Bread so easy it takes 5 minutes. I love this bread.
The original recipe has been all over the world wide web for a few years now. I first saw it on my cousin’s blog. I’ve made it several times since then and really should have blogged about it sooner!
Of course the original version is all white flour. I’m sure I’d love it but have not yet been able to bring myself to make it. I have a strange fear of making 100% white bread. I think I’ve only done it 2 or 3 times (with other recipes). At any rate, you can use whatever combination of white and whole grain flours that you like. I’ve used up to half whole wheat with fine results. This particular batch is just 1/3. If you use all white flour, you can skip the gluten. I added that because of the whole wheat flour.
This bread looks like a perfect artisan loaf. Feels like it, too…really crusty on the exterior and soft on the inside. It is absolutely fabulous buttered and dipped in soup. It makes quite a tasty breakfast pizza crust. Tonight we had it as our bread with sloppy joes. A bit difficult to eat but so tasty.
5-Minute Bread
Adapted from Mama JJ
3 cups warm water
1 1/2 T active dry yeast
2 T wheat gluten
1 T salt
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
4 3/8 cups white bread flour
In a large bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dough will be sticky but that’s okay. Cover with a shower cap and let rise until about doubled (an hour). Scrape dough down, re-cover, and place in the fridge.
When ready to bake bread, remove a hunk of the dough, shape it, and lay it on a well-cornmealed bread board or cookie sheet with no sides. And I mean WELL covered in cornmeal. We don’t want any sticking going on. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour, give it a few deep slashes with a serrated knife, and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
About 25 minutes before it’s finished rising, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When bread is ready, gently slide it onto the hot stone, pour a few tablespoons of water onto the bottom of the oven, and quickly shut the door. Repeat this two more times in the first 5 minutes of baking. Then leave the door shut for the next 45 – 50 minutes or until the loaf is a lovely brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Allow loaf to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing, though I prefer it to be completely cooled. When hot, the insides are too soggy to cut.
Repeat as often as needed to use up the batch of dough. They say it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. I’ve never had it last more than 5 or 6 days as we always eat it up too quickly.
Yield: 2 or 3 nice sized loaves.
I gave my pizza stone to Goodwill a while back, before this bread and the NYTimes no-knead bread hit the scene. sighhhhh Need to get a pizza stone. This looks great.
Aww. That IS sigh worthy! I often see them at yard sales. I’ll try to remember you need one!
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