Monday, February 01, 2010

Easy Bread

My no-knead bread:

4 cups +/- whole wheat flour mix (I add gluten and flaxseed meal 1/4 cup each to this)
3 - 4 cups water
2 tsp yeast powder (active dry)
2 - 3 TBSP sugar or equivalent of honey
4 tsp salt (it helps the yeast)

Mix half the flour (be sure the gluten is in this part if you're using it and the sugar, salt and yeast) and most of the water. Mix until it looks ragged and sloppy. Add the remaining flour till it makes a shaggy looking dough. you may need to play with it a little. Mix it pretty well; I like to stir like crazy as the texture is better.

Cover it and let it rise until it has doubled. Squooge it into a large skillet that you've rubbed with a little oil or sprayed with a no-stick spray. You can bake this in standard loaf pans if you want.

Cover it again and let it double. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes. It may take a little longer if you are using loaf pans.

It will make an interesting focaccia bread with a smaller batch and larger skillet. And the focaccia toppings.

Sometimes I add regular oatmeal to this; it goes in with the water and first half of the flour and it usually takes more water.