Desserts & Baking

Baking bread doesn't have to be hard! When you let this bread dough sit and chill out (literally chill in the fridge at least 24 hours), the chemical mechanics in the dough do the kneading imperceptibly for you, forming those crucial gluten strands. At the same time, the flavor of the dough is developing as fermentation begins to take place. The longer you can leave the dough resting in the fridge (but only up to 7 days), the better the flavor and texture get.

Ingredients

1. In an extra-large bowl combine flour, Add-In (if using), salt, and yeast. Stir in the warm water until mixture is moistened (dough will be sticky). Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 24 hours (or up to 7 days).
   

2. Lightly grease a 12-inch square of foil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. When ready to bake each loaf, do not punch dough down. Using damp hands, remove a third of the dough (454 grams or about 1 lb.); place on a lightly floured surface. (Refrigerate remaining dough until ready to use.)
   

   Fresh Loaves All Week: Cut off one portion of dough to bake a fresh loaf, leaving the rest of the dough in the fridge for fresh loaves later in the week (or to make all loaves at once, divide dough in thirds and shape and bake one at a time).
   

3. Using damp hands, stretch and fold dough by grabbing the underside and stretching it up and folding back over itself to form a smooth ball (this process should take less than 1 minute; avoid overworking the dough). Place dough portion, smooth side up, on prepared foil; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Cover loosely with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 ¹/₂ hours.
   

   From the Fridge: The dough may feel stickier the longer it stands in the refrigerator. As you divide and shape the dough, avoid overworking it, which destroys the air pockets that have formed.

4. Place a 6-qt. Dutch oven in oven; preheat oven to 450°F. Score loaf as desired. Using the foil as a sling, carefully lower dough into Dutch oven (with foil). Cover with lid. Bake 25 minutes or until loaf has risen and is golden brown. Remove lid; bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until crust is deep brown. Lift from Dutch oven using foil. Peel off foil; discard. Cool on a wire rack. Makes

Add-In Options

Use 1 cup of the following add-ins to your bread:

• Crumbled cooked bacon*
• Chopped pepperoni*
• Shredded cheese*
• Chopped dried fruit
• Chopped dried tomatoes
• Sliced green onion
• Chopped kalamata olives
• Chopped toasted nuts

*Note: If using bacon, pepperoni, or cheese, serve baked bread within 2 hours or slice and freeze for longer storage.