5 Minute Artisan Bread (Multigrain Peasant Bread)

I went to my first bread making class demonstration by Lori Bennett (her notes are listed below.) I've always felt intimidated by the word "yeast." With this recipe of hers I got past my fears. It only takes 5 minutes to mix up and the dough stores in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. So far I've no one who didn't like the bread and thank Lori!

Ingredients: (4-1 pound loaves)
3 c lukewarm water
1 1/2 T yeast (I use 2 T!)
1 1/2 T kosher salt
1/2 c rye flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c multi grain mix
5 c unbleached flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel
Follow master directions for dough

NOTE: I also add the following extra to the dry ingredients for texture and flavor of the bread. It has improved the quality for me.

1/4 c flax
1 T Dough Enhancer (available at grocery store)
1 T Vital Wheat Gluten
1 T Lecithin

Master Directions:
1. Warm the water slightly, about 100 degrees. Warm water will rise the dough to the right point for storage in about 2 hours. You can use cold water and get the same results, but your first rising will take 3-4 hours.

2. Add yeast to the water in a 5-qt bowl or preferably, in a resealable, lid (not airtight) plastic food container or food-grade bucket. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve. Let stand until turns foamy.

3. Mix in flour and salt - KNEADING IS NOT NECESSARY! Add all the flour at once, measuring with a scoop and sweep method. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high capacity food processor fitted with a dough attachment, or a heavy duty mixer. If you are hand mixing and the flour becomes to difficult to incorporate use very wet hands and press the mixture together but DO NOT KNEAD. You're finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. This step is done in a matter of minutes, the dough will be wet and loose.

4. Allow to rise. Cover with a lid (not airtight) that fits well to the container. Allow the dough to rise at room temp until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on the top), about 2 hours, depending on the room temp and water temp. Longer rising times, up to about 5 hours, will not harm the results. You can now use the dough at any time after this period. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and is easier to work with than dough at room temp. So, the first time you try it's best to refrigerate the dough overnight or at least 3 hours before shaping a loaf. Dough will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

5. On baking day the gluten cloak, don't knead, just 'cloak' and shape a loaf in 30¬60 seconds. First prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling liberally with cornmeal to prevent your loaf from sticking when you slide it into the oven. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1 pound piece of dough (about the size of a grapefruit) using a serrated knife or a pizza cutter. Hold the dough in your hands and add more flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides until smooth. The correctly shaped final product will be smooth and cohesive.

6. Rest the loaf and let it rise on a pizza peel. Place the shaped loaf on the corn meal covered peel. Allow the loaf to rest on the peel for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Depending on the age of the dough you may not see much rise, but more rising will occur during baking.

7. 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450. Place a baking stone in the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf.

8. Dust and slash your Artisan Bread. Dust the top liberally with flour, this allows the knife to pass through without sticking. Slash a 1/4” tic-tac-toe or other marking into the top, using a serrated knife.

9. You are ready to bake. With a quick forward jerking motion, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and into the preheated stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into broiler pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

10. Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator and use over the next 14 days. You will find that even 1 day's storage will improve the flavor and texture of your bread. The dough can also be frozen in 1 pound portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.