My Aunt's Artisan Bread

You know that really cliche question, "If you could bring only one thing with you on a deserted island what would it be?"  Well, I'd want to bring my Aunt who has some extreme outdoor survival skills.  For example, we went camping in the Boundary Waters for one week and every morning my Aunt made us homemade bread OVER a campfire!  Yea...So there.


A few Summers ago I had the pleasure of attending a BBQ at her house.  Served at this BBQ was an amazing artisan bread.  It is so hearty with a good crunchy crust and one of the simplest french bread recipes I have come across.


Here are the instructions straight from my Aunt: 


This makes two round loaves, but warm I think one loaf only serves about four people because it is pretty yummy!  

3 C  warm water
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
2 tsp coarse salt,  OR     1-  1/2 tsp  of reg salt
6 C flour to start.  white or whole wheat.   I use whole wheat pastry flour, and sometimes add an extra grain like a 7 or 10 grain hot cereal for 1 or 2 cups of the flour.

Stir all around, and leave on the counter 2 hours.  At this point you can refrigerate 1/2 and bake 1/2 or bake all of it. Add more flour by kneading on the counter till you can shape it into 2 separate loaves.  Note,  it should not spread all over a cookie sheet.  It should stay in a round shape.  If it doesn't you need to knead a little more.  Put corn meal on the sheet, and then the loaf. ( this is like the grease)  heavily flour the top with white flour and cut diagonally 3 times. Don't try to remove the flour till later.

Let rise till double maybe another hour. (I put mine in an UN-heated oven to keep it in a draft free place).  Once it has risen,  bake in a hot oven at 425 degrees, WITH a pan of HOT water in the oven. (I usually fill a brownie pan halfway with water) This will make a great crust.  about 20-23 min. (or until it sounds hollow when you knock on it)

You can totally make it white bread. Just do it to texture.... :) 

If you have refrigerated the dough, you will need more than an hour for it to rise. 


She then ended the note by providing two different phone numbers in case I had a baking emergency and needed a little advice. :)