3 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 egg (optional)
Directions
- heat 1 1/2 cups water to near boiling. Add honey and stir to
dissolve.
- Use a thermometer and wait for water to cool to 110°F. Add
yeast. Let yeast settle in water and stir to dissolve. Give
yeast a minute or two to settle before continuing.
- Slowly add in the 3 cups of flower, stirring regularly until
it forms a sticky ball. When all the flour is distributed
evenly and the consistency is uniform, continue.
- Add the salt.
- Dust counter top with more flour then knead dough for 10
minutes. Roll the dough backwards over itself and press down
with your palms, forcing the parts together. Then rotate 90
degrees and do it again.
- Place kneaded dough in an airtight container with plenty of
room to grow. Cover and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
- The next day, take risen dough out of container and gently
roll it into a desired shape on a flour dusted surface.
I cut mine in half and roll them into oblong shapes to sit
on a French bread pan.
- Allow the bread to rise a second time for a few hours.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (~400°F). At bottom of oven add a pan
with about an inch of water. This will provide steam during
baking.
- While the oven preheats, gently brush the surface of the
dough with either cold water or a well mixed egg. The egg
wash makes a delicious golden crust.
- Add dough to oven in appropriate pan or stone for the shape.
Cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, lower temperature to 150°C and cook
another 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from oven and place on a rack to cool for an
hour or two before serving.
