how i make bread

a fresh loaf of bread is a pleasure to have, especially when shared with others. this recipe makes two somewhat small sized boules, each one being the perfect size to share over a meal. the thick crust means they'll keep well before being sliced, at least a week.

for those who are feeling adventurous, try using sourdough starter instead of a simple preferment; or replacing some of the bread flour with whole wheat instead.

A freshly baked loaf of bread

INGREDIENTS:

preferment:

  • 150g water
  • 150g bread flour
  • a pinch of yeast

dough:

  • 250g warm water (about 30°C/80°F)
  • 2g (about 1tsp.) yeast
  • 450g bread flour
  • 12g salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. mix water, flour, and yeast until it forms a thick paste, and let ferment at room temperature in a covered container for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.1
  2. in a stand mixer, combine water, yeast, and preferment.2
  3. in a second bowl, combine the flour and salt.3
  4. add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and let knead until everything is fully combined. remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with a dish towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  5. perform a strength building fold4 on the dough. cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.
  6. repeat the strength building fold again, then cover and let rise for 60 minutes.
  7. with moist hands, remove the dough from the stand mixer bowl and transfer it to a floured work surface. divide into two equally sized balls, and shape them into boules.5
  8. put a towel into each of your bowls, and dust them with flour. place each ball into a bowl on top of the floured towel, dust a bit more flour on top, and tuck the sides of the towel loosely over top. let rise for another 60 minutes.
  9. while the dough is rising, put a large stoneware or cast iron pan6 into your oven to preheat at 250°C/480°F.
  10. remove the pan from the oven, and dust it with cornmeal or semolina. place the boules onto the pan, and score the tops. bake for 25 minutes, or until they reach a golden-brown color.
  11. immediately transfer the boules to a wire rack, and let cool fully before slicing.

1. i use a deli-style container with a towel held over the top by a rubber band; it should be able to breathe, but not have anything get into it. you can also let it ferment in the fridge for up to a week if you wish.

2. you can knead everything by hand if you want, but i use a stand mixer. also, don't worry if the preferment kinda stays a slimy blob in there, as it will all mix together when you add the dry ingredients.

3. i use this bowl again later to rise one of the boules in, so i use a big one. i also reuse the stand mixer bowl as my second bowl.

4. with moist hands, grab the blob at one edge, and fold it back over the top. repeat this process a few times around the perimeter, until the dough feels tight and no longer stretches easily.

5. pull the top side of the dough ball tight tucking the slack down under the bottom, spinning it around a bit as you go. only the top side is visible when you're done, so you don't need to worry about the bottom looking perfect.

6. any pan that can fit the boules and has a good thermal mass will work, even something like a dutch oven or pizza stone. if you can't fit both boules on a single pan, you can always use two pans. a steel pan can also work, but you probably won't get as much oven spring.