 30 minutes at 450. See the specifics above.
I’m trying this dough with meatball calzones tomorrow. Join me, okay?
