We are experiencing unusually hot weather here in the midwest. It’s unusual because we have been having a pretty cold summer in general. It’s only the last couple of weeks that have been sweltering! So, while nursing my air conditioner along, the expectation of the next season quickens my baking pulse. I begin to dream of hot crusty loaves of fresh baked bread, fresh from the oven, the scent wafting through my house on the wings of cool fall breezes. (I hope they arrive soon!)
Quality of flour is extremely important when making bread, instinctual or not. I prefer King Arthur flours, specifically whole wheat and white. In my opinion, this brand offers consistent results and a fine taste.
Yeast is another important ingredient-avoid rapid rise, instead opting for the regular active dry yeast found in little foil packets in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. I think regular active dry yeast is more predictable.
Filtered water is important to your creation, as is salt-I prefer sea salt ground in a mortar and pestle or food processor till it is of a fine grain.
A good olive oil is also an essential-buy the best you can afford, but keep in mind that some extra-virgin olive oils have a very pronounced taste that will come through in your finished product. I usually stick with the mild tasting variety which I use almost everyday in my kitchen.
After these basic ingredients, the possibilities are endless. You can add chopped garlic, herbs, or you could go sweet, adding molasses, honey, or cinnamon.
To make your basic dough, the easiest way is to employ the use of a good stand mixer-I have used my Kitchen-Aid mixer for years, (fondly dubbed the ‘mama mixer’ by my daughter) with the hook attachment. It is possible to mix, shape, rise, and bake this loaf entirely without fancy equipment, but I suggest using a mixer your first few times, then working up to using only your hands and a board.
The recipe then-
In your mixing bowl, add the following:
1 cup of warm to the touch (between 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit) water
-as you become more efficient at judging this kind of thing, you may find yourself being less concerned about the exact temperature, instead opting to feel your measuring cup with your hand to check the heat of the water.
1 packet of active dry yeast
Stir in bowl till combined, give it a few minutes to dissolve completely.
Then add the following:
About 4 cups of white flour, one cup at a time while the mixer is running on a very low speed.
1 scant cup of whole wheat flour.
Allow the mixer to continue to run at low speed while you add:
1 tsp. salt
a few dashes of olive oil
any extras you desire, like herbs
A word of caution-if you choose to add things that are heavy in water content, you will need to add more flour to your mix, or decrease the initial warm water in the first step.
Allow the mixer to finish kneading, until the bread clings to the hook, about 3 more minutes. During this time you can add a few dredges of extra flour if it looks too wet. Just a little at a time!
Turn your mixer off, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and give it a little pinch or poke-when the dough springs back, then you are ready to let it rise. If it doesn’t, knead it a bit more with your hands.
In a greased bowl, place your lovely dough, turn it once to ensure all sides are greased, and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise one hour in a draft-free place. On cold winter days, I like to preheat my oven to 400 degrees F and place the bowl on top of the range, with the burners off, of course. Even if it’s not cold out, go ahead and preheat your oven anyways-400 degrees F.
After the hour, expose the dough, gently punch it down, and turn it out onto a floured board. Roll it to about ½ inch thickness, in a kind of rectangular shape no longer than what you plan to bake it on. Roll it up, tuck the ends under, and place on a baking stone or cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. (This will prevent sticking.) Again cover with clean towel or plastic wrap, then let rise for one hour in a draft free spot.
After that hour, with an extremely sharp knife, slash or score the top of the loaf lightly in a diagonal pattern. Slice just enough to break the top ‘skin’ that’s formed-I omitted this important step once and my bread exploded out its side. Then pop it in the oven and let it bake for about fifteen minutes. Check the bread at this time by checking the color of the crust-should be turning brown, if it is, thump it lightly-should sound hollow. Gauge from this point how much time you’ll need to finish baking. If the crust is too light and it doesn’t sound hollow when thumped, give it another 5 minutes and check it again. Once you are satisfied with your loaf, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. You can either keep it in the pan or put the loaf on a wire rack. Be careful! It will be very hot.
Voila! You have just created a beautiful, versatile, gorgeous loaf of bread, using a recipe as a guide, not a rule. Bread-making is a wonderful way to get acquainted with instinctual cooking. Flour is not too terribly expensive, so even if you end up with a fallen lumpy loaf, you can chuck the results and try again without too much loss of cash. Baking bread this way can instill a great amount of confidence in your cooking skills, you get a loaf of bread that is far superior to what you’d find at the grocery, and it can be great fun, too.
