Our Daily Bread In A Crock - Weekly Make And Bake Rustic Bread

Total Time: 336 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 336 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 24 fluid ounces hand warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried fast rising yeast (or, 1 oz fresh yeast, added to a little warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar.)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 3/4 lbs unbleached bread flour (6 1/2 us cups)

Recipe

• 1 pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl - the water should be tepid or hand warm - not too hot, as it will kill the yeast.
• 2 add the yeast to the water and then the salt, mix well.
• 3 add all the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or a dough hook until all the ingredients are amalgamated - no need to over knead.
• 4 leave the bread dough in the mixing bowl and cover loosely - i use a shower cap to cover my dough! (that is not used as a shower cap anymore, i hasten to add!).
• 5 allow to prove for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• 6 the dough can now be stored in the fridge or you can use the dough to make a loaf of bread immediately.
• 7 if baking a loaf of bread now, pre-heat the oven and place a baking sheet or pizza tray in there. tear off a large ball, about the size of a small melon, and knead it for about 1 minute with floured hands and on a floured board, shape it as desired (rolls, boule, baguette or bannette) or place it in a greased and floured loaf tin. allow to prove and rise for a further 20 to 30 minutes. slash the surface with a sharp serrated knife if you wish, see photos. you can add a glaze or special finish at this point.
• 8 bake at 225c/450f for 30 minutes or until well risen, brown and the loaf sounds hollow when it is tapped on the underside. (if you wish, you can add a bowl of boiling water as soon as you put the bread into the oven – this steams and bakes the loaf to give a good chewy texture and keeps the inside moist.).
• 9 remove the bread when baked and cool on a cooling rack. serve warm with butter, cheese, jam, hams and cold cuts, or slice when cool for sandwiches. also wonderful when toasted the next day.
• 10 store the excess dough in the mixing bowl, loosely covered, in the fridge or somewhere cool until needed – this will keep for 2 weeks, but i find it has all gone by 7 to 10 days! this amount of dough will make between 4 and 5 loaves of bread, depending on the shape and amount of dough you use.