Author: Bob and Robin Young

Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com, http://boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com

Making the Starter

1

In a mound of flour, make a small well and add the water, yeast and honey. Slowly mix the flour and the water, bringing more flour into the center of the well. The mixture will gradually transform from a paste into a small piece of dough. Knead this small piece of dough with your fingers for about 5–8 minutes, until it becomes springy.

2

Place the dough in a small bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 or 3 days. The starter will be bubbly and smell "sour" when ready. Place in a lightly sealed container and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Starter Prep for the Bread

1

Mix the starter with the water, and mix in the flour. Cover this mixture loosely and set it aside in a warm spot for 18–24 hours or until it is quite bubbly.

2

Replenish the original starter with 1 c flour, 1 c water, 2 t Dry Active Yeast and 1 T Honey. Mix thoroughly. Lightly cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Seal the top and refrigerate.

3

When the starter is ready, it will appear fully risen, and a small indentation made with a finger won’t spring back.

Bread Dough

1

Add the honey to the water and stir to mix. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Let the yeast bloom, about 5 minutes.

2

Using a dough hook on a mixer, add all ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix until the dough pulls from the side. Machine knead for 5 minutes.

3

Remove the mixture from the bowl and place it on a well-floured work table and round it into a ball. Weigh the dough and cut into 2 even pieces. Place in a well oiled bowl. Cover.

4

Let the dough rise in a well-oiled bowl, covered, in the refrigerator for 12–15 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up at room temperature for 2 hours.

5

Gently place the dough into two well oiled 4x12" loaf pans. (4 - 4x8" loaf pans if you don't have the larger ones. Or simply leave the dough in a ball and bake as a "round".) Stretch the dough to fill the pans.

6

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

7

Using a sharp razor blade, slash the tops of the loaves diagonally 3 or 4 times (this will allow them to expand more easily while baking) and spray them with a fine mist of water from a spray bottle. (I do not spray the tops of my loaves and the crust comes out fine.) Cover and let rise until the dough is ¼" above the loaf pans.

8

Bake the loaves 25–30 minutes, until they are entirely golden and the crust is crisp and blistered. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before slicing.