Outrageously Easy BIG Bread
2 (1/4 ounce) packets yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons turbinado
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups + 3 cups flour, divided
1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil
1. To proof yeast, pour warm water into a small ceramic bowl and add the yeast, but do not stir. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, pour hot water over the turbinado and salt; stir with a wooden spoon to completely dissolve. Combine 3 cups flour with the hot water mixture. Pour the oil on top of the dough mixture then add the yeast mixture on top of that, but do not stir.
2. Top with the remaining 3 cups flour and mix well. (I begin mixing with the wooden spoon but I very quickly have to move into squishing the dough with my hands.) At this point, the dough should be pliant and moist, but not gooey. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside to rise for at least 45 minutes. (I've left it for almost two hours.)
3. On a lightly floured cutting board or countertop, divide the dough into half. (This is when I recruit someone to knead the dough, but the recipe actually calls for no kneading; I've done this recipe many times without kneading anything, and it always turns out really good.) Flatten each half into roughly an oval/rounded rectangular shape, about 1/2-3/4" thickness.
4. Roll the dough lengthwise and place on an ungreased, but very BIG, cookie sheet. (If you don't have a very large cookie sheet, use two cookie sheets, one for each half of the dough.) Cover the dough with a moist towel and set aside to rise again for another 45 minutes (or longer).
5. After the dough has risen the second time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for exactly 23 minutes. If you can keep everyone from digging in right away, allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then enjoy. (Also, before the bread bakes, you can slit the top of each lump of dough a couple of times and brush lightly with some kind of egg substitute. The glaze helps the bread come out with a slightly crunchier crust. I don't usually bother.)
Source of recipe: Whenever I go to potlucks, I bake this bread and it disappears within minutes. I've even had special requests for it. At a family Christmas, after I found out that store-bought rolls (ick!) would be served with the Christmas Eve dinner, I announced that I would make homemade bread. Since dinner would be served in a little less than two hours and since my family knows how much I absolutely detest cooking, my mother thought I was lying. She couldn't believe that I could make "respectable" bread without any kneading and in time for dinner. I made this bread and, as usual, it vanished almost instantly. My mother got this bread recipe from me. I think the dogs got the store-bought rolls.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Am making this bread with little alteration but it's not rising very much the second time around. Did as recipe said and am using 4c.whole wheat bread flour, and 2c. white unbleached bread flour- both by King Arthur Flour. The only thing I did wrong, that I can tell, is I forgot to put the yeast on top of the oil before mixing. I made one stir, remembered, added, finished. If, after the first rise, I made the dough into 2 fairly mounded rounds, will I end up with a nice, artisan-style loaf? Anyone have help? Thanks, in advance. Hope it tastes better than it looks at the moment!
Even when screwed up this bread is kind of awesome. Our measuring spoons have gone missing (oh college kitchens) so I literally used a table (setting) spoon and I was making a 2/3 batch and I think I messed up the math at least once. Also, scoring was a bad idea. My bread was huge in circumference but very short, but it still tasted great, great for dipping in hummus or oil and I think I'll do a caprese salad with it tomorrow.
Super good! I made this tonight and it was great! I will slice it up and use it for toast and sandwiches. Thanks for the recipe. Takes a while to get made but it sure is worth it!!
This bread was great. I did it a little differently thought.
I whisked the yeast and warm water mixture before pouring it into the flour part.
I added 2 tablespoons of honey, instead of sugar.
I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
I kneaded it for 10 minutes before letting it rise in a greased bowel the first time.
I did not knead it again, just punched it down after the first rise. I then divided it into to breads, and I actually wound up making 2 braided breads. I put them on a greased cookie sheet and let them rise.
Before baking, I brushed them both with olive oil and sprinkled one with sea salt, the other with sesame seeds.
Then, I baked at 350 for 25 minutes.
They came out: 1. enormous, 2. golden brown and crispy on the outside, 2. warm and pliant on the inside.
In short - DELICIOUS!
I will say that I think kneading before the first rise makes a big difference. Then, no kneading after that just punching down and shaping into whatever kind of bread one wants. Then leaving it to rise. For those of you whose breads turned out too "flat" ... try this method. And make sure your yeast is good!
Made this bread on Tuesday, both loaves are gone. You are my hero.
I have to admit, last time I made it it was amazing. This time I used all whole wheat flour, and it turned out dense and barely rose. I'll use a combo of flours next time.
After all the positive reviews, I couldn't wait to try this one. Since it was my first try, I just stayed with the recipe, except that I cut the salt to one teaspoon. That wasn't quite enough though, so next time I make it I'll try two teaspoons. I used 5 cups of basic whole wheat flour and 1 cup of unbleached white flour and kneaded a little, then rolled the loaves like a jelly roll and baked them seam-side down on my big cookie sheet. It was very easy and turned out delicious. I'll definitely make this again and try some of the great variations from the reviews. :D
Has anyone tried freezing it?
I freeze this every time i make it. I make two loaves, slice both (I slice my slices about 1 cm thick), and put ziplock baggies of two to four slices each in the freezer. i use as I need. i don't eat a ton of bread, so that seems to work much better for me.
..this is in the oven as I type. I think I flattened it out too much though & am scared it'll turn out squished like a foccacia instead of a puffed up loaf.... how am I to know from inches?! We have centimeteres goddamitt! *sigh*
I'll let you know how it turns out.... 15 minutes to go. I will be Outrageously Easy BIG Bread's only failure....
-yup too flat, but entirely my own fault. Still scrumptious with jam though! Will make again, & not flatten.:s
..this is in the oven as I type. I think I flattened it out too much though & am scared it'll turn out squished like a foccacia instead of a puffed up loaf.... how am I to know from inches?! We have centimeteres goddamitt! *sigh*
I'll let you know how it turns out.... 15 minutes to go. I will be Outrageously Easy BIG Bread's only failure....
Pages