MASTER RECIPE # 1 EASY ARTISAN DOUGH

Master Recipe # 1 Easy Artisan Dough image

This is NOT my recipe but I can tell you I will be making this from now on! It's the easiest bread I have ever made and it's exactly what I've been trying to make for ever!!!. LOVE this recipe and I hope you all do too. The book it came from I bought about 1-2 years ago and today was the day I decided I was making this bread!!...

Provided by Doreen Fish

Number Of Ingredients 4

Ingredients

6 1/2 c unbleached ap flour or bread flour...i used a combo of organic ap and spelt flour
1 1/2 Tbsp istant yeast or bread machine yeast...i used bread machine yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt or table salt...i used kosher
3 c luke warm water (100 degrees f )

Steps:

1. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife then dump into a large bowl. Add the yeast and salt to the flour and mix well. Pour in the water and stir together until just moistened. Beat 40 stokes with a spoon...(I have to admit I got my hands in there...it is quite messy)...scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. until dough forms a lumpy, sticky mess. NO KNEADING!!!
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm draft free area . Let rise until doubled and has a sponge like appearance. Now you can use it right away or use only portions or put the whole thing in the fridge and it keeps up to 9 days.
3. I used a 1/4 of the dough and made a baguette....it was delicious. The rest is in the fridge. For the baguette: Place a 1/4 of the dough on a floured surface and dust hands with flour...it is quite sticky. Working the dough as little as possible form into 14 inch long cylinder. Pinch each end to a point.Lightly flour any sticky spots on the dough. It should feel smooth and soft all over like a baby's skin and not at all sticky. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cornmeal on a sideless cookie sheet and place the cylinder on the cornmeal. Cover with a light tea towel and let rise for 40 mins. Meanwhile preheat oven to 450. Put your baking stone in ,if you have one, on the top rack and the bottom half of your broiler pan on the bottom rack. When dough is ready slide the cylinder onto stone. Push in the oven rack and fill your bottom pan with 2 cups of hot water. Slide in rack quickly so steam stays in the oven. Bake approx 25 mins or until medium golden brown. Mine was done in 20 mins and the bread does sound hollow when tapped.