Artisan Bread

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 cups water (lukewarm)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 6 1/2 cups flour Pre-bake prep
• 1/4 cups wheat germ
• 1/4 cups flaxseed (milled)
• 1/4 cups flour

Instructions

Dough

1. Warm the water until it is lukewarm. In a large bowl pour the water and add the yeast and stir until it is mixed without gradulated yeast present.
2. Add the salt then followed by the flour. You will have the choice to mix by hand with a wooden spoon or to use the standmixer with the breadhook attachment. I have used both approaches and I prefer the former since there is less clean up.
3. This dough does not require any kneading, and when it’s all mixed it will have a thick, sticky and soupy consistency to it. You know you are done mixing when there are no longer any dry pockets of flour.
4. Place a lid on the bowl (non-airtight, you could use a plate if you wanted or loosely covered plastic wrap) and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours (3-4 with cold water). According to the source of the recipe, it should not be a problem to let rise for about 5 hours.
5. At this point you can either place the dough in the refrigerator (the longer you wait the more of a sourdough it will become) or move to baking with it. You might notice that it will be very sticky and less workable when it has not been put into the refrigerator.

Baking

1. You have a choice to bake this free on a cookie sheet, in a bread pan, or something else of your choice. Whichever you choose prepare receptacle, if using a bread pan you want to grease it. With a bread pan, I find that half of the prepared dough works really well.
2. On a flat surface spread some of the wheat germ, flaxseed, and flour. Slightly mix it on the surface. Generally, the batch of dough can make up to 4 loaves (or 2 if you decide to use a bread pan).
3. When you have cut the size that you like, roll it in the flour/grain mixture and place it on your receptable. Let rise for 40 minutes. It will not likely rise much if you placed it in the refrigerator, but do not concern yourself there since the oven will do much of the rising for you.
4. With about 20 minutes left of waiting for the bread to rise, preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit. In a broiler pan, add about 1 cup of water and place on the bottom rack of the oven.
5. Before placing in the oven put 3 slices on the top of the loaves. Bake for 30 minutes.

Inspired by

I did not change much on this recipe, but I did add some other grain on the outside for some neat texture and nutrition.

Closing

This is probably one of easist bread recipes I have ever made. It’s easier than making pizza dough. There is so little maintenance on making this, and overall you might only spend about a half-hour of time preparing it. You will find that it will have a wonderful flavour and the best part to is that the ingredients are so few! If you do not have wheat germ or flaxseed you can forego those ingredients, but as mentioned it adds some nutrition and texture.