gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.
LOAF PROOF After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough. Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center. Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball (see this page ), then shape as a French loaf by gently patting the dough into a rough rectangle then folding over and pressing the edges together to make a seam.
Sprinkle a baking sheet with the cornmeal and place the shaped dough, seam side down, on the sheet. Proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk. For a goodcombination of sourness and leavening, proof the loaf for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.
BAKING Just before baking, make diagonal slashes in the crust with a razor blade. Place the baking sheet with its shaped loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. Or transfer the loaf to a preheated baking stone in a 450°F (230°C) oven and bake for 40 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Whole Wheat Bread
This is a terrific basic whole wheat loaf with excellent texture and flavor
. MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof ( this page )
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (15 g) melted butter
1½ cups (210 g) whole wheat flour
2 cups (280 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
DOUGH PROOF Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, milk, and butter to the culture and mix well. Add the whole wheat flour and mix well. Add the all-purpose flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until smooth and satiny.
Or mix and knead all of the ingredients for a maximum of 25 minutes in a bread machine or other mixer (see this page ).
Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap (or leave in the machine pan, removed from the machine, securing the plastic wrap with a rubber band). During this time, the dough should double in size in the covered bowl, or rise to the top of the machine pan. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.
LOAF PROOF After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough. Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center. Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball (see this page ), then pat and pull into the loaf shape you desire.
Place the shaped loaf, seam side down, on a baking sheet or in a bread pan and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk or reaches nearly to the top of the bread pan. For a good combination of sourness and leavening, proof the loaf for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.
BAKING Place the pan with its shaped, proofed loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Date Bread
This recipe features sweet, dense dates in a loaf leavened by wild yeast. This is a heavy dough and cannot be hurried
. MAKES ONE 2-POUND (900 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof ( this page )
1 cup (240 ml) water
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup (150 g) chopped dates
1 cup (100 g) chopped nuts
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3½ cups (490 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
DOUGH PROOF Pour the culture into a mixing
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.
LOAF PROOF After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough. Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center. Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball (see this page ), then shape as a French loaf by gently patting the dough into a rough rectangle then folding over and pressing the edges together to make a seam.
Sprinkle a baking sheet with the cornmeal and place the shaped dough, seam side down, on the sheet. Proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk. For a goodcombination of sourness and leavening, proof the loaf for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.
BAKING Just before baking, make diagonal slashes in the crust with a razor blade. Place the baking sheet with its shaped loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. Or transfer the loaf to a preheated baking stone in a 450°F (230°C) oven and bake for 40 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Whole Wheat Bread
This is a terrific basic whole wheat loaf with excellent texture and flavor
. MAKES ONE 1½-POUND (680 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof ( this page )
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (15 g) melted butter
1½ cups (210 g) whole wheat flour
2 cups (280 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
DOUGH PROOF Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, milk, and butter to the culture and mix well. Add the whole wheat flour and mix well. Add the all-purpose flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until smooth and satiny.
Or mix and knead all of the ingredients for a maximum of 25 minutes in a bread machine or other mixer (see this page ).
Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap (or leave in the machine pan, removed from the machine, securing the plastic wrap with a rubber band). During this time, the dough should double in size in the covered bowl, or rise to the top of the machine pan. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.
LOAF PROOF After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough. Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center. Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball (see this page ), then pat and pull into the loaf shape you desire.
Place the shaped loaf, seam side down, on a baking sheet or in a bread pan and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk or reaches nearly to the top of the bread pan. For a good combination of sourness and leavening, proof the loaf for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.
BAKING Place the pan with its shaped, proofed loaf in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 70 minutes. When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Date Bread
This recipe features sweet, dense dates in a loaf leavened by wild yeast. This is a heavy dough and cannot be hurried
. MAKES ONE 2-POUND (900 G) LOAF
1 cup (240 ml) culture from the Culture Proof ( this page )
1 cup (240 ml) water
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup (150 g) chopped dates
1 cup (100 g) chopped nuts
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3½ cups (490 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
DOUGH PROOF Pour the culture into a mixing
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