Crispy Crust Wheat Sandwhich Bread No Knead Food

CRISPY CRUST WHEAT SANDWHICH BREAD NO-KNEAD

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients by wooden spoon or by hand until well mixed.
• Place in an oil sprayed 5 qt bowl and cover with sprayed plastic wrap.
• Let rest on counter at 70 F for 2 hours or at 80 F for 1 1/2 hours.
• Place in the fridge overnight or for several days.
• Gently remove from bowl and divide into two pieces with a dough scaper or knife and stretch the outter film of the dough until a tight surface and a log shape is formed.
• Place into oiled 8 x 4 loaf pans.
• Rest at 70 to 80 F for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
• 30 minutes before baking, place a large roasting pan with lid into the middle of the over and preheat oven to 450°F.
• When the dough is about 1 inch above the pans, carefully remove the lid to the roaster and place the two pans into it. Wear mitts or use pot holders to avoid being burned.
• Add 1/4 cup of hot water to the roaster carefully.
• Replace lid and bake for 20 minutes.
• Rotate roaster pan and check on browning.
• If not browning, leave lid off and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until internal temperatures are 200 - 210°F.
• If browning, replace lid and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more until internal temperatures are 200- 210°F.
• Carefull remove loaves and turn out on wire rack and cool for 30 min to an hour before cutting.
• Note: The yeast can be cut down if resting time is increased before refrigerating. The key is to get the dough to finish rising, flatten, or begin to collapse before refrigeration. 1/2 tsp yeast requires up to 12 hours for rising which improves flavor. I often use instant yeast and about 25% less than listed here.

LOW-KNEAD SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the dough: Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix with your hands until mostly homogenous. Combine the water and vinegar or lemon juice, then add to the bowl. Form one hand into a stiff claw, and stir with it until no dry flour remains and the dough forms a sticky, shaggy ball. Roll the ball around the bowl until most of the dough is part of the same large mass. The mixing process should take no more than 30 to 45 seconds.
• Rest the dough: Scrape your dough-covered hand with your clean hand to get most of the dough into the bowl, then invert a tall-sided medium metal or glass bowl and place it on top of the large bowl, tapping it to ensure a tight seal. Allow the dough to rest for 20 to 40 minutes.
• Fold the dough: After the dough has rested, remove the inverted bowl. The dough should look very wet and sloppy. Dip your hands briefly in a bowl of water, then shake off the excess. Using one hand, scoop your fingers under one side of the dough to the very bottom of the bowl and, working quickly, lift that side, stretch it a few inches, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4 to 6 times until you've worked all the way around the dough. (The dough will become noticeably tighter and a little more difficult to stretch with each fold.) Lift the dough and flip it over.
• Cover the bowl with the inverted bowl and allow to continue resting. Repeat this every 20 to 40 minutes within the first 2 to 3 hours. (No need to be very precise with timing at this stage.) By the last folding step, the dough should be significantly smoother and tighter and resemble a more traditional (albeit slack) bread dough. Cover with the inverted bowl (or a cutting board), then transfer to the refrigerator and let rest at least overnight and up to 3 days.
• Lightly oil a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. While the dough is still cold from the fridge, dust it with flour and tip it out onto a generously dusted work surface. Working quickly with lightly floured hands, flatten the dough out into a rough 8-by-8-inch square, then roll it up like a jelly roll, pinching the seam to seal.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, seam-side down. Cover it with a floured kitchen towel, and let rise at room temperature until the dough is crowning over the top of the loaf pan, about 2 hours. At least 30 minutes before baking, adjust an oven rack to the center position and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush the top of the loaf with the egg mixture. (You could also sprinkle with coarse salt, spices or seeds at this point, if desired.) Bake until deep brown and the center of the loaf registers 205 degrees, about 35 to 45 minutes.
• Run a knife or a thin metal spatula between the bread and the loaf pan to loosen the loaf, then remove loaf from pan and rest on a cooling rack until completely cool.

SIMPLE CRUSTY BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).
• Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.
• Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.
• Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.