How to Bake your own Bread
How to bake your own Artisan loaf
INGREDIENTS
360g or 3 cups self-raising flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water
The How to Bit
Start with the yeast activated in 1/4 cup warm water and reduced the water added to the flour to 1 1/4 cups.
Next, you put the dry ingredients in a bowl, or if you are lazy like me, pop it in the mixer with a dough hook on.
Mix the water and yeast until it is a gloopy mess - yes it is meant to look like this.
Leave in a covered bowl to rise overnight or at least 12 hours. I usually do it the evening before and leave it on the counter until morning when I cook it. Put the oven on to 230 degrees C - it has to be hot and put in the bowl you are cooking it in, they suggest a cast iron casserole dish. I went high-tech with Pyrex and yes it worked. As long as it is ovenproof, has a lid, and is big enough you are good to go.
While the oven is heating the fun begins, take the dough out of the bowl. It is still sticky I am not going to lie and you will need a floured piece of baking parchment to plop it on and you will get messy people.
We are not kneading it remember, I am not sure you could knead this sticky mess !
Gently shape it into a loaf shape or until it resembles something like a loaf. Cover and leave to rise while your oven is heating.
Take your hot bowl out "CAREFULLY" and place = in your dough.
Bake in the oven with the lid on for 30 minutes, take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes, and marvel at the wondrous smell of bread in your kitchen.