Artisan Italian Bread

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This is my basic Artisan Bread recipe from PreppyKitchen with modifications to make it Italian Bread. This bread substitutes AP flour for the bread flour, reducing the protein and gluten resulting in a softer, finer, more delicate crumb. Rather than using a dutch oven, it is baked on a stone with boiling water added to a pan in the oven to provide steam.

The final product is a soft, flavorful crumb with a nice crackling crust.

Artisan Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 450g (3¾ c) bread flour divided (For Italian Bread use AP flour))
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 10g (1¾ tsp) kosher salt
• 360g (1½ c) warm water between 120°F and 130°F (360 grams)

As an alternate add 2 tsp sugar, mix the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let set 10 minutes. Thoroughly mix in the flour and salt, cover with a towel and let sit for ~1 hour until doubled in size. Bowl fold as in step #4 below. Shape the dough, place into a greased loaf pan, slash the top, and let rise an additional 30 min. Bake 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the top is a golden brown or internal temperature is 190°F.
METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, yeast, and salt, stirring with a dutch dough whisk to combine. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain.
    a. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours.
    b. Alternatively, for an overnight rise: After mixing the dough, cover and refrigerate until doubled in size. This will take about 8 hours but will keep in the fridge up to 24 hours total.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
  3. If refrigerated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  4. Using wet hands, reach down one side of the dough to the bottom of the bowl, pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over the center toward the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams together at the center of the dough ball.
  5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, placing it seam side down. Shape into a boule or batard, depending on the intended use. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper lined banneton and sprinkle it with flour. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and form each into a small batard, place in a parchment paper line French bread form) Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven while it preheats.
  6. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough. Very carefully place the dough with the parchment paper directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes. (If making 2 smaller loaves shaped in french bread forms, slide the loaves from the bread form directly only the baking stone and bake for ~20-25 minutes, on an oven rack positioned in the upper third of the oven then check internal temperature.) Remove the lid and bake until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature is about 195°F (~11 to 12 minutes more.) Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper to help, and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing

Quick Artisan Rolls

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I saw this recipe on YouTube while listening to my favorite podcaster Sean Carroll, Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins, and theoretical physicist and cosmologist, which has nothing to do with this post!

This bread is lower hydration than I usually bake, but the video looked so good I couldn’t resist. The percent bread hydration determines the gluten development, higher hydration equals more gluten development which yields more open and airy crumb structure in the final product. My pain de cristal is 100% hydration (equal parts water and flour,) while my standard artisan bread is 80% (360g water divided by 450g flour) and this bread is 69%.

This recipe called for a large, lidded baking pan, which I don’t own. (I know thats hard to believe there is some baking equipment I don’t have.) I do have two 16” round cake pans and used one for the bottom and one for the top. I attached binder clips around the perimeter of the upper pan and used the clips to center and hold it in place on the lower. (I am quite proud of my Yankee ingenuity.)

These rolls, while delicious with a wonderful crunchy crust were a bit small for a hearty sandwich. I will probably scale the recipe up by 50% rather than only make 3 per bake. They are too good to only have 6 small rolls.

Quick Artisan Rolls

INGREDIENTS
• 220g (1c) water
• 2g (½ tsp) instant dry yeast
• 320g (2 ½ c) bread flour
• 6g ( 1 tsp) salt

METHOD

  1. Mix water and yeast, let rest 5 min.
  2. Add flour and salt and mix until there’s no more dry flour
  3. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
  4. With a wet hand do 4 bowl folds then lift and slap the dough back into the bowl 6 times
  5. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
  6. Repeat the bowl folds and lift and slaps
  7. Repeat the bowl folds but perform a gentler lift and slap. The dough is now much more elastic and smooth.
  8. Let the dough rise about 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
  9. Dust work surface and surface of the dough, (especially the perimeter) with flour
  10. Gently transfer the dough onto the floured work surface and fold it into a log then divide in 6 equal parts
  11. Brush off any excess flour, gently flatten and fold it tightly into a ball
  12. Pinch to seal then roll against work surface with cupped fingers to tighten the surface of the dough
  13. Let the balls rest for 10 minutes uncovered
  14. Roll the dough into a longer shape with your palm
  15. Place it on the baking pan
  16. Lightly sprinkle flour over the bread
  17. Smooth the flour with your hand
  18. Score the bread with a sharp blade or knife
  19. Sprinkle a little water around the bread to make steam
  20. Cover with another tray of the same size
  21. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for 20 minutes
  22. Remove the top tray
  23. Bake for 10 more minutes until the tops are a nice light brown and the internal temp is 195 F.

Lemon Blueberry Babka

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Well, it’s the first of the month and Sally, of Sally’s Baking Addiction, posted her challenge for June. Below is her recipe slightly modified to suit my recipe format (i.e. weights are first and volume second and abbreviations as I like. I figure the recipe is for me to use, so why not?)

Sally’s pictures were much better than mine, but then, I bet she has made this before. Nice separate lemon and blueberry flavors.

Lemon Blueberry Babka


https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-blueberry-babka/

INGREDIENTS

Dough
• 160g ( 2/3 c) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) yeast
• 75g (6 Tbl) granulated sugar, divided
• 71g (5 Tbl) RT unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp-size
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 large RT egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 358g (2 ¾ c) bread flour or AP flour, plus more as needed
Blueberry Filling
• 170-180g ( ¼ c) fresh blueberries (do NOT use frozen)
• 75g 6 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Crumble Topping
• 24g (3 Tbl) bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 38g (3 Tbl) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 28g (2 Tbl) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Brush on Assembled Loaf
• 1 egg white, beaten
Lemon Icing (Optional)
• 120g (1 c) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ Tbl fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbl whole milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half

METHOD

  1. Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes, until foamy and frothy on top. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix the dough by hand using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.
  2. Add the remaining sugar, butter, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup (130g) of bread flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another 1 cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together. As the mixer runs, add another 2–4 Tablespoons of flour (up to 2 and 3/4 cups total) depending on how wet the dough looks. This should be a very soft and almost creamy-feeling dough. Do not add more flour than you need.
  3. Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 6–8 full minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
  4. 1st rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl tightly and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment until nearly double in size, about 3–4 hours.
  5. While the dough is rising, make the blueberry filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice together in a small saucepan with tall sides over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, pressing the blueberries against the sides of the pan (stand back in case they splatter!). Once the blueberries are mostly smashed and the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and allow to come to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. (If you have a candy or instant-read thermometer, the mixture should reach about 215–220°F.) You should have about 1/2 cup (around 160g). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. The filling will thicken as it cools. You can transfer it to a shallow heat-safe dish and place it in the refrigerator to cool down quicker. Set aside.
  6. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter.
  7. When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to a 9×15-inch rectangle. Note: Should it run over the sides of the dough, the blueberry filling can stain a work surface. If needed, transfer the rolled-out dough to a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Gently spread the blueberry filling mixture on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Using floured hands, tightly roll up the dough to form a 15-inch-long log. Place the log on its seam. Fold in half, then twist it to form a figure 8. Pinch the ends together. Place in the prepared loaf pan.
  8. Loosely cover shaped babka. Allow to rise until it’s puffy and nearly reaches the top of the loaf pan, at least 1–1.5 hours.
  9. Make the crumble topping: Mix the brown sugar and flour together in a small bowl. Add the cold butter and, using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. (Cold crumbles are best!)
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  11. Brush the surface of the babka with egg white. Using a toothpick, poke 10–12 holes all over the top of the loaf; this helps prevent an air bubble gap in the interior layers. Sprinkle with crumble topping.
  12. Bake: Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. The surface of the bread browns quickly, so I recommend loosely tenting the pan with aluminum foil around the 30-minute mark. To ensure the bread is done at 50 minutes, give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).
  13. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before icing, or slicing and serving. A serrated knife is best for slicing.
  14. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Drizzle over the babka.
  15. Cover leftover babka tightly and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    Notes
  16. Freezing Instructions: Baked babka (without icing) freezes wonderfully. Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped loaf overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then unwrap and warm to your liking. You can also freeze the dough. After punching down the dough in step 7, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then punch the dough down again to release any air bubbles. Continue with the rest of step 7.
  17. Make-Ahead Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3. Place into a greased bowl (use nonstick spray to grease). Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to come to room temperature, then let it rise until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Continue with step 6. You can prepare the blueberry filling and crumble topping ahead of time as well. Let the filling cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Refrigerate or freeze the topping for up to 1 week.
  18. Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush
  19. Yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star is an instant yeast. Any instant yeast works. You can use a 1:1 substitution of active dry yeast instead with no changes to the recipe. Rise times will be slightly longer if using active dry yeast. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
    Find it online:

Dutch Crunch Bread

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I never heard of Dutch Crunch Bread before our son, Dan asked me about it. Frances, our D.I.L., brought him a sandwich from San Francisco, made with this bread, one of his favorites.

I checked the internet (of course) and was pleased to see King Arthur Baking had both a recipe and video. I made it the same morning and was overjoyed at the result. A great crunch from the topping and a soft chewy crumb from the basic dough.

I made a nice roast beef sandwich for that day’s lunch and froze 3 rolls to make toast a couple or days later. Let the rolls warm to room temperature, then slice lengthwise I toasted it for breakfast.

Definitely a keeper!

Rolls with Topping
Finished Rolls
Rolls ready for sandwich or toast

Dutch Crunch Bread

INGREDIENTS
Dough
• 503g (4 c plus 3 Tbl) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 331g (1 1/3 c plus 2 Tbl ) water*
• 15g(1 Tbl plus ½ tsp) granulated sugar
• 2 Tbl (28g) butter or 2 Tbl (25g) vegetable oil
• 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast
• 12g (2 tsp) table salt
*For cooler months (air and flour temperature around 65°F), use 85°F to 95°F water. In warmer months (air and flour temperature around 75°F), use 65°F to 75°F water.

Baking
• yellow cornmeal or King Arthur Semolina Flour, for dusting

Topping
• 113g (1/2 c) water, lukewarm
• 9g (1 Tbl) instant yeast
• 12g (1 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbl (12g) vegetable oil
• 6g (1 tsp) table salt
• 107g (3/4 c) white rice flour

METHOD

  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, mix all the dough ingredients together until thoroughly combined and homogeneous. Knead briefly with a wet hand in the bowl, 1 minute or so. 

  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then perform a bowl fold: Use a wet hand to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Give the bowl a quarter-turn (90°) and repeat 3 to 6 times, until you’ve circled the dough and it’s become resistant to stretching. (The dough will be rough at this stage.) Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl. The dough temperature should be between 74°F and 78°F. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

  3. Knead the dough in the container or on a work surface to form a cohesive, smooth mass, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the dough seam-side down in the bowl and allow it to rise at room temperature until it feels marshmallow-y and light, 45 to 90 minutes.
  4. While the dough is still in the bowl, lightly sprinkle it with flour. Use a bowl scraper to release the sides of the dough so that it can come out of the bowl without pulling or tearing. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top, then divide it into 8 pieces (about 113g each). For larger hoagies, divide the dough into 4 pieces (about 226g each). 

  5. To preshape the dough: Use lightly floured hands to pat each piece of dough into a rough square. Fold the left and right sides in to meet in the middle, then press to gently seal. Starting at the top, fold the rectangle towards yourself in 3 motions, pressing gently after each fold, to create a 5″ cylinder with the seam-side down. The entire time you work, apply flour as needed to make sure the dough is moving easily on the work surface. Cover and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Let the preshaped dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal or semolina.
  7. To shape the rolls: Starting with the first piece of dough you preshaped, flip it over so the seam is up. Pat it into a rectangle with the long side facing you. Fold the top long edge into the middle, then fold the bottom edge into the center to meet it. Fold the top of the dough down to the bottom edge and press to seal with the heel of your hand. Roll the log against the surface to make an even tube about 7 1/2″ to 8″ long. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the shaped rolls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly.
  8. Loosely cover the baking sheets and set aside to rise for 30 minutes. While the rolls rise, make the crunch topping.
  9. To prepare the crunch topping: In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients until homogenous. Set aside until the dough completes the 30-minute rise; no need to cover it. Before use, stir to deflate and check the consistency: It should be thick but not tight, somewhere between pudding and ketchup. Adjust with additional water or rice flour as necessary. 

  10. To apply the crunch topping: Portion 1 tablespoon of the crunch topping onto the center of the rolls. (If making the large hoagie-sized rolls, use 2 tablespoons of crunch topping per roll.) Use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently distribute the crunch topping evenly over the surface and down the sides, stopping just shy of where the roll meets the pan.
  11. After applying the topping, allow the rolls to rise for an additional 45 to 75 minutes, until jiggly and wobbly. (No need to cover.)
  12. Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
  13. Put the rolls in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 425°F.
  14. Bake the rolls for 18 to 24 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until the tops are deeply colored and mottled in appearance and the sides are golden. Cool briefly and enjoy.

Storage information: Dutch crunch rolls are best eaten fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days and reheat or toast before using; freeze for longer storage

Maggies Biscuits

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I needed a quick snack this morning and had insufficient heavy cream to make drop berry scone, and remembered Maggies Biscuits. These are delicious, short biscuits that are ready in less than an hour. Paired with jam or butter and they are perfect.

Maggie’s Six Biscuits

(Reproduced here in almost the original vernacular)

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 1 ½ c AP Flour
• 1 stick Cold Butter
• 3/4 Sour Milk or Buttermilk (I soured whole milk with a bit o’lemon juice)

METHOD

  1. Mix the dry ingredients.
  2. Cut in the butter (fingers or pastry thingie, your choice) til it’s a shaggy mess … remembering that the less it’s messed with the flakier it’ll (like, I have to tell YOU that, 🤣).
  3. Once it’s at the shaggy mess stage begin adding the liquid a bit at a time until it’s a soft dough … keeping in mind then”remembering” bit notes above.
  4. Knead it a tiny bit.
  5. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a rectangle about 1/2” high, spread some melted butter on it,
  6. Fold in half, pat it into a rectangle about 1” high
  7. Cut into 1½ “ circles, spread some melted butter on it, place on parchment papered baking sheet, and chill in the freezer as oven pre-heats, ~15 min
  8. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes.

Sandwich Bread

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After reading a new recipe for sandwich bread I realized it was very similar to my “go to” artisan bread. The differences are two tablespoons of sugar are added to the water and yeast and allowed to rest for 10 minutes before adding the bread flour and salt, and the bread is baked in a greased loaf pan instead of a Dutch oven

The result is a very soft loaf with a softer crust than the artisan bread and perfect sandwich crumb. It’s amazing what such a small change can make in character of a bread. There is a time and place for everything.

Artisan Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 450g (3 ¾ c) bread flour divided (For Italian Bread use AP flour))
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 10g (1 ¾ tsp) kosher salt
• 360g (1 ½ c) warm water between 120°F and 130°F (360 grams)

As an alternate add 2 tsp sugar, mix the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let set 10 minutes. Thoroughly mix in the flour and salt, cover with a towel and let sit for ~1 hour until doubled in size. Bowl fold as in step #4 below. Shape the dough, place into a greased loaf pan, slash the top, and let rise an additional 30 min. Bake 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the top is a golden brown or internal temperature is 190°F.


METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, yeast, and salt, stirring with a dutch dough whisk to combine. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain.
    a. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
    b. Alternatively, for an overnight rise: After mixing the dough, cover and refrigerate until doubled in size. This will take about 8 hours but will keep in the fridge up to 24 hours total.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
  3. If refrigerated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  4. Using lightly floured hands, reach down one side of the dough to the bottom of the bowl, pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over the center toward the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams together at the center of the dough ball.
  5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, placing it seam side down. Shape into a boule or batard, depending on the intended use. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper lined banneton and sprinkle it with flour. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and form each into a small batard, place in a parchment paper line French bread form) Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel for 10 minutes while the oven heats to 450°F. Place a large dutch oven with a lid in the oven while it preheats.
  6. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough. Very carefully place the dough with the parchment paper directly into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes. (If making 2 smaller loaves shaped in french bread forms, bake for 12 minutes, on an oven rack positioned in the upper third of the oven then check internal temperature.) Remove the lid and bake until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature is about 195°F (~11 to 12 minutes more.) Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper to help, and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing

QC Cadre Gathering – May 19, 2025

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This is the second Gathering of the immediate neighbors, plus a few others who comprise the QC Cadre. The Quality Control Cadre taste and review my bakes on a regular basis. This Gathering was offered both savory and sweet selections.

My personal favorites were the Mini Key Lime Pies, recipe thanks to SallysBakingAddiction, and the pain de cristal bread thanks to King Arthur Baking.

Pain de Cristal
Pain de Cristal with oil and vinegar
Turkey Peperocini wraps
Bruschetta
Caprese Bites
Orange Flavored Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate and Crushed Macadamias
Mini Key Lime Pies
Lots of Drinks with Ilayne’s Punch as the Star
Decimated Offerings

Krustenbrot

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Thanks to my semester of college German (barely passed) and Google Translate, I knew this would be a crusty bread. I saw this recipe and method in YouTube and decided to give it a try. It’s not terribly different from other breads I make, but did you and overnight room temperature proof (12-18 hours) to develop flavor and structure.

This morning it was evident the dough over proofed during the night. I could see on the bowl how high the dough rose on the glass and was down ~20% this morning. I shaped it and let it sit for 30 minutes as the oven pre-heated, hoping it would recover.

I baked it as directed and it did exhibit some oven spring and resulted in a nice, small flavorful loaf, but was wet, dense, and disappointing. Some possible remedies would be to use much less yeast (1/2 – 1/4 teaspoon,) or refrigerate the proofing overnight. Either should retard the proof and make the 12 hours not over proof the dough.

I have another recipe that the author claimed she learned from an Italian restaurant bake and will give that one a try next week. I have other fish to fry… or rather bakes to bake before then.

No-Knead Artisan Bread -Krustenbrot


https://www.quick-german-recipes.com/artisan-bread-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS
• 390 g (3 c) AP flour
• 5 g (1½ tsp) active dry yeast
• 360 g (1½ c) warm water
• 6 g (1 tsp) salt
• extra flour for dusting

METHOD

  1. Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl with a Danish whisk. The dough will be sticky and look a mess!
  2. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and rest it on the counter (at room temperature) for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours. The dough will rise and the top will be bubbly and sticky.
  3. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside of Dutch oven. Place paper on counter and sprinkle lightly with flour.
  4. Lightly sprinkle flour on counter. Gently put the dough on it. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top pat into a rough rectangle and fold the dough over on itself twice, shaping it into an elongated ball.
  5. Gently place onto parchment paper. Cover with a large bowl that doesn’t touch the dough.
  6. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and put your Dutch oven into the oven to heat for about 30 minutes.
  7. Slash the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame blade.
  8. Remove preheated Dutch oven and, using oven mitts, gently lift parchment paper with dough into it and cover with lid. Return to oven.
  9. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
  10. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool for about 1 hour before slicing.

Sally’s Baking Addiction – May 2025 Challenge

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This month’s challenge was to make a Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake or alternatively an Orange Sweet Roll (which was my entry choice.) While cheesecake is fine, no one bakes one better than my son Dan who makes two for every New Years.

My only comment on Sally’s method is I think chilling the rolled dough for an hour before slicing would make the cutting easier and would not deform the shape.

The taste and texture were outstanding (a word I use too frequently, but is typically appropriate.)

Pain de Cristal

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Without doubt my favorite bread, but it is a pain to make (heh, heh.) This bread takes about 7 hours, start to finish, with hands on about every 20 minutes for the first 5 hours, but it’s so worth every minute.

Pain de Cristal is “Glass Bread” developed in the Catalan region of Spain. It has a crispy thin crust that fractures like glass. The interior has large air pockets and an amazingly light, soft, chewy crumb, perfect to dipping in oil and vinegar. This is another addition to our QC Cadre Gathering, and may be my best bake of this bread ever!

It’s a 100% hydration bread, meaning equal parts water and flour. Initially, it looks like pancake batter, but after a few folds and coils begins to exhibit some structure. It is alway fragile so a tender touch is required to may this tender bread.

Pre-bake with large bubbles
Post-baked
Final, with oil and vinegar or butter.

Pain de Cristal


INGREDIENTS
• 500g water (80 F in warm weather, 100F if cold)
• 500g Bread Flour
• 3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast
• 10g salt
• 15g olive oil (for the casserole pan)

METHOD
This is KAB’s method

  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the water, flour, yeast, and salt until thoroughly combined and homogenous. Note: The dough starts off very slack and wet and resembles pancake batter. It will transform itself through time and folds.
  3. Oil a two-quart rectangular baking dish, or casserole pan, (10” x 7”) with the olive oil. The sides should be greater than 1.5” high.
  4. Pour the dough into the pan. Check the dough’s temperature by inserting a digital thermometer into the center. If it’s less than 72°F, move the pan to a warmer spot, e.g., your oven with the light turned on. The dough MUST ferment at a constant 72-78 F.
  5. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 30 minutes)
  6. Start with a bowl fold: Use your wet hands to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Repeat 8 to 12 times going around the periphery of the baking dish 2 or 3 times.
  7. Cover the dish and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 70 minutes)
  8. Next do a coil fold: With wet hands, reach under the dough and stretch the middle upward until the dough releases from the dish. Roll it forward off your hands, allowing it to fold over (or “coil”) on itself. Rotate the dish 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and repeat. Continue performing this folding action until the dough will stretch and elongate easily, usually four to five times initially.
  9. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 90 minutes)
  10. Repeat the coil fold: Note: Do coil folds three more times, covering each time, to build strength and developing the dough. (60 more minutes.) (Elapsed time: 150 minutes)
  11. At this point, the dough should be easier to handle and feel tighter. Repeat the coil fold using only two or three folds this time. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. (Elapsed time: 170 minutes)
  12. Repeat the coil fold one last time, (5th coil fold) using only one or two folds if the dough is relatively strong and large bubbles should have formed. Transfer the dough to a larger, oil coated dish, cover the dish and allow the dough to rest for about 80 minutes. It should about triple in size. (After this rest 4 hours 10 minutes should have elapsed.)
  13. Divide the dough: Coat the top of the dough with flour. Use a bowl scraper to gently release the dough from the sides of the pan.
  14. As gently as possible, turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface, keeping the rectangle or square shape – be careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on top of the dough, leaving no exposed sticky spots.
    a. For four small loaves: Working as gently as possible, use a bench knife or other sharp knife to divide it into four pieces. Gently place two pieces on a piece of parchment, leaving space between them.
    b. For two long loaves: lay two pieces of parchment paper, overlapping 2”. Carefully divide the dough in half lengthwise. Using a bench knife carefully slide some flour under each loaf and shape into regular rectangles. As gently as possible slide the loaves onto separate pieces of parchment paper. (Elapsed time: 5 hours)
    c. Allow the loaves to rest at room temperature for 1 hour, uncovered until large bubbles appear on the sides and surface. While the loaves are resting, preheat the oven to 475°F with a baking stone on a lower rack. The loaves are ready for the oven when there are a few large bubbles on the surface of each loaf, and they feel light and airy. (Elapsed time: 6 hours)
  15. To bake the bread: Carefully slide the two loaves (still resting on the parchment) into the oven onto the preheated stone or steel. If space is tight and the full sheet of parchment won’t fit on the stone or steel, cut the parchment between the two loaves and arrange them as best you can. Allow the other two loaves to continue to rest.
    a. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then transfer them, from the stone or steel, directly onto a rack in the upper third of the oven for an additional 13 to 15 minutes. Moving them allows the baking stone or steel to become hot again in preparation for the next two loaves. After a total of 30 minutes of baking, remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack. (Elapsed time: 6 ½ hours)
  16. Repeat the process with the two remaining loaves or loaf. Cool the bread fully before slicing.
  17. Storage information: Wrap the bread loosely and store it at room temperature for up to several days; freeze for longer storage.