I know, I know! Another bread recipe. But as much as I think I have every base covered with bread types, something comes up that causes me to go online and search for exactly what I need. Then invariably, I change the recipe anyway. Which is exactly what I did with this recipe. So much so, that no one could possibly recognize this recipe as their own inspiration. Unless of course, they had the same type of bread in mind. Then all bets are off.
What I wanted was a quick and easy bread to build, that was tasty, and came with a soft crumb. And believe it or not, that’s exactly what I achieved. When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars. Let’s just say it was a 5th Dimension “Aquarius” kind of moment. And I shall now always believe in harmony, understanding, sympathy, and trust abounding. Let the sunshine in!
So, if you too want to build a bread that is just amazingly easy to make, tastes like a million dollars, and can be used in multiple ways, may I recommend this recipe. It is so stinkin’ delicious as to be almost unbelievable. And – it’s inexpensive to make.
So, without further ado, let the baking begin. And while you hurry to your kitchen to bake this bread, I’m going to start a new book. Some people believe in eating an apple a day. While we too love apples, Mr. C. and I get more nourishment from reading a book a day. Or if we are really busy, a book every two or three days.
So, from this, you may ascertain, and rightly so, that we spend a great deal of our time reading books. (Enough so that our TV has disowned us.) So, I was pleased to learn a new word that explains why time often slips away unnoticed when our noses are buried in a good book. It might also help you understand more about yourself if you too are an avid reader. The word is Book.clipse, pronounced boo-klips. Definition – a phenomenon in which a book is so engrossing that it completely obscures one’s perception of time. So, as you can clearly see, since there is now a word to describe our condition, we are not alone. And isn’t that nice to know.
And for those of you who aren’t into books, a few things to consider. Batteries are not required. Books don’t have to be plugged in at night. And you can borrow them from a library (free of charge). And best of all – you can learn about other cultures, places, and how people live in books. While simultaneously improving your ability to empathize, gain valuable knowledge, exercise your brain, while being entertained commercial free.
On that happy note, peace and love to all. And happy reading.
2 tsp. instant yeast or 2½ tsp. regular dry yeast
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 c. warm water
2½ c. bread flour
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the dough
1 tsp. kosher salt
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water with your dough hook. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until yeast is foamy.
Add 2 cups flour, olive oil, and salt. Stir on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding just enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, smooth and elastic dough. (Just a bit of the dough will stick to the bottom of the bowl, but the sides will be clean.)
Pour a bit of olive oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a stiff spatula, form the dough into a greased ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise 60 to 70-minutes or until doubled in size.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and shape it into about a 12-inch rounded ends football shape (bâtard). Place on prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with a bit of cooking spray (greased side down) and let rise another 35-45 minutes until puffy. Gently use a serrated knife to make a few ¼-inch deep slits in the surface of the loaf just before placing in the oven.
About 20 minutes before the dough is ready to bake, place a pan of water* on the bottom rack while you pre-heat your oven to 400-degrees.
When the oven is up to heat, bake the bread for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 200-degrees.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack until completely cool before slicing.
*When I pre-heat my oven for this bread (and many others for that matter) I place a 9-inch cake pan filled with water on the bottom rack and bake the bread on the middle rack.
Adding steam to the oven when baking bread makes a huge difference to the final product. When the dough is fully risen and ready to go in the oven, it still has some potential to rise further in the heat of the oven. This is referred to as “oven spring”. The carbon dioxide trapped within the gluten expands in the heat of the oven and causes the air bubbles to expand and the loaf to grow larger. So, to achieve maximum “oven spring”, the dough requires a steamy atmosphere. If you place the dough into a hot, dry oven, the crust will very quickly dry out and harden. And once it has hardened it won’t be able to expand as easily. Steam will also help improve the color of the crust by gelatinizing the sugars on the exterior of the loaf, resulting in better browning, and a shinier, thinner, and crispier crust.