Artisan Bread

I made two good size loaves... and one of them is pretty much gone. Here it is complete with probably too many pictures. Best of luck, and let me know how it works out for you.

Artisan Bread

Start out with about three cups of very warm water. You want it about 90 degrees. Pour it into a medium or large bowl. I like to use ceramic bowls, it keeps the warmth in well but you can use whatever you have and it will work. Immediately add 4 Tbsp of active dry yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set it in a warm place. I turn my oven onto 400 degrees and set my bowl onto the stove top, but make sure your stove top doesn't get too hot(if it hurts to touch it, it too hot).


Let it stand for about five minutes until the yeast starts to foam a little and has a strong smell. Add 4 cups of all purpose flour and wisk together. If should be about the consistancy of cake batter. Cover bake up and let stand again until it almost doubles in size.

Remove cover and add three more cups of flour, you can combine this with a wooden spoon, or just go ahead and get dirty and use your hands. Once it is mostly combined empty the dough onto a floured cutting board or counter top. Fold the dough over until it is no longer sticky. Depending on where you live(humidity) you may need to slowly add more flour.

Cover and let rise about ten minutes. Cut the dough into two even pieces. If you have a loaf pan you can place your dough into two pans. If like me you are too cheap to go out and buy loaf pans, you can form your own loaves. This is where the creative part comes in. You can either make these into rounds, long french loaves or you can go crazy and braid the dough. Place your loaves onto a large greased sheet tray. If you want to make it look nifty take a very sharp knife and and make a few cuts along the top of your loaves, you'll see why it's cool after it's proofed.

Cover your loaves let them raise for 10 minutes and then place them in a preheated 400 degree oven. If you like your bread soft, just let in bake for thirty minutes. If you like your bread crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside bake for thirty minutes, but using a spray bottle spray about five squirts of water into the oven every ten minutes or so. Remove from oven and immediately take off of the sheet pan and place on a cooling rack or cutting board. Don't bother waiting til it cools to eat it. It's really really good hot. Let me know what you think.