How to Bake Artisan Bread

Sourdough is a basic artisan bread.

Artisan bread is a hand-crafted, high-quality bakery product. Recipes vary depending on the type of bread required, however, the ingredients are natural, chemical-free and chosen by the baker. Artisan bread is not mass-produced, since the baker carefully balances flavors and baking techniques to create a very desirable product. Perfecting the art of artisan bread requires lots of practice, as you need to understand the baking process and how to work with baking ingredients. However, the more you try the more bread you can eat in the process. Get started by baking some simple french bread.

Things You'll Need

• For the sponge:
• 1 cup cool-lukewarm water
• 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached flour.
• 1/4 cup white or whole wheat flour
• For the dough:
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 3/4 tsp yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• Bowl
• Plastic film
• Damp cloth
• Clean work surface
• Greased baking sheet
• Baking stone
• Plant Sprayer with water
• Oven

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the sponge in a bowl. Use natural ingredients so your bread is free of chemicals. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 2-16 hours at room temperature.

2. Add the water, sugar, yeast, 3 cups of the unbleached flour and salt from the dough ingredients list to the sponge mixture. Do not use all the flour, as you will need to add this later if the mixture is too wet.

3. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. Dust flour on a clean work surface and put the dough on it. Use your hands to push and stretch the dough, as this stimulates the yeast, causing the bread to rise.

4. Sprinkle more flour onto the dough if it becomes sticky when you knead it. Do not add too much, as the dough will start to flake and crack.

5. Place the dough in a clean bowl, and cover it with a layer of plastic and then the damp cloth. Put the bowl in a warm area such as near a radiator or on top of an oven to encourage the dough to rise. Leave it to rest for at least an hour.

6. Inspect the bread to see if it has risen. If it has not doubled in size, leave it for another half an hour until it has expanded.

7. Remove the dough from the bowl when it has doubled in size. Then, gently divide it into sausage shapes. Try not to bash the dough around as this will remove a lot of the air.

8. Lift the sausage shaped dough onto the greased baking sheet. Make sure you separate the loaves by at least 3 inches to give the dough space to rise again.

9. Leave the dough for another half an hour to rise again. Put the baking stone in the oven, and pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees while you wait for the dough to rise.

10. Open the oven and spray water into the oven three or four times, using the plant sprayer. Then, put the bread inside and turn the temperature down to 425 degrees.

11. Open the oven every 3 or 4 minutes and spray more water. Do this three times, and then leave the bread to cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes -- or until golden brown.

12. Turn the oven off, and remove the bread.

References

• Artisan Bakers: About Breadrecipe
• Best Bread Recipes: French Bread