The Bread Project

Since it's summer and school is out I've got a lot of free time on my hands. I've decided to try making different bread recipes throughout the summer and hopefully even longer! Why buy bread when you can easily make it right at home? Everything homemade tastes better. 

The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight." --M.F.K. Fisher

I've always admired people who make their own bread. 

The other day my husband was talking with some friends and said that a meal isn't a meal unless there is bread. So I can try to fulfill my husband's idea of dinner with fresh baked bread right from our home. 

I had wanted to start with Tuscan Bread since my husband is from Tuscany and is a strong believer that it is the best type of bread out there. Tuscan bread doesn't have salt, so it has a particular taste and tends to be dry and crumbly. I looked up the recipe on King Arthur Flour but I needed to make a sponge the night before and so I couldn't make it right away and I wanted to start right in that moment. 

So I looked up an easy bread recipe. And sure enough I found a quick, easy, no-knead bread recipe. I found the recipe link from pinterest and is from the blog The Baker Upstairs. 

Here is the recipe that I followed below, and here is her link.

Crusty Artisan Bread

1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting dough

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix in salt and flour, stirring until there are no dry patches. The dough will be very soft and not like a typical bread dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

After rising, divide dough into two pieces and shape each into a round ball. Place each ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper, and let rest 40 minutes.

During the second rise, preheat oven to 450. Place a baking stone or overturned baking sheet on the upper oven rack, and a broiler pan or metal cake pan on the lower shelf. Heat the baking stone at least 20 minutes before baking.

When the dough is ready to bake, dust it with flour and cut three deep slashes across the top. Slide the dough on the parchment paper onto the baking stone using a pizza peel (or a thin cutting board). Pour a cup of water into the broiler pan/cake pan and shut the oven door quickly. Bake until golden brown, 24-28 minutes.

adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

My oven is quite small and so I couldn't put both loaves in together. The first loaf I think I took out a little early since it's quite soft and not very crunchy and it's pretty white. I left the second loaf in a little longer and it has a better light brown color, but it still seems a little soft and not the regular artisan bread texture. 

So for my first attempt I'd say it went well! We ate with our dinner and Luca liked it so I think this recipe passed, but could be better. I look forward to baking different breads and improving my bread making skills.