Ingredients
- 7 ounces whole wheat flour; 1-1/2 cups
- 7 ounces bread flour; 1-1/2 cups
- 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1-1/4 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Step 1
Mix the Dough:
1. In a large bowl or food container, whisk together the flours, salt and
yeast. Using a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk, mix the water and honey
into the dry ingredients. Stir just until the dough comes together, making
sure there are no dry ingredients left at the bottom of the bowl.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a loose-fitting lid. Allow the dough
to rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
Shape and Bake the Loaf:
1. Sprinkle a generous amount of whole wheat flour on a 12x8 inch piece of
parchment and set aside.
2. Dust more flour over the surface of the dough to prevent it from
sticking to your hands as you shape the loaf. Gently pull the dough away
from the sides and then lift it out of the bowl; you want to work it as
little as possible to maintain the air bubbles formed by the yeast. Dust
the dough with more flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking to your
hands. Quickly stretch and tuck the dough under itself, giving it quarter
turns as you work to form a tight ball. The top of the houle will be smooth
but the bottom may be a collection of loose ends, which will come together
as the dough rests.
3. Put the shaped boule on the prepared parchment. Lower the loaf on the
parchment into a 4 to 5-1/2 quart Dutch oven. Cover and allow it to rest
for 45 minutes at room temperature. After the rest, if you like, decorate
the loaf by slashing a 1/4 inch deep cross in the top with a sharp paring
knife.
4. Put the Dutch oven in the center of a cold oven; set the oven to 425°F
and bake for 40 minutes. The loaf will have risen nicely but will still be
pale. Remove the lid of the Dutch oven and bake until the loaf is a deep
caramel-brown color, 10 to 20 minutes more.
5. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven, peel away the parchment,
and allow it to cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Cinnamon-Raisin-Walnut Boule
Add 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup
tightly packed raisins, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients
in the master recipe. Mix, shape, and bake as instructed.
Cheddar Cheese Boule
Add 1-1/2 cups (5 ounces) loosely packed grated sharp Cheddar to the dry
ingredients in the master recipe. Mix and shape as instructed. Put a thick
slice of Cheddar on top of the loaf just before placing in the oven; it
will melt and caramelize over the loaf.