Baking Bread — Thunderj

I took up baking bread several years ago, mostly out of necessity. As it turns out, there's something about the tactile feedback I get from working the dough that really appeals to me. That, and there's a certain satisfaction from dropping more bread than is needed at a gathering and watching it vanish!

If you're interested in learning to bake bread, I suggest looking into "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart. He doesn't just teach recipes; he teaches the craft of bread baking; the science behind it. Some of my prefered tools are a Danish whisk, almost any bread lame, and most of the bakeware is Emile Henry.

Cloche Bread

This is my weekly bread for my family. I don't really use a recipe anymore. There are two important things to remember. Only use as much yeast as needed. More yeast does not result in better crumb! Add water to meet the bread profile you are looking for. It's better to add too much than too little. It's easier to add more flour to reach your desired dough profile than to add more water. I prefer a smooth, firm ball

Mix the dry ingredients
Add the eggs on top of the flour
Add oil and mix with the eggs
Add water and mix
Proof for about 2 hours and then punch down or fold the dough
Repeat step 5 a few times and/or place the dough in the fridge for about 12 hours. You can also bake it at this point.
When you're ready to bake, put the dough on a cloche and allow it to sit for about 30-45 minutes so the exterior gets firm. I like to lay the bread basket upside down over the dough to help keep the shape.
If using a bowl for shaping, remove it and put the cloche lid on. Place it in the oven.
Bake at 400F for 35 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 5-10 minutes

Sometimes before baking, I whisk an egg and a little milk to make an egg wash and lightly brush the loaf, then make some slashes with a bread lame.

Recipe

Flour: ~4 cups
Yeast: 1 packet
Salt: 2.5 tsp
Olive oil: 2 tbsp
eggs: 2
Water: about yah much