NY Times bread recipe--what FUN

[bethzaring]

Originally Posted by beginner_chef

I just set it in the crock pot i'll be using to bake it in... We'll see!

..

don't forget that you need to pre-heat the crock pot before you put the dough in it right before you put it in the oven

[beginner_chef]

I SUCCESSFULY MADE BREAD!!!!!

It is soooo good!!! I LOVE the flavor of it!

A couple questions though,

The crust on my bread was so hard i had a hard time cutting it.. is that normal?

And i was looking forward to the 'snap,crackle' noise after i took it out of the oven, but wasn't any to be heard?...

I have 2 more loafs rising right now! I LOVE IT!

[cookbookie]

nothing smells better than a loaf of bread baking on a cold day. it is snowing here and I wish I had set out my dough last night. I will do it tonight so tomorrow will be warm and cuddly. I just bought some good Irish butter that will go just perfectly with it.

[LadyCook61]

Originally Posted by Gretchen

This is so unbelievably easy it isn't even funny. You follow the directions as given. No oiling no nothing.
I don't make artisanal breads either because --well, they are hard to do.
The loaf that you get looks like the best European bakery!! Crusty, pully, holey.

hmm holey? Must be for Sundays ... Just kidding

[LadyCook61]

Originally Posted by xmascarol1

Okay, I don't like to eat just this artisan bread but enjoy other types including finer crumb bread. So I took my rye bread recipe, formed it into a round loaf, let it rise and then baking it in the same manner as the nyt bread--ie in the Dutch oven. Only this time, I also didn't want to heat up the whole big oven, so took my clay garlic baker which has a nice round dome, and looked like it would hold about 1# loaf, and just baked it in my countertop convection oven at 500 degrees. Turned out with a great crust and a wonderful moist crumb inside. I did use my instant read thermometer to check on the internal temp of 200. So this is really easy now and as there's just 2 of us, we have trouble often finishing bigger loaves and we like variety.

Certainly inventive and creative!

[LadyCook61]

Originally Posted by xmascarol1

What I posted back a page is what their recipe is. They are difficult to get their stuff out. I suggest you go to the library and get the last issue and just read it. CI seems to want you to pay for anything they do.

I agree about CI making one pay for the info or getting recipes.

[xmascarol1]

Now one more llittle trick that helps. I have those thin silicone sheets that come from the kitchen stores in 2 in a roll. I use them for all my cooking and baking sheets, and they have lasted for 4 years so far. Well, after doing the baking paper route for letting the bread rise and then lifting the unbaked loaf into the Dutch oven, I thought I'd try using those silicone sheets. Voila! It was perfect. No mess, no burnt paper , easy to handle. What could be quicker?

[plumies]

I made the bread last night and it was wonderful! I brought in half the loaf to share with some friends at work and now 3 of them are shopping for Dutch ovens.

I also used silicone baking sheets and it worked great.

[suziquzie]

I apologize in advance for these dumb questions!

I'm going cross-eyed reading all 11 pages looking for how to use the parchment paper trick?
I may have a day off tomorrow to play with this with my oldest son. Haven't made any yet.
ANy other tips?

[jpmcgrew]

When you get to final rise put dough on parchment and then into bowl when ready to bake pick up dough with the sides of parchment and put in DO. Make sure parchment is big enough to be able to pick it up.