Baking

So I got a touch of the holiday baking spirit in me this last weekend. Being not a huge fan of sweets, I decided to make some bread instead. My Swiss friend Brigitte introduced me to this super easy and super tasty recipe from Sullivan Street Bakery. The results are awesome if I do say so myself. Believe me, if I can make it, you can!

3 cups of all purpose unbleached flour
1/4 tsp of yeast
1 1/4-1 1/2 tsp of sea salt

Mix together to blend ingredients.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water.

Mix all together with your hands. The dough should be "scraggily".
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 12-18 hours in a 70ish degree room.

Unwrap the dough, it should have risen to about twice it's originals size and the surface should be covered in bubbles.

Flour your surface and dump the dough out. Form gently by patting into a boule shape. Now fold over 1 side, fold over the opposite side to meet in the middle. Repeat with the 2 unfolded sides.

Flour a cotton dish towel....no fancy surfaces here, flat cotton or the dough will stick. Flop the dough onto the towel, folded side down. Fold towel edges over to lightly cover the dough. Let sit for an hour or more. While this is going on, preheat your oven to 500 degrees, that's right 500. Put a dutch oven, Le Cruset or some other glass, metal or ceramic pot with a lid in the oven. This is going to be your steam chamber.

After the hour or so has passed and your oven and pot are piping hot.....flop the dough into the pot the folded side up. These folds are going to give you a beautiful surface texture when the bread is done.

Now cover and pop in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes take to top off the pot and cook for another 15 or so until the top is golden brown. Take it out of the oven with great care....that pot is gonna be HOT! Let the bread cool and there you go.

Pretty much the simplest recipe ever and the final product is very impressive. Wrap up that bad boy and bring it to your holiday party and everyone will be stunned by your newly found baking skills.