"Loaf-Mass" Goodies I baked along with the bread recipe

LOAF-MASS

So the festival of grains is quickly creeping up and I did not accomplish ALL I had hoped to this weekend but I did manage to bake two kinds of bread. Here is the French Bread Recipe (1 loaf has already been completely consumed by Big Daddy.)

The bread recipe I used I found on "Deals to Meals" a blog with a great assortment of recipes, the recipe is here. I had to make some adjustments as I had a different type of yeast so here is what I did.

1/4 c. warm water 

1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tbsp.)

3 Tbsp. sugar

Follow directions on yeast packet (will be frothy and will double in size)

Then add

2 1/4 c. warm water

2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp. Salt (adjust to your taste)
1/3 c. oil (I used vegetable oil)

Then mix in:

6-7 c. flour , one cup at a time until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it will hold it's shape. I ended up only needing 6 cups- you may need 7 to 7 1/2 cups depending on your elevation and humidity. Worry more about the consistency of the dough and less about the actual amount of flour. 

*You will also need some cornmeal for later.

Place the bowl in a cold oven with pan of boiling water (the steam builds up and keeps the dough moist. I went ahead and also covered it loosely with a large plastic Ziploc bag. Wait for it to rise (double it's size.)

After it rises the first time take it out of the oven and then punch it down, literally. (This creates more air in the bread and made it "fluffy.") Do this 2-5 times for nice fluffy bread. (Big Daddy couldn't help himself and punched more than I was aware of, needless to say, we have really fluffy bread. :)

After the final rise in the bowl (the dough will be near the top of the bowl more than likely) separate it into loaves or rounds as you desire. Place on a greased pan with some cornmeal on the bottom to make it crunchier. Make some slices to allow for expansion.  Allow the loaves to rise again - they need to double in size again. This is a good time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees while the loaves are rising.

(I divided mine into three medium sized loaves about 10" long and 5 inches wide after the last rise.)

These are NOT my hands, they are Big Daddy's. Ha Ha Ha!

Big Daddy made the slices, because mine just weren't up to snuff, I think he enjoyed baking these more than I did.  Now you can brush the tops with an egg wash while they are rising (1 egg plus a little water-about a tsp. beaten in a bowl.) 

Big Daddy posing with the egg wash.

YUMMY

Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes and then take them out of the oven and allow them to cool for about 8-10 minutes. Then get your butter and olive oil dips together because you are going to be UNABLE to stop eating them. :) Happy Lammastide everyone!