Home made bread

There's something inherently satisfying about home-made bread. It's an enjoyable process, and one that works for me because it's made to fit my schedule (not the other way around). With a decrease in yeast (1/4 tsp. per batch) and a longer rise period (anything from overnight to one full day works wonderfully), the bread can be tended to when I have time, and it's not something I have to rush home to. Even better, the loaf develops more flavor during these slower rises, and it seems to remain fresh for longer than loaves I've baked according to a 2 hour rise.

The process itself is rewarding, and it should go without saying that the results are far superior to anything you can buy (because it's made by you and that in itself makes you loaf an original Picasso). The simple alchemy of flour, water, yeast, salt, and time (plus a bit of heat at the end) produce the most incredible homely fragrance that can make even the most discouraged home cook feel like they've achieved greatness in the kitchen.

My basic loaf is a small one, since that suits my style. To make a bigger loaf, just scale-up the recipe and use a larger loaf tin (I use a smallish loaf tin to keep the proportions in check).

Use a 2:1 ratio of flour:water. Add a 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, and a good pinch of salt (1/2 teaspoon). Stir in a bowl and let it sit for 12-24 hours, with some loose cover over your bowl. When ready for the first kneading, oil your hands well and deflate the dough directly in the bowl. You can do everything without use of a counter for kneading. Give the dough a good mix and redistribute those gas bubbles that have formed and expanded during the first proof. You want to mix gluten strands and allow them to cross over each other in a complex network. This is what will support the height of your bread. It also prevents a large air bubble from forming on one side of your loaf, which makes for awkward sandwiches later.

Leave in the bowl, covered loosely with glad wrap and a teatowel for another rise period (or you can pour the contents into a loaf pan at this stage and let it do the final rise). You have many options here.

For the final rise, I add any other ingredients (nuts, raisins, seeds) and mix them in before pouring the dough into a loaf pan. This final rise takes anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on room temperature and humidity. I usually leave it to rise overnight, and bake the loaf first thing in the morning.

Prior to baking, place a ramekin of hot water in the oven while it preheats to 450 F. When your oven is good and hot, add the loaf and bake at this searingly hot temperature for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 F for another 45 minutes. If you want the loaf to have a soft crust, add a foil tent to the loaf in the last 15 minutes of baking. A firm crust has a satisfying crunch to it, but it is much harder for a bread knife to slice.

Remove from oven when golden brown, about 55-60 minutes total cooking time. The loaf should have shrunk away from the sides of the pan (it will do this more as it cools). When cool enough to handle (or carefully with a tea towel), remove the loaf from the tin so that the sides and base can cool.

Variations: substitute 1/2 cup of the flour for wheatgerm, bran, oats, or cornmeal. Try:
a fennel seed and golden raisin loaf with the 1/2 cup cornmeal substituted for some of the flour. a pinch of sugar is nice in this. not enough to make it sweet, but just enough to complement the sweetness of the raisins.

a whole wheat loaf with cinnamon and raisin makes for a nice breakfast bread.

a seven grain loaf, using a hot cereal mix to substitute for a 1/2-3/4 cup of the flour.