COLUMN: Gourmet bread has never been so easy
Last year around this time I was on a bread-making spree. I made all different kinds of breads, even some that took me three days from start to finish. I must not have been as busy as I am this semester. Even though it was a lot of work, I’d missed having bread fresh out of the oven – until I found this recipe. This bread is crusty and seems so gourmet, but it only takes five minutes to prepare. You don’t even have to knead it. The hardest part is just waiting for it to rise while you do your homework. And the best thing about it is that you can make it over and over again, using the variations I have or coming up with your own, and it’s like a different bread every time.
Easy Crusty Gourmet Bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/4 cups flour
– Pour the warm water into a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
– Add the salt.
– Add the flour, a little bit at a time, and stir it in with a wooden spoon.
– Once you’ve added all the flour, use your hand to gently mix the dough (it will be quite loose) and knead it into a ball.
– Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
– When the dough has risen, use a serrated knife to cut it in half. Form each half into a smooth ball.
– Place on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
– Cover with a clean towel and let rest 40 minutes.
– About 20 minutes before the dough has finished resting, place a baking stone* in the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees.
– Bake the dough directly on the baking stone (use a spatula to transfer it from the baking sheet) for 22-26 minutes, until the outside is browned.
*Note: the baking stone adds a crustiness to the bottom of the bread, but if you don’t have one it’s fine to bake them on a regular baking sheet.
Variations:
Cheesy Dill Onion Bread
After you’ve added about half the flour, fold in:
2 tablespoons dried minced onions
1 teaspoon dill
1 cup shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
It’s crucial to use the dried onions because if you use fresh ones their juices will add liquid to the bread and change it’s texture.
The best results I’ve had come from using a sharp cheddar cheese. The sharper it is, the stronger it is, and often in cooking a mild or even medium cheddar cheese will lose some of its flavor. If you use shredded cheese it will have a cheesy taste throughout the bread, whereas if you use cubed cheese there are pockets of cheese in every bite. Both ways are delicious.
Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread
After you’ve added about half the flour, fold in
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup craisins
1 teaspoon orange zest
Usually cranberry bread is quick-style and sweet like muffins. This is an interesting way to enjoy this classic holiday flavor that is nothing short of gourmet.
Toasting the walnuts before you add them to the bread will really help bring out their flavor in the finished product.
Garlic Parmesan Bread
After you’ve added about half the flour, fold in
3 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic cloves, roasted
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Chopping fresh garlic can be tedious, and it drives me crazy that the smell of garlic stays on my fingers for the rest of the day. I am constantly torn between using fresh garlic or just getting the kind that comes already minced and ready to use in the jar at the grocery store. Sometimes you can get away with using that kind, but for this recipe I recommend chopping your own. For one thing, it gives you the freedom to use bigger chunks.
For another, it’s easier to roast. Just toss in a little olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned. Having them chopped rather than minced adds texture and roasting it tones down the garlic and gives it a more mellow flavor.
– jenn.nelle@gmail.com