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Step 2Measuring and Mixing
Put the lukewarm water in the bin, and then add the yeastie-beasties and the salt. Mix it up a little and then add the flour. I use my hands, but a spoon will work too. DO NOT knead, just mix it gently until the flour is incorporated. In the video, I am measuring the flour into a bowl, but I usually measure it straight into the bin with the water etc. The container should be large enough to allow the dough room to double in volume. I use an 8 quart container, and it just barely fits.
IMPORTANT: The flour is measured using the "scoop and sweep" method. Watch the video. Scoop out a cup at a time and then level it off with something straight. Don't pack it in. Don't lose count. Don't use a 2 cup measure, it will come out wrong.
The dough will be very loose and wet. This is just what you want. You may have to add a tiny bit more water to get all of the flour mixed in.
For those that are interested, or live in metric-world, the book and the ABin5 website give metric and oz./lbs. conversions. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com
Let the dough sit out on the counter for about 2 hours, and then put it in the fridge.
This is perhaps the place for one of the best comments yet:
Jul 21, 2009. 10:41 AM
His Own says:
I followed the recipe exactly, decreasing the salt as is discussed for high altitude, and have had the most beautiful little brown crackly loaves, just as described. It IS a funny, thin, watery, sticky dough, but it works perfectly. I think some of the folks need to just DO the recipe as written, not deciding along the way that the dough is not right. They need to just make it, bake it, taste it, and ONLY THEN decide whether the recipe is correct as written.
Aeray, Thanks for the terrific Instructable! I already have several friends making your bread, and loving it. It really is amazing that such a totally different (and EASY) approach to bread making yields such perfect loaves. I find this, and ALL white breads a little bland, but I should be able to fix that pretty easily with herbs, whole wheat, longer storage of the dough, etc. Again, Thanks!
IMPORTANT: The flour is measured using the "scoop and sweep" method. Watch the video. Scoop out a cup at a time and then level it off with something straight. Don't pack it in. Don't lose count. Don't use a 2 cup measure, it will come out wrong.
The dough will be very loose and wet. This is just what you want. You may have to add a tiny bit more water to get all of the flour mixed in.
For those that are interested, or live in metric-world, the book and the ABin5 website give metric and oz./lbs. conversions. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com
Let the dough sit out on the counter for about 2 hours, and then put it in the fridge.
This is perhaps the place for one of the best comments yet:
Jul 21, 2009. 10:41 AM
His Own says:
I followed the recipe exactly, decreasing the salt as is discussed for high altitude, and have had the most beautiful little brown crackly loaves, just as described. It IS a funny, thin, watery, sticky dough, but it works perfectly. I think some of the folks need to just DO the recipe as written, not deciding along the way that the dough is not right. They need to just make it, bake it, taste it, and ONLY THEN decide whether the recipe is correct as written.
Aeray, Thanks for the terrific Instructable! I already have several friends making your bread, and loving it. It really is amazing that such a totally different (and EASY) approach to bread making yields such perfect loaves. I find this, and ALL white breads a little bland, but I should be able to fix that pretty easily with herbs, whole wheat, longer storage of the dough, etc. Again, Thanks!
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Is the bread too dense, or is it good as is?
Thank you again - we are all really "breaking bread together."
Ollie B
Also, I’ve bought a shoe box sized container perfect for a ½ batch and written the instructions on the top. It breathes, it fits easily on the shelf, and goes right into the dish washer. Gotta love the simple things in life.
Ollie B.