Boule Bread

This is an amazing cookbook! We've had it for quite awhile, but I never really took time to look at it much. Thankfully, I finally sat down and started leafing through the pages the other night. What I learned was quite fascinating; I learned so much in fact that I can't even start to tell you all of it, so here's the link to the authors website: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Here's the basic recipe they use for most of the breads in the cookbook:

The term "boule" is French for "ball", referring to the easy-to-master shape of the dough. As they state in the book, the dough needs to be wet, but not too wet to hold it's shape. You'll also learn about how a "gluten cloak" can substitute for kneading the dough. This easy to make bread can be made the night before, left in the fridge overnight (but not in an air-tight container as the gases need to escape), and then shaped and baked the next morning.

*Note - Run 1 1/2 cups of water through the coffee pot and then add it to 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Turns out the perfect temperature for proofing the yeast.

**Note - When measuring the flour for this dough, you'll need to use the scoop-and-sweep method. Don't sift or pack the flour, just scoop up the flour and sweep it with a knife.

This batch will make four 1-pound loaves. You can easily double or split the recipe as needed.

You'll need:

3 cups lukewarm water *

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 1/2 T. coarse salt

6 1/2 cups flour **

Cornmeal for the pizza peel

Start with the water using the tip mentioned above. Run half of the amount of water needed through the coffee pot and then mix it with the other half of water (cold).

Sprinkle over the water, the yeast and salt.

Once the yeast has started to foam a bit (it doesn't have to completely dissolve) you can stir in the flour using the scoop-and-sweep method (please see note). Scoop it up...

And sweep it across.

Mix the dough until the wet spots are gone. Store overnight in the fridge (or at least 3 hours), in a bucket or something that isn't airtight.

The next morning, pull out the dough and plop it onto a cornmeal covered surface. I didn't have cornmeal, so I used whole wheat flour instead.

Cut the dough into four equal pieces (1-pound each (you don't have to use it all if you don't want to) and use your hands to gently stretch the surface of the dough down around the side and to the bottom. Basically, form a smooth ball of dough without kneading it any, it should take from 30 to 60 seconds to do this for each one. Let the dough rise on the cornmeal (or whole wheat) peal for 40 minutes. Twenty minutes before the resting period is up, start preheating the oven and set the baking stone inside.

After the dough has rose for 40 minutes, "slash" it with a serrated knife, 1/4-inch deep, and in a pattern. Place it on the baking stone and inside the oven. On another rack, set a broiler pan with 1 cup of hot tap water in it to create the steam needed for baking. Don't open the oven door while the bread is baking as it will release the steam.

Bake the bread for 30 minutes or until the crust is browned and crisp. When you go to remove the bread loaf from the oven, it will start "singing" or crackling, as it won't have been exposed to the room temperature air.

Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing and enjoy!

Ashleigh

Copy, Paste, and Print for the recipe below:

Boule Bread

(prairiegalcookin.blogspot.com)

The term "boule" is really French for "ball", referring to the easy-to-master shape of the dough. As they state in the book, the dough needs to be wet, but not too wet to hold it's shape. You'll also learn about how a "gluten cloak" can substitute for kneading the dough. This easy to make bread can be made the night before, left in the fridge overnight (but not in an air-tight container as the gases need to escape), and then shaped and baked the next morning.

*Note - Run 1 1/2 cups of water through the coffee pot and then it to 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Turns out the perfect temperature for proofing the yeast.

**Note - When measuring the flour for this dough, you'll need to use the scoop-and-sweep method. Don't sift or pack the flour, just scoop up the flour and sweep it with a knife.

This batch will make four 1-pound loaves. You can easily double or split the recipe as needed.

You'll need:

3 cups lukewarm water *

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 1/2 T. coarse salt

6 1/2 cups flour **

Cornmeal for the pizza peel

- Start by proofing the yeast, sprinkle the yeast and salt over the water and watch to see if it foams.

- After it has started to foam, stir in the flour (be sure to use the scoop-and-sweep method) using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a dough hook; don't knead!

- Allow the dough to rise in a not-airtight container for 2 hours at room temperature.

- After it rises, place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but overnight is better. 

- To bake, you'll want to pull off 1-pound of dough (1/4 of the batch) and shape it into a smooth ball; pulling the sides down to the bottom of the ball. 

- You'll want to spread some cornmeal (I used whole wheat flour instead) over a surface to work the dough on. Let the dough ball rise on the cornmeal for about 40 minutes.

- Twenty minutes before baking time, start preheating the oven to 450* and stick the baking stone inside to warm up. Place a broiler rack on another shelf.

- Once the dough has rose, dust the loaves with some whole wheat flour and "slash" a pattern into the loaves, 1/4 inch deep, with a serrated knife.

- Place the loaves on the stone and back in the oven, pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler pan and shut the door.

- Don't open the door! 

- Let them bake for 30 minutes or until nicely browned and firm.

- Cool on a wire rack and slice.

Enjoy!