Bake Your Feelings: Homemade Bread is Glorious!

You're the best thing since sliced bread. No, really, you are...but you know what's even BETTER than sliced bread?

Homemade Bread.

Those words strike fear into bakers everywhere...but I promise you, this recipe is delicious, easy, and fool-proof! A good friend of mine sent it to me a few weeks ago and promised that I couldn't ruin it...and he was right!

The recipe is in two steps: preparation day & baking day. The hands on time is very short but the dough does have to sit overnight to rise so make sure you plan ahead!

Boule

(makes 4 1lb. loaves)

Ingredients:

-3 cups lukewarm water

-1 1/2 tbsp. granulated yeast (2 packets)

-1 1/2 tbsp. kosher or other coarse salt

-6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour

-Cornmeal (for peel) (I didn't have any so I did without and it was fine!)

Equipment:

-2 large bowls

-1 plate that will cover the large bowl

-Wooden spoon

-Baking sheet (optional)

-Somewhat air-tight container for fridge

-Parchment paper

-Pyrex glass thing (any size will do)

Preparation Day:

1. In large bowl, add yeast and salt to lukewarm water

2. Measure the flour into the other large bowl and then add it all at once to the water mixture, mix with a wooden spoon (don't knead). You can stop when it is uniformly moist.

3. Cover with plate and leave to rise on the counter for at least 2 hours (it won't hurt if it's longer!)

4. Store in a somewhat air-tight container in the fridge over night...I put my shower cap over the bowl...(yes, I own a shower cap..they are so useful!)

Baking Day:

1. Lay out 2ft of parchment paper on the counter and dust with cornmeal (again, I didn't have cornmeal so I dusted with a TINY bit of flour)

2. Cut a grapefruit size piece of dough, form into a bowl and place on the parchment paper

3. Allow to rise for ~40 minutes (though a bit longer is fine, too)

4. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees F

5. Dust the loaves liberally with flour and slash the top with either /// or #. The slashes should be 1/4 inch thick.

6. Add 1 cup of water to the pyrex and put on the shelf beneath the bread

7. Either A. put the parchment on a baking sheet and slide it into the oven above the water, or B. put the parchment directly on the rack itself (I did this and it worked fabulously!)

8. Bake for 30 minutes!

And voila! You now have freshly baked, delicious bread! Eat it with olive oil and dipping herbs and you will be in heaven!