This recipe is the easiest one I've discovered so far, and even though it was my first attempt, the result was fantastic, especially considering that it required minimal effort—a highly desirable trait on a lazy Sunday.
Dreaming of a half baguette, torn by hand and stuffed, according to my heart’s desire, with prosciutto and plenty of arugula, or complemented by creamy brie, I glanced at a bottle of Mouton Cadet Rouge waiting in a corner of the house. I convinced myself that the walls sheltering my humble poetic existence deserve to be infused with the sophisticated aroma of the simplest things: bread, cheese, and wine! Thus, I found myself deep in the midnight hour, new bread book in hand, mixing the ingredients for a dough that would rest overnight in the refrigerator.
The Easiest Bread Recipe:
In a large bowl, I mixed 680ml of lukewarm water, 10g of dry yeast, and 20g of salt with 910g of flour using a wooden spoon. I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and let the resulting dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature, then transferred it to the refrigerator overnight.
On Sunday morning, I shaped the dough into both baguettes and a rustic round loaf. I preheated the oven to 200°C, with the baking tray inside, and let the loaves rest for an additional 20-30 minutes in the kitchen on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
When the resting time was up, I took a bread knife and scored the loaves.
I placed them on a tray, then slid the tray into the top rack of the oven. I poured a large cup of water into the hot baking tray and quickly closed the door. This creates dense steam, which gives that wonderful, crunchy crust on the outside of the bread. In about half an hour, everything is ready, but it’s best to let the loaves cool completely before devouring them.
What’s truly amazing about the dough made using the method by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg, authors of the book I mentioned, is that you don’t have to use it all at once—it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to two weeks. In fact, the longer it’s stored, the more airy the inside will become. This means that instead of baking 4-5 loaves at once to keep for the second or third day, you can simply open the fridge, grab a piece of dough, and bake it on the spot, having fresh bread whenever you want. And what could be more delightful than the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house in the morning?
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