STAFF of Life
(Page 2 of 3)
February/March 2001
by John McLure
Keep in mind... the more dense and compact the loaf, the longer it will take to bake.
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After the first rise you will find a dough with a shiny surface, sinkholes or craters the size of coins made by the fallen bubbles. If you stretch it out, the dough should resemble a stringy spider web. This signifies a fine, sour-tasting bread. If the dough is still quite tough, this is the time to add water, one tablespoon at a time, mixed in well until the dough looks lively but firm.
After the 12-hour rise, punch down the dough, divide in two, and mold it into whatever shape loaves you desire. Keep in mind, however, the more dense and com pact the loaf, the longer it will take to bake. Place the loaves on a couple of sheet pans that have been oiled or sprinkled with cornmeal (one or the other will suffice, you don't need both oil and corn meal). Then, cover the dough loaves and pans with a plastic bag and let them sit there for a spell. This is the second rising, or proofing, and takes about three hours.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (if your oven is small, you might want to preheat it to 475°F, then lower it to 425°F just before placing loaves inside). Before baking, slice across the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife. This will prevent the loaf from bulging out on the sides. One slice is enough for a round loaf, but if your loaves are long and thin, make several slashes along the length of the loaf.
When you place the loaves in the oven, you might want to throw a couple of tablespoons of water onto a hot surface inside the oven to generate steam, which will improve the appearance and texture of the loaf, making the crust more resilient and satisfyingly crackly. Steam will adhere to the moist, tacky surface of the loaves, which is another reason to keep them covered with plastic during the second rising: If the loaves have developed a tough, dry surface before being placed in the oven, the steam will have little effect.
Variations in loaf shape and volume will make it difficult to predict a precise baking time for this recipe, but it should take about 15 minutes for a classic French bread shape, about 30 for round loaves. Don't stray too far from the kitchen - you'll want to rotate the bread about halfway through to ensure even baking.
Basic Timing
The emphasis of this recipe is on the correct proportions of the ingredients and on the conditions that favor the dough's long rising time.
MIXING AND KNEADING
12-hour rise
SHAPING
3-hour rise
Baking at 475° F (245° C) for about 20 minutes
