BONNIE'S ALMOST ARTISAN BREAD

Steps:

• PREP FIRST I assemble all my ingredients before I start making bread. it saves so much time. Especially if I am interrupted by life. :) Let all ingredients come to room temperature. I use a Kitchen Aide Mixer with paddle and hook attachments. If you don't have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, this bread can be made by hand.
• This recipe is made for a 4 quart size Dutch Oven.
• Prepare your Dutch Oven for baking. Line the interior of the pot with parchment paper. Bend any corners that are sticking up, and tuck the pieces of paper down the inside of the pot. (I used to trim those pieces of paper until I found out that they make a great "sling" to lift and remove the bread from the hot pot after baking.) Give the parchment paper a light spray on the sides and the bottom with kitchen spray..
• Add all the DRY INGREDIENTS to the mixing bowl of the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment and mix two minutes on low speed. Add the WET INGREDIENTS and mix until the mixture is combined. Exchange the paddle for the hook attachment and continue to mix on low as you add the reserved flour - a little at a time - just enough to remove the dough from the bottom of the mixing bowl. Mix 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and hand knead for a couple of minutes, just enough to make a stiff, elastic dough that can be shaped easily into a round ball shape.
• FIRST RISING. Oil a large mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the ball of dough round side down into the oiled bowl, then turn the ball so the round side is up facing you so the top is well oiled, then cover with a light towel.
• Turn on your oven to no more than 200 degrees, and then turn it off. This provides a nice warm place for the dough to rise. Now, let the ball of dough rest in the oven, covered with a towel, to rise for about an hour until it is doubled in size.
• SECOND RISING. When your dough has doubled in size, carefully remove the dough from the bowl and place it in the Dutch oven. Let it rise for the second time. About an hour. It should almost reach the top of the Dutch oven. Remove the Dutch oven to the counter and PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375. Slash the top of the dough three times with a sharp thin knife, being careful not to disturb the dough too much. A sharp Ginsu steak knife works for me. (This will keep your bread from cracking on the top)
• When the oven has preheated to 375 degrees, put the lid on the Dutch oven and bake the bread for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and bake 10 minutes more until the bread is nicely browned.
• Here is how it looks!
• Remove the bread from the oven, and brush the top with butter. Use a knife, being careful not to burn your fingers, flip the tucked edges of the parchment paper up on each side so you can grab hold of the paper and lift your bread out of the Dutch Oven onto a rack to cool..
• ideally, you are supposed to let the bread cool before you cut it. Somehow, that never happens in this house! Enjoy!