Southern Crusty Fat Free Bread Recipes

SOUTHERN CRUSTY FAT FREE BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Dissolve yeast in two cups lukewarm water in large mixing bowl.
• 2. Add salt and sugar and mix well. With wooden spoon, beat in enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a smooth ball that clears side of bowl. Cover, and set in warm place free from drafts, for one and a half hours, or until doubled in bulk.
• 3. Stir down, then turn out on lightly floured board. Knead a few turns, then cut in half. Shape each half in a loaf, about 12 inches long. Put on baking sheet, well sprinkled with cornmeal.
• 4. Let rise 5 minutes, then slash tops in 4 places with sharp knife. Brush with water and put in cold oven with pan of boiling water on bottom rack.
• 5. Turn oven control to 400 degrees F, and bake 40 minutes, or until crusty and lightly browned. Best served hot.

WORLD'S EASIEST YEAST BREAD RECIPE - ARTISAN, NO KNEAD

Steps:

• Mix Dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy - not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency (see video at 17 sec, Note 5).
• Rise: Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 - 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it's wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly (see video at 24 seconds). If after 1 hour it doesn't seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer (Note 6).
• Optional - refrigerate for flavour development (Note 9): At this stage, you can either bake immediately (move onto Step 5) or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Take chill out of refrigerated dough - if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 - 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.
• Preheat oven (Note 7) - Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (26cm/10" or larger). Preheat to 230°C/450°F (220° fan) 30 minutes prior to baking. (Note 8 for no dutch oven)
• Shape dough: Sprinkle work surface with 1 tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 tbsp flour.
• Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don't be too meticulous here - you're about to deform it, it's more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move.
• Transfer to paper: Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (ie seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!
• Dough in pot: Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.
• Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.
• Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

OLD FASHIONED BREAD PUDDING REDUX (SUGAR FREE)

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and vanilla extract in a 2-quart casserole.
• Add eggs, butter and scalded milk, blend well. DO NOT ADD EGGS TO HOT MILK THEY WILL SCRAMBLE, mix everything together then briskly stir in the scalded milk.
• Stir in bread cubes and raisins Place casserole in pan of hot water in your oven Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes until knife inserted 1" from edge comes out clean TIP: To evenly distribute raisins or dates, stir gently 20 minutes into cooking.

CRUSTY FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water. Add the sugar, salt, shortening, remaining water and 3-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Turn onto a floured surface. Divide in half; let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into a 10x8-in. rectangle. Roll up from a long side; pinch to seal. Place seam side down on 2 greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , With a very sharp knife, make 5 diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf. Bake at 400° until lightly browned, 20-30 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.