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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Loaves of Bread 374g Recipe makes 4 Loaves of Bread) The following items or measurements are not included below: 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Calories 727
Calories from Fat 18		(2%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 2.0g	3%
	Saturated Fat 0.3g	1%
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 1461mg		60%
Potassium 242mg		6%
Total Carbohydrate 152.1g		50%
	Dietary Fiber 5.7g	22%
	Sugars 0.5g
Protein 21.1g		42%
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Our Daily Bread in a Crock - Weekly Make and Bake Rustic Bread

Recipe #340621 | 14 days | 14 days prep | add private note

⁽⁴¹⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: French Tart
Dec 1, 2008

Make up a large batch of rustic artisanal bread dough, store it and then bake a loaf each day you need fresh bread, amazing but true! This is a hodge podge of old fashioned English and French rustic bread recipes; the bread dough is made up ahead of time and stored (in the old days) in an earthenware crock or bowl, with a lid. You tear a piece of the dough off as and when you want to bake a loaf of bread. Easy! I use this style of bread dough regularly in the B and B, so I can always have fresh bread or bread rolls on hand for breakfast. You can add other types of flour to the basic white batch, as long as the ratio remains the same - you can mix rye or wholewheat flour with the white, or add herbs, onions, seeds, fruit and other flavourings. The dough can be used as soon as the initial proving has finished, but it will keep in a cool place or a fridge for a week or two - I do not recommend longer than 2 weeks however. The dough can be used for free form bread loaves, in bread tins, as rolls or other shapes. I have kept this technique and recipe to myself for a while, but I have decided to share it on Zaar now, mainly as my daughter keeps asking for the basic dough recipe! I notice that this type of long-term or long-life bread dough has made a revival in a new book called “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”; this recipe however, is a very old technique and method, dough was always made up for the week and then kept in the cold room or pantry for daily baking. My grandmother who lived in a 600 year old cottage in Northern England, used to have a stone slab in the Pantry where she kept her crock and dough, I remember sticking my finger in it!! This amount makes about 4 to 5 loaves of bread, depending on the weight and shape of the bread that you bake.

4 -5 Loaves of Bread (change servings and units)

Ingredients

24 fluid ounces hand warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons dried fast rising yeast (Or, 1 oz fresh yeast, added to a little warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar.)
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 3/4 lbs unbleached white bread flour (6 1/2 US Cups)

Directions

1
Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl - the water should be tepid or hand warm - NOT too hot, as it will kill the yeast.
2
Add the yeast to the water and then the salt, mix well.
3
Add ALL the flour and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or a dough hook until all the ingredients are amalgamated - NO need to over knead.
4
Leave the bread dough in the mixing bowl and cover loosely - I use a shower cap to cover my dough! (That is NOT used as a shower cap anymore, I hasten to add!).
5
Allow to prove for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
6
The dough can now be stored in the fridge or you can use the dough to make a loaf of bread immediately.
7
If baking a loaf of bread now, pre-heat the oven and place a baking sheet or pizza tray in there. Tear off a large ball, about the size of a small melon, and knead it for about 1 minute with floured hands and on a floured board, Shape it as desired (Rolls, Boule, Baguette or Bannette) or place it in a greased and floured loaf tin. Allow to prove and rise for a further 20 to 30 minutes. Slash the surface with a sharp serrated knife if you wish, see photos. You can add a glaze or special finish at this point.
8
Bake at 225C/450F for 30 minutes or until well risen, brown and the loaf sounds hollow when it is tapped on the underside. (If you wish, you can add a bowl of boiling water as soon as you put the bread into the oven – this steams and bakes the loaf to give a good chewy texture and keeps the inside moist.).
9
Remove the bread when baked and cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm with butter, cheese, jam, hams and cold cuts, or slice when cool for sandwiches. Also wonderful when toasted the next day.
10
Store the excess dough in the mixing bowl, loosely covered, in the fridge or somewhere cool until needed – this will keep for 2 weeks, but I find it has all gone by 7 to 10 days! This amount of dough will make between 4 and 5 loaves of bread, depending on the shape and amount of dough you use.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: kellcinn

On Oct 30, 2009

I have made this recipe many times over the last 6 months and love it. Family who visit often now request this bread ahead of time. I do find the flour measure is touchy, due to weather I believe. I have had to scale back to about 6 Cups and then play from there. I also find a max. of 2 C whole wheat works best for me if making a mixed batch.

1 person found this review helpful

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From: Chef #196311

On Oct 29, 2009

I just made this bread last night and it is so good! I put a pan of hot water underneath while it cooked and my bread was so moist and chewy, just like the recipe stated. I'm looking forward to experimenting with all the possibilities of adding herbs etc. Thanks for posting!

1 person found this review helpful

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From: Madame Blueberry

On Jan 25, 2009

This worked great for me! I do not usually bake my own bread due to the time and effort it takes, but this seemed so simple that I decided to give it a try. I used regular yeast instead of fast-acting, which worked fine. The dough is a little wetter than others I've worked with, so be sure to use plenty of flour on your hands and board when kneading. It is so nice to just take out what I need, and have hot, freshly baked bread or rolls whenever I want. Thank you French Tart for answering my yeast question, and also for sharing this wonderful recipe! UPDATE: Now that I've made this a few times, I still love it. I have realized though that it really doesn't need to be kneaded, that seems to knock the air out of it too much. Just use plenty of flour while stretching and folding it onto itself into the shape you want. I do this on a well floured board, then plop it on parchment liberally sprinkled with cornmeal. Then I slide the parchment onto a board that fits in my microwave. I heat a cup of water to steaming hot in the micro, then quickly open the door and stick the dough in there- I leave the cup on the board if there is room. This way you don't need to cover the dough and it rises very nicely. After 20 min or so, I slash the top, and slide the parchment onto a preheated baking stone, then dump the cup of hot water carefully into a metal baking pan(also preheated) on the shelf below the stone, then shut the door quickly to keep the steam in. Sorry this is so long, but I thought my trial and error might really help someone.

36 people found this review helpful

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From: Chef Shadows

On Dec 15, 2008

Wonderful!!!! We made just as the recipe was written. Then we played! This bread straight out of the oven has the texture and flavour of English Muffins... then as it cools it takes on the flavour of a "Good Sourdough"! I have added, tonight , some crumbled bacon and fine grated cheddar cheese... The possiblities are endless to what you can add to this bread... I see ham, blue cheese, different herbs... and the list goes one! FT this is a 10 + recipe just for the fact it is so versital (SP ?) Way to go frenchy! Update Dec 15,2008: We are on our 3rd batch now! We have made rolls for burgers, bread sticks with koser salt and herbs, and several different cheese breads, and YES! pretzels! Thanks again FT!

18 people found this review helpful

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