Alices Rustic Country Bread Recipes

RUSTIC COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• The day before making bread, place 3/4 cup spring water, 1/4 teaspoon bread machine yeast and 1 3/4 cup bread flour into pan of a bread machine. Select dough cycle and let knead for 5 minutes. Stop machine and let rise overnight.
• The next day, pour starter from bread machine pan into a non-metallic container. Reserve 1/3 cup for this recipe and freeze remainder for later use.
• In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup reserved starter, 1 cup spring water, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, 2 cups bread flour, whole wheat flour and salt. Select Dough Cycle; press Start. After 10 minutes, remove dough from machine and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Deflate dough and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a round loaf. Place loaf on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Spray loaf with water and place in preheated oven. Spray loaf again every two minutes during the first 10 minutes of baking. Bake for 40 minutes, until bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

ALICE'S RUSTIC COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• Stir together Sponge ingredients to form a stiff dough. Cover and let rest for at least 5 hours.
• In mixing bowl with dough hook add the 4 cups of bread flour, 1-1/3 cups of water, 2TB honey and 2 tsp salt.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, fold dough into itself and dump into an oiled bowl with the smooth side up and let rise with a dampened kitchen towel over it for 45 minutes.
• In the meantime, preheat oven with tiles (or if you're using a stone preheat the stone in the oven to 450 degrees F.
• After the 45 minutes second rise time is up, dump the dough onto a cornmeal dusted piece of parchment paper that you've put onto a cookie sheet. Open oven and slide the dough with the parchment paper onto the baking tiles. Spritz oven with water and close oven and bake about 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature of bread reaches 210 degrees F.

RUSTIC COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast, milk, sugar, 1/4 cup semolina flour, whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup bread flour.
• Whisk until creamy and smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 12 to 24 hours.
• Place dough in a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a paddle.
• Add remaining yeast, water, salt, butter and 1 cup bread flour.
• Beat at medium speed 3 minutes, or until smooth.
• Add remaining flour at low speed, 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough is formed.
• Dough will just clear sides of bowl.
• (Process can also be done by hand in a large bowl.) Switch to a dough hook and continue mixing about 3 to 4 minutes, adding flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.
• (If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 5 to 7 minutes, adding flour 1 Tablespoon at a time as necessary.) Dough should barely hold its shape.
• Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until tripled, about 2 hours.
• Gently deflate dough, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a round ball or oblong loaf.
• Roll lightly in flour and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina flour.
• (Or, place dough in a greased 12" x 5" x 3 1/2" loaf pan.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475° for at least 30 minutes.
• Make a slit in top of loaf with a serrated knife.
• Bake at 475° for 10 minutes, 400° for 15 minutes, and 325° for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Loaf is done when slightly domed and browned.
• Cool on a rack.
• Makes 1 large loaf.
• Note: Dough can also be shaped into flatbread, breadsticks or rolls.