Easy bread for beginner baker

Simple bread in my kitchen - straight method

It needs very easy ingredients as well. This is pretty simple bread because it is not very high hydration, it is just 70%. And if you love higher hydration, you may use 730 ml water for 73% hydration dough.

Ingredients: 

1000 gr strong bread flour

700 ml water

10 gr fresh yeast / 5 gr active dry yeast

22 gr salt

Oil for greasing

 Method:

1. Dissolve the fresh yeast and water. Add the rest water and flour into the bowl. Mix it well until it is fully incorporated and form a dough.

2. Cover bowl with kitchen towel / plastic wrap. Let it rest for 15 mins.

3. Add salt with some sprinke of water. Mix it with hand until salt dissolved. Knead the dough until it is smooth. You may use flip method or traditional kneading method ( washing clothes movement). It takes around 10 - 12 minutes.

4. Working with some oiled hands, gently transfer the dough to a lightly mixing bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment for one hours to one and half hours. It will increase by volume. 

5. Transfer out the dough to the lightly floured work surface and divide the dough into two or in my case here (I didn't divide). Pre-shape each dough into ball and let it bench rest for 15 minutes, cover it with towel.

6. Shape the dough into rounds or long shape or braided style, transfer the dough on the couche or bannetons or bowl covered with towel (flour dusted).

7. Let it proof for one hour to one and half hour. 

8. Pre-heat oven to 220 C and place a pan filled up with water to create some steam or just use sprayer (if any). Let the baking tray/ stone heat up. I use baking tray in every bread that I bake. 

9. Poke the dough. << if poke stay longer in the dough or spring back very slowly, it means the dough is ready to be baked.  >> 

10. Remove out the baking tray on the counter,  sprinkle little flour or semolina on the tray. Transfer out the dough on the heated tray or stones. 

11. Lame / Score the dough with a tip of sharp knife or the tip of razor blade. 

12. Place the dough into the oven, bake it for 35 to 40 minutes if your dough is half portioned. If it is whole bread, bake it for 45 to 50 minutes. 

If you use spray, the first 10 minutes, you may keep spraying with 5 minutes gap time. 

If you use water in a pan, leave the pan for around 10 to 13 minutes. Then, with your thick handgloves remove the pan out. Please be careful, it is very very hot..

13. After baking for 35 minutes, check the doneness of bread. If it is good, you may turn off the heat, let the bread rest for a minute inside the oven. Remove it out to the cooling rack and slice it after 10 - 15 minutes

Enjoy your fresh selfmade bread