I went to a class at Thanksgiving point that was fantastic. The class I took was bread in 5 minutes a day, everything I had known about bread making was thrown out the window. This recipe has no sugar or fat, you don't have to proof your yeast or knead you dough, or sift your flour. With this recipe you make enough dough for 4 1-pound loafs of bread and stick in the fridge in a big bowl for when you need it, for up to 2 weeks. The dough, as it sits in the fridge actually gets better, it takes on sourdough quality's. You can do so many things with the basic dough recipe, I make pizza a lot for lunch, it's super cheap and fast I pull out some dough roll it out on a pizza stone add my toppings and stick in the oven. I have also made hamburger buns, you can make cinnamon rolls, or bread sticks.
My photos don't look super fabulous, but I promise it's good!!
Here is the recipe for the basic white dough I also have a 100% whole wheat recipe, if anyone wants it. Here are some really great links for more recipes and a video clip about it.
Basic Master Recipe
Makes 4-1 pound loaves. This recipe can be doubled
3c. Lukewarm water
1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/2 Kosher salt or other coarse salt
6 1/2 c all purpose flour (don't use bread flour)
for a light wheat version substitute 1 c. whole wheat flour
1. Warm the water slightly, about 100 degrees. Warm water will rise the dough to the right point for storage in about 2 hours. You can use cold water and get the same results but your first rising will take 3-4 hours.
2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-qt. bowl or preferably, in a resealable, lidded (not airtight, just set the lid on top) plastic food container or food grade bucket. Don't worry about
getting it all to dissolve.
3. Mix in flour-KNEADING IS NOT NECESSARY! Add all the flour at once. measuring with a
scoop and sweep method. Mix with a wooden spoon, or kitchen aid mixer. If you are hand mixing and flour becomes to difficult to incorporate use very wet hands and press the mixture together, but DO NOT KNEAD. You're finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. This step is done in a matter of minutes, the dough will be wetand loose.
4. Allow to rise. cover with lid(not airtight) that fits well to the container you're using. I use a
Tupperware that's a bowl but don't put the lid on, I just use it as a cover. Allow the dough to
rise at room temp until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on the top), about 2 hours,
depending on the room temp and water temp. Longer rising times, up to about 5 hours, will harm the result. You can now use the dough at any time after this period. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and is easier to work with than dough at room temp. So, the first time you try it's best to refrigerate the dough overnight or at least 3 hours before shaping a loaf. Dough will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
5. On baking day! The gluten cloak, don't knead, just 'clock' and shape a loaf in 30-60 seconds
First prepare your baking stone(you need to use a baking stone) by sprinkling liberally with
cornmeal to prevent your loaf from sticking when you slide it into the oven. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1 pound piece of dough(about the size of a grapefruit) using a serrated knife. Hold the dough in your hands and add more flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides until smooth. The correctly shaped final product will be smooth and cohesive.
6. Rest the loaf and let it rise on the baking stone. Place the shaped loaf on the cornmeal covered stone. Allow the loaf to rest on the stone for about 40 minutes, uncovered(I cheat, with this step and only do about 10-30min) Depending on the age of the dough you may not see much rise, but more rising will occur during baking.
7. preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on bottom shelf.
You can preheat your stone, I found it didn't make a big difference for me.
8. Dust and slash you loaf. Dust the top liberally with flour, this allows the knife to pass through
without sticking. Slash a 1/4" tic tac toe or other marking into the top, using a serrated knife.
9. You are ready to bake, If you preheated your stone, with a quick forward jerking motion,
slide the loaf onto the preheated stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into broiler pan(this turns your oven into a steam oven, this makes the crispy yummy crust) Bake or 30 min
10. Store remaining dough in the refrigerator and use over the next 14 days. You will find that
even 1 day's storage will improve the flavor and texture of you bread. The dough can also be frozen in 1 pound portions in an airtight container and defroster overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.
For pizza- use a 1 pound piece of dough, you can add 1 tsp. Italian seasoning if desired. prepare your stone with cornmeal and roll out your dough add you toppings and bake for 20 min.
I would be happy to give a hands on lesson if anyone needs.
I found these recipes online and love to make the bread dip to go with my homemade bread. I like to eat if for lunch, it makes me feel like, for a moment I'm somewhere exotic , where I can buy great wine at the supermarket and the beach is close by. But then I wake up to reality and realize I'm in Utah where I can't even buy beer on Sunday's and I have two toddler's that just spilled on my carpet that was just professionally cleaned.
