Life in general has been a little more stressful over the past few weeks. If you don't live around here you wouldn't know that when I am stressed I cook.
I cook a lot.
Discovered the authors of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes" had a new book out for whole wheat bread. Promptly jumped in my car and tore off to the closet bookstore 5 miles away. Seriously I was a woman on a mission.
I love fresh bread. The Man loves fresh bread. We both love hearty and healthy fresh bread.
In the past aka single life, I used a bread machine to make my bread. It tasted good but was lacking the overall experience and the actual loaf looking appeal of home made bread. This book completely changed my little bread baking world. No more occasionally lugging my bread machine up from the basement.
Now I toss all the dry ingredients in a large (seriously it's very large) metal bowl, add warm water, stir till all the dry stuff is moist, cover, let rise and fall a little bit, throw in the 'frig.
It hasn't risen here yet. I'd just add the warm water but it will more than double in two hours to filling almost 3/4ths of this bowl. The catch is you make enough dough for 4 loaves at a time.
Once I'm ready for bread, I pull out about a grapefruit sized chunk of dough, super quickly (30 seconds top) shape it and let it sit for 90 minutes.
Then put a little water on top, slice cuts in the dough, sprinkle some seeds or whatnot's on top and slide it into the oven for 30 minutes.
What I get is an amazing smelling house and excellent fresh bread to boot.
YUM. But why the stress? Not enough knitting? : )
Posted by: Nell & Haley | February 21, 2010 at 08:19 PM