Artisinal Bread - Master Dough Recipe

I've been on a bread kick lately. I can remember being a little boy and visiting my Grandma and she would seemingly whip up a couple of her famous white bread loaves to accompany her country style Sunday dinners, complete with home-canned catsup and jams. My first real job in a restaurant was doing dishes and scrubbing pots at a small family owned place in the town where I grew up. The head cook would prepare almost everything from scratch, including the rolls for the sandwiches as well as the dough for pizza and calzones. Well, my Grandma left this earth late last year and that little restaurant grew and they've lost their cook and their old methods. In fact, I can't really even stand to eat there anymore. It's a shame really.

I worked for a brief time at Great Harvest Bread, while I was in culinary school. I would wake at 3 am, and be in the kitchen making muffins and cookies by 3:45. They milled their own wheat flour and had local honey brought in by the 55 gallon drum. The breads I had and made there were amazing.

Anyway, I decided that I needed to tackle my kitchen weakness which is bread making. I wanted to be able to make the things I remembered from my past, in my own home kitchen for my family and friends. I've been to the local library and surfed countless websites looking for recipes and tips.

My loving wife bought me Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking for Christmas this year and after poking around in it, I found I would need a couple of things before I could begin working through the recipes. The book is based on the idea that one can make a large batch of high-moisture dough, letting it rise for a couple of hours and then refrigerating it for use as you need it. The author recommends putting the mixed up dough (no kneading is necessary) in a 6-8 qt container and letting it double in size. I didn't really have a suitable vessel for this, but after Googling a few sites, I found this item. I ordered it up, with a few other things I needed/wanted and after a day, yes a day, I got my package from FedEx.

Last night I mixed up the recipe below, and it was ready today. I portioned out a few "mini-boules" to be used as rolls for our grilled chicken sandwiches and they're simply amazing.

I can't say enough about this book and this first recipe. I'm equally excited about the rest of the recipes and can't wait to work my way through this book.

I only wished I wasn't such a sissy and I'd fired up my Big Green Egg for the baking. Ahhh, there is always room for improvement.

Ingredients

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Cornmeal for the pizza peel

And then, you know the drill. Mix with a spoon in a food-safe bucket, let it rise at room temperature for 2 to 5 hours, then into the fridge for up to two weeks. Tear off chunks, shape, rest, and bake as needed. And you all know you can decrease the yeast and the salt if you like it. Details in the book.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

Baking with Steam - Oven Spring

Steam bakingA really great loaf of rustic bread isn't complete without a really crispy dark crust. This provides loads of flavor and also a great texture difference between the inner moist crumb. I've read lots of cookbooks and stories by professional bakers about using steam in the baking process. I tried to replicate that by spritzing water in the oven and on the loaf prior to baking. Although it may have worked some, there is a new method that works MUCH better in my oven at home.

Dough slashed and ready to bakeI take 4 or 5 kitchen towels and soak them in hot water, roll them up and put them in a glass baking dish. Put about a 1/4" of hot water in the dish and microwave for about 8-10 minutes until the water is boiling. I do this at the end of the oven's 20 minute preheat to 450 degrees. Carefully slide the dish on the bottom rack of the oven for the last five minutes or so before I put the dough in the oven to bake.

Crusty loafThe steam output is far greater and lasts much longer than any other method I've tried, and the crust is very crisp and nicely browned. This is a simple step that will add a whole new element to your home baking!

Banana Banana Bread

Looked in the fruit bowl this morning and saw a few nanners that were past their prime, so I decided to throw together some banana bread. Paired with some fresh strawberries that are also in the fridge and some Greek yogurt, should make a nice summer dessert for tonight. Actually, I think I'll grill the banana bread so it's warm and serve with the berry compote. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
handful of walnuts (ok, big handful)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Bob Evans Cherry Bread - Copycat

Ingredients:

1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
2 cups Sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup Milk
1 cup Sifted all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
8 ounces Maraschino Cherries -- Drained, Chopped
2 tablespoons Butter -- Melted

Directions:

Add the sugar to eggs in mixing bowl; beat well. Mix in 2 c flour, adding alternately with the milk. Combine 1 c flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into batter. Add cherries and butter, mix well. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour.

Bread Machine Recipes

Recipes adapted for my bread machine.

Brioche

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (350 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1-ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold water
6 eggs
1 3/8 cups (2 3/4 sticks; 310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces

Directions:
Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer, as needed, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.

With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, 1 piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all the butter to be thoroughly mixed into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.

Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny, another 15 minutes. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually it will turn smooth and silky. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it; it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in 1 piece.

Put the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof (that is, grow and develop flavor) in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Ciabatta

Overnight starter

1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup cool water
1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

Dough

all of the starter (from above)
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil

1) To make the starter: Mix the starter ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Cover the starter and let it rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours. It will become bubbly.

2) Place all of the dough ingredients, including the starter, into the bowl of your mixer, and beat at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 7 minutes. The dough will be very smooth, soft, shiny, and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough ingredients in your bread machine using the dough cycle.

3) Transfer the dough to a greased bowl or other rising container, cover it, and let it rise for 2 hours, deflating it midway through. If you're using a bread machine, allow it to rise for an additional hour after the dough cycle has ended.

4) Lightly grease your work surface, and a half-sheet baking pan (18" x 13") or similar large baking sheet. Grease your hands, as well.

5) Very gently turn the dough out of the bowl onto your work surface; you don't want to deflate it. It'll lose a bit of volume, but don't actively punch it down.

6) Using a bowl scraper, bench knife, or your fingers, divide the dough in half. You should have two fat logs, each about 10" long x 4" wide.

7) Handling the dough gently, transfer each piece to the baking sheet, laying them down crosswise on the sheet. Position them about 2 1/2" from the edge of the pan, leaving about 4" between them.

8) Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes. Midway through, gently but firmly dimple the dough with your fingers, making fairly deep pockets. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

9) Spritz the risen loaves with lukewarm water. You'll see that the dimples have filled in somewhat, but haven't entirely disappeared.

10) Bake the loaves till they're golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Deli-style Rye

This recipe is super simple, and turned out just right. Make sure you let the initial mix of dough rise on the counter until it starts to fall, or your crumb will be a little too tight and the yeast will be retarded in the refridgerator before they can finish their job. The addition of the cornstarch wash adds a nice chewy, brown finish to the loaf.

Ingredients
3 c. (709 grams) water
1 1/2 T. (14.4 grams) instant yeast
1 1/2 T. (25 grams) salt
1 1/2 T. (15 grams) caraway seeds
1 cup (130 grams) rye flour
5 1/2 cups (771 grams) all-purpose flour.

1. Mix the yeast, salt, and caraway seeds with the water in a large mixing bowl.

2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients with a spoon or a stand mixer, using the dough hook.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest about two hours, or until the dough rises and starts to fall.

4. Refrigerate in a container (not airtight) and use within 14 days.

5. When ready to bake, cut off the amount you want to use (one pound will make a smallish loaf. Shape into whatever shape you want, and allow to rest and rise, 40 minutes to an hour, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

6. Preheat oven to 450, with baking stone placed on middle rack.

7. Paint the top crust with cornstarch (mix 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of water to make a paste; add 1/2 cup water, stir, and bring to boil). Make cuts into top of loaf with slashing knife, razor blade, or serrated bread knife.

8. Place baking pan on hot stone. For a better crust, either pour 1 cup boiling water into another baking sheet on another rack, or put about 1/2 cup ice cubes on preheated baking sheet or skillet on rack below the bread.

9. Bake about 35 minutes for one-pound loaf, longer for a larger loaf, and less for rolls.

10. Let cool on cooling rack before cutting.

-- adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

English Muffins

I loved these muffins! They were easy to make, had a light texture. Here's my combination of tips: I added a pinch of sugar to feed the yeast. I used 3 cups whole wheat and 2 cups unbleached white flour. After the first rising, I formed the dough into a log and cut 18 slices, dredged them in corn meal then placed on a sprayed cookie sheet. I pre-heated my oven to 100 degrees, turned it off and set the trays in there for 30 minutes. They rose beautifully! And here's the best time saving tip of all: I removed the trays, heated the oven to 375 degrees and baked the muffins on the same trays for 5 minutes on one side, then flipped and baked them another 5 minutes. They turned out perfect! Watch out though, the 18 slices made pretty big muffins. Mine were about 4.5 inches across, compared to 3 inches for store bought ones. If you want them small, make your log longer and cut into 24 pieces. I might do that next time. Remember to split your muffins open with a large fork! And here's a MUST DO: have one hot out of the oven with butter and a little cheese. Heaven!!

Ingredients

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/4 cup melted shortening
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast mixture, shortening and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.

3. Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or empty tuna can. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 1/2 hour.

4. Heat greased griddle. Cook muffins on griddle about 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. Keep baked muffins in a warm oven until all have been cooked. Allow to cool and place in plastic bags for storage. To use, split and toast. Great with orange butter, or cream cheese and jam.

Foccacia

Foccacia2 cups lukewarm water (85 to 95 degrees)
2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups unbleached bread flour
2 to 3 tsp salt
2 to 3 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp kosher or sea salt

Measure water into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast in the water and stir to dissolve. Stir in 2 cups of water and the salt and stir briskly until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix just until the dough pulls away from the bowl. It will be pretty tacky and sticky at this point.

Same day method:
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes. Proceed with shaping directions.

Overnight method:
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The dough will rise in the refrigerator and acquire flavor from the slower yeast action. Remove the dough 2 hours before shaping and let stand, covered in a warm place. The dough will rise for a second time. Proceed to the shaping instructions.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, oil a loaf pan, or spread dough onto baking sheet. Reduce oven to 400 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe came out of the book No Need to Knead : Handmade Italian Breads in 90 Minutes and so far it's been my favorite book on breadmaking. It's made me a far better baker, that's for sure.

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

Grandmother's Buttermilk CornbreadIngredients

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Hamburger Buns

This recipe makes 12 slightly larger than normal size hamburger buns. Divide batch into 8 or 10 if you're looking for really man-size sandwiches. Dough was perfect consistency, not too wet, or too stiff. Painting with water and egg yolk makes for a nice golden brown finish.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.

5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

Italian Feather Bread

[makes 2 loaves]

2 packages active dry yeast
1 T granulated sugar
1 c warm water [100° to 115° F, approximately]
1/3 c olive oil
3/4 c hot water
2 t salt
5 1/2 to 6 c AP flour

cornmeal or semolina flour

Stir the yeast, sugar and warm water together in the bowl of a stand mixer; let sit until yeast dissolves and starts to proof.

In the meantime, add the olive oil to the hot water and let cool to lukewarm. Add the salt, and combine with the yeast mixture. Stirring vigorously with the dough hook attachment, add the flour 1 c at a time, until the dough almost comes away from the sides of the bowl. [The dough will seem rather soft and sticky at this point.] Continue kneading the dough with the dough hook, adding a couple tablespoons of flour as you go along. Alternatively, you could turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead with your hands. Continue kneading until the dough has absorbed enough flour that it is easy to handle, about 2 to 4 minutes.

When the dough is soft and smooth, let rest for 5 or 6 minutes and then divide into two. Roll each half into a rectangle about 12? x 8?. Starting from the wide end, roll the rectangle up quite tightly, pinching the seams as you roll. Let the rolled loaves rise on a piece of parchment paper in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 50 to 60 minutes. Place a baking stone* on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 425° F while the bread proofs.

After the dough has doubled in bulk, sprinkle the baking stone with cornmeal or semolina flour [careful not to burn yourself!], place the loaves on top. Bake 40 minutes, or until the loaves are a rich, golden color and make a hollow sound when you tap the crust with your knuckles, top and bottom. Cool on a rack and slice when fresh.

*If you have no baking stone, butter one or two baking sheets well and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the just-rolled loaves on the sheets, and then let them rise until doubled in bulk. Bake the loaves on the sheet[s] on the middle rack, the same as you would with the stone.

This recipe is from the book: Beard On Bread

Italian Semolina Bread

Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking say "White, free-form loaves flavoured with semolina and sesame seeds are the fragrant products of southern Italy. Semolina is a high-protein wheat flour that gives loaves a sweetness, and an almost winey aroma. The flavour of the sesame seeds is inextricably linked to the semolina flavour (like caraway and rye). Be sure to use semolina flour that’s labelled ‘durum,’ other semolina flours won’t do as well this method."

Here's my adaptation of this recipe.

Ingredients:

3 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1 ½ tablespoons salt
3 cups durum flour
3 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Sesame seeds for top crust, approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons
Cornmeal for the pizza peel
Cornstarch wash (see below).

Cornstarch Wash

1. Using a fork, blend ½ teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount o water to form a paste.

2. Add ½ cup water and whisk with the fork. Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high. It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks; discard if it has an off smell.

Mixing and Storing the dough:

1. Mix the yeast and salt with the lukewarm water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Mix in the flours without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you’re not using a machine, you man need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.

On Baking Day

1. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece.

2. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

3. Elongate the ball to form an oval-shaped free-form loaf. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.

Twenty minutes before baking time

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.

2. Just before baking, paint the surface with cornstarch wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and slash the surface diagonally, using a serrated bread knife.

3. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustment in baking time.

Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

New York Style Pizza Dough

A basic "Big Apple" pizza dough recipe. This pizza dough is built for that signature thin-crust, "fold-able" slice New York is famous for.

Yields: 1 large or 2 small pizzas
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time:
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoon (1 package) instant dry active yeast
1 cup warm water (not hot!)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 cups bread flour, or as needed
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Add the water, yeast, sugar, and a 1/2 cup of the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir well and let sit for 20 minutes. It will get bubbly.

Add olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until it's together enough to turn out on to a lightly floured work surface to knead.

Knead for about 10 minutes, while adding more flour a little at a time, to produce a soft, elastic and slightly sticky dough. Do not add too much flour, just enough to keep it from sticking to the work surface as you knead.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Drizzle a few drops of oil and coat the top of dough to prevent the surface from becoming dry.

Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot for 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Punch down the dough and divide into 2 balls and place in large zip lock plastic bags and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to use, remove from fridge, and let the dough come up to room temperature before using.

Pita Bread

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in bowl of dough mixer and mix for 5 minutes. I turn oven on to 350 for one minute and put dough in bowl, in oven to rise for 1 hour.

2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle. Set aside on a lightly floured countertop. cover with a towel. Let pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.

3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place 2 or 3 pitas on a wire cake rack. Place cake rack directly on oven rack. Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas a softened, either cut in half or split top edge for half or whole pitas. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months.

Simple One Hour Homemade Bread

One hour bread: My youngest approves.Makes 2 loaves

5 1/4 cups white bread flour
2 – 4 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. (rounded) saf-instant yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. oil
2 cups hot water

1. Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Mix for 1 minute and then check the consistency of the dough. The dough should be very sticky. If it is too dry, add more water.

2. Mix for 5 minutes. (Do not add any more flour after the dough has finished mixing.)

3. Spray kneading surface with cooking spray and turn dough out onto surface. Knead dough briefly until it has a smooth even consistency (this will only take several turns of the dough to accomplish).

4. Divide dough into 2 pieces (or more if you wish to have smaller loaves) and shape loaves into desired shapes and place on greased baking sheets. Cover with a large dish towel and let rise for 25 minutes.

5. While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When loaves are ready to go into the oven, use a sharp knife (you can lightly spray your knife with cooking spray to prevent dragging) to make several slashes in the top. Make each cut about 1/4-inch deep at a 30 degree angle. Bake loaves for 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Soft Pretzel Roll

Soft pretzel rolls that you get at the ballpark or from a street vendor are easy to re-create at home. This recipe uses a basic dough that’s good to try your hand at if you’re a bread-making novice. And the trick to the malty flavor so key to a good pretzel? The dough takes a dip in a baking soda solution before going into the oven. Try these rolls on their own, dipped in our Sweet Hot Mustard, or toasted in a grilled cheese.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Vegetable oil
6 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Set aside to rest until mixture bubbles, about 5 minutes. (If the mixture does not bubble, either the liquid was not at the correct temperature or the yeast is old.)

2. Place flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk briefly to break up any lumps and combine. Once yeast is ready, fit the bowl on the mixer, attach a dough hook, and dump in flour mixture. Mix on the lowest setting until dough comes together, then increase to medium speed and mix until dough is elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.

3. Form dough into a ball, place in a large oiled mixing bowl, and turn dough to coat in oil. Cover with a clean, damp dishtowel, and let rest in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 30 to 35 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, coat paper with vegetable oil, and set aside.

4. Once dough has risen, punch it down and knead it on a floured, dry surface just until it becomes smooth and springs back when poked, about 1 minute. Divide dough into 8 pieces and form into oblong rolls. Place rolls on the baking sheet and cut 4 (2-inch) diagonal slashes across the top of each. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in volume, about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F and bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.

5. Once rolls have risen, stir baking soda into boiling water (water will foam up slightly). Boil two or three rolls for 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, remove rolls, drain, and place on the baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle well with salt, and repeat with remaining rolls.

6. Once all rolls are ready, place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Sourdough Bread - Panera

Dough

3/4 cup (6 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
3/4 teaspoon (0.1 ounce) fresh yeast
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) Sourdough Starter
1 1/2 cups (7.3 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (6 ounces) whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounce) salt

Sourdough Starter, Stage 1

1 cup (8.375 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
1/2 teaspoon (0.07 ounce) fresh yeast
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
1 1/2 cups (12.33 ounces) plain yogurt
2 cups (9.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (2 ounces) semolina flour
1 cup (2.5 ounces) unwashed medium red grapes

Sourdough Starter, Stage 2

all Stage 1 starter
2 cups (9.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (4.875 ounces) semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon (0.07 ounce) fresh yeast
2 cups (16 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)

For the Sourdough Bread, combine the warm water and fresh yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the Sourdough Starter, flours and salt. (NOTE: If refrigerated, bring Sourdough Starter to room temperature before using.) Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. Roll the dough into a smooth ball and place in a medium mixing bowl lightly brushed with olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 16 hours. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form into loaves. Places the loaves on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Proof the loaves at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Continue proofing the loaves at room temperature for 1 hour.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200°.

Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.

Note: For more intense sour flavor, extend the refrigeration time of the dough an additional 6 to 8 hours.

For the Sourdough Starter, Stage 1: Combine the warm water and fresh yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the buttermilk, plain yogurt, all-purpose flour and semolina flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Wrap the unwashed red grapes securely in a clean cheesecloth or small kitchen cloth and submerge the cloth in the mixture. Ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.

Stage 2: Carefully remove the cloth with the grapes from the mixture, using a spatula to scrape any remaining starter off the cloth and back into the bowl. Squeeze the cloth containing the grapes over the bowl, capturing the juice in the bowl. Discard the cloth and the grapes, and stir the starter until the grape juice is fully incorporated. Add the all-purpose flour and semolina flour to the starter. In a separate bowl, add the yeast to the warm water, stirring until the yeast is fully dissolved, then add this mixture to the starter. Mix the starter until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Ferment at room temperature for 4 hours before using, or cover and place in the refrigerator for future use.

makes 2 loaves

Three Cheese Bread

Starter

1 cup (8.375 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
2 teaspoons (0.25 ounces) fresh yeast
1 cup (4.875 ounces) all-purpose flour

Dough
3/4 cup (5.75 ounces) warm water (95-105° F)
3 tablespoons (2 ounces) honey
4 teaspoons (0.5 ounces) fresh yeast
1/4 cup plus one teaspoon (2 ounces) vegetable shortening
4 3/4 cups (23 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounces) salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Romano cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) 1/2-inch cubes Asiago cheese starter (recipe follows)

To create the starter, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.

For the dough, combine the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, cheeses and fermented starter. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Form the dough into loaves, cover with a warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200° F.

Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.

makes 2 loaves