Baking bread is difficult. Baking Bread takes too long time. Baking bread isn’t worth it when I can just go to the store and buy a loaf.
Ok. Let’s talk about this. Baking bread is about measuring, which you can easily do if you have a scale, and kneading which is also easy if you have a mixer (kneading by hand is hard I will admit). It doesn’t have to take a long time. Sure if you plan to make a sourdough loaf it will take time because you first have to cultivate the starter, but below I’m giving you a recipe for a sourdough-like bread with a shortcut.
Now, is it worth baking bread when you can very easily buy a good loaf at the store. YES! Maybe not every time you want bread, but once in a while it’s definitely worth it. As your bread bakes in the oven, your home will fill with a wonderful smell and as you cut the first slice of warm bread, butter it and taste it, you will agree, your family probably will too (if you decide to share it 😊). It was worth it.
So here is the recipe, adapted from Danish baker and chef, Claus Meyer.
Ingredients
- 1 kg all-purpose flour
- 200 gr whole wheat flour
- 30 gr flake sea salt
- 3.5 gr instant yeast
- 3 1/3 cups cold water
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in the mixer bowl.
- Knead the dough on slow for 4 minutes, followed by 6 minutes on high.
- Cover the bowl and placed it in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, turn the dough onto a flour-dusted countertop and cut it into 3 equal parts.
- Shape each part into round loaves by turning the dough under itself a few times until the top is smooth and place each one on flour-dusted parchment paper.
- Lightly grease some food plastic wrap and use it to cover the loaves. Let them rise on the countertop for a couple of hours.
- When there is about 45 minutes left of the rising time, place a bake stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Use a pizza peel or a flat cookie sheet to move the loaves from the countertop into the oven (with the parchment paper) and place them carefully on the pizza stone.
- Bake the loaves for 20-25 minutes but keep an eye on them to makes sure they don’t get too dark on the top.
- Let the loaves cool on a rack. Make sure you taste the bread while it’s still warm (but not hot).
Enjoy!
