Here’s the way it went down…
4 cups all purpose flour
1 dash salt
1pkg yeast
1 and 2/3 cup warm water
2 tbs honey
In measuring cup put yeast in warm water to foam. In large bowl put flour and salt. Stir. Make DEEP well. Sqeeze or spoon honey into well. Slowly pour foamy water/yeast in. Stir then turn out and kneed on floured surface for 10 minutes or so.
*at this point I was wondering how this was going to work out… the dough didn’t want to stick together*
Place dough ball into greased bowl and cover with towel. Let rise for an hour.
*that hour turned into all night!!!! I fell asleep ~oops!~ 9 hours later*
Remove dough ball (that smells like delicious sourdough) from bowl: punch down and kneed a few times. Shape as you like and place on greased cookie sheet. Place in cold oven. Set oven temp to 425 degrees F. Set timer for 40 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a wire rack (HA!)
*nearly burn fingers trying to tear off just a tiny piece and scorch mouth while trying to eat and take pictures… then wait till it (your mouth, that is) cools and go back for seconds*
So overall the bread is good. The crust is crusty and the inside’s full of air. It is reminiscent of sour dough… with that lingering flavor … maybe because of it’s overnight rise time. The kids and I like it well, enough.
We are in agreement, however, that the crust is harder than we’d like it too be. We’ll try again another day: maybe honey glaze the crust, or a little less flour, or less initial rise time, or two rising periods, or some more honey…. or some something!
