My first venture into bread making..

let them turn out okay ...

MissPrissy... say a prayer for me will you?

 

yep.. got it off the back of a flour bag LOL Stood there looking like a kid in a candy store in the baking aisle I'm sure from all the stares I was getting. Began with "think I'll do cookies.." (which I love to bake) then.. saw the bread flour and went Hmmmmm

Give me a few mins to type it all and I'll post it

oohh ! Here it is but... she has a website too!

Rose’s Basic Hearth Bread

Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum, The Bread Bible, W. W. Norton & Company, 2003

This is the recipe as it appears on the back of the flour bag but with a few additions, variations and lots of tips! (Note: to print the out, select the text and copy into a word document)

Makes: About 1 3/4 pounds of dough: An 8 inch round loaf, or a 9 inch sandwich loaf, or 16 dinner rolls, or 12 hot dog buns, or 8 hamburger buns

3 cups/1 pound Harvest King flour (measured by dip and sweep)
1/4 cup/1.25 ounce whole wheat flour
1-1/4 teaspoons rapid rise, bread machine or other instant yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1-1/3 cups/11.25 ounces room temperature water
1 teaspoon mild honey, such as clover

Optional for soft crust for sandwich bread or buns: 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, whole wheat flour and yeast. Then whisk in the salt. Stir in the water and honey (and optional oil). Using a mixer with a dough hook or by hand, knead the dough until smooth and springy (about 7 minutes, or 10 minutes by hand). The dough should be soft and just sticky enough to cling slightly to your fingers. If it is still very sticky knead in a little flour. If it is too stiff spray it with a little water and knead it.

Set the dough in a lightly greased bowl and lightly spray or oil the top of the dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, about an hour. (Stick a finger into the center of the dough and if it keeps the indentation it’s ready.) If baking it the following day, press down the dough and set it in a large oiled zipper type storage bag, leaving a tiny bit unzipped for the forming gas to escape, and refrigerate it. Remove it to room temperature 1 hour before shaping.

When ready to shape the dough, set it on a very lightly floured counter and flatten gently with your fingertips. Shape into a round ball or football. Set it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. Cover with a large container or oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise until almost doubled and when pressed gently with a finger the depression very slowly fills in.

While the dough is rising, set the oven rack toward the bottom and place a baking stone or baking sheet on it. Set a cast iron skillet or heavy baking pan on the floor of the oven or on the lowest shelf. Preheat the oven to 475F. for 45 minutes or longer.

With a single edged razor blade or very sharp knife, cut one or more long, 1/4 inch deep slashes into the dough. Mist the dough with water, quickly but gently set the baking sheet on the hot stone or hot baking sheet, and toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath. Immediately shut the door and bake 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 425°F. and continue baking 20 to 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. (An instant read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 210°F.). Halfway through baking, turn the pan halfway around for even baking.

Remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely or until just warm.

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com WEBSITE

I'll let you know if I like this bread or not - on the site its gotten alot of good reviews apparently.

 

MMMMMMMM okay I just took the 2nd loaf out of the oven and the 1st loaf was just warm enough to cut - so I did

I have to say this is a very good recipe - hubby enjoyed it and so did my son. This tastes like a cross between a sourdough and a regular bread almost.

Boy does the house smell wonderful!