I got into baking in 2020-2021 like a lot of people. I've got a good ciabatta recipe, but this is my go-to bread recipe when I know I've got the time to make it. Lots of steps and is kind of a pain, but it's really good. copying/pasting into this messed the format up, but it's still easy to follow.
Rustic Bread
Poolish Ingredients:
150 grams (2/3C) of room temperature water
Tiny pinch of yeast
150 grams (1 1/4C) of bread flour
Instructions for Poolish:
Stir to combine and let it ferment at room temperature for at least 4 hours, but preferably
24 hours.
Dough Ingredients:
280 grams (1 1/4C) of warm water (approx 86F/30C)
2 grams (2/3 tsp) of instant yeast
300 grams of ripe poolish (see instructions above)
12 grams (2 1/2tsp) of salt
400 grams (3 1/3C) of bread flour
50 grams (1/2C) of whole wheat flour
Add the salt, bread flour, and whole wheat flour to the bowl.
Stir with a sturdy spoon until the ingredients are reasonably combined.
Then use a wet hand to squeeze and massage the dough until there are no longer any dry
spots and everything is evenly combined.
Cover the bowl with a lid and let the dough ferment for 30 minutes.
Perform a strength building fold by pulling out a handful of the dough on one side and
folding it over to the other side of the dough. Rotate the bowl slightly and repeat about 7
more times, rotating the bowl after each fold.
After the folds and keeping the dough in the bowl, grab the ball of dough, around its
side/bottom, picking up the ball, rounding and rotating it, then setting it back down to
tension across the top and round it onto a ball. Do this several times.
Cover and allow to ferment at room temperature again for another 30 minutes. After 30
minutes repeat steps 6 and 7.
Cover and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for another 60 minutes. As
this point you’ve fermented for 2 hours total. When you check back this time, the dough
should have doubled in size.
If you’d like to use a stand mixer instead of stirring by hand, use a mixer with dough hook
attachment on medium speed to replace steps 3 and 4 and mix for 4-5 minutes until dough has
come together and is clearing the bowl.
Pop any large bubbles and shape the dough.
To shape the dough, grab a corner/side piece of the dough and pull it across to the other
side of the dough, about 60% of the way across the other side of the dough. Grab another
side/corner of the dough next to the first, and fold it across, about 60% of the way to the
other side. Repeat all the way around the dough. You’ll do this between 7-9 times in
total, popping any big bubbles that form along the way.
Flip the dough ball over so that the seam side is against the work surface. With your
hands on either side of the dough, roll the dough on its seam side to seal it and create
tension across the top of the dough.
Grab a medium sized bowl that’s just bigger than the dough you just made. Line the bowl
with a thin kitchen towel and dust the towel with a mix of wheat and all-purpose flour.
Transfer the dough ball to the floured towel-bowl, seam side up, tucking the seam once
again to better seal.
Fold the towel over the dough and let it proof at room temperature for 45-80 minutes
(depending on the temperature of your house) until it has doubled in size. When you poke
the dough, it should indent then slowly spring back.
Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C) with a dutch oven inside for 30 minutes
Place a generous dusting of semolina flour or fine cornmeal in the dutch oven to prevent
sticking.
Carefully flip the shaped loaf into the dutch oven (seam side will now be DOWN) and
score the top with a few cuts or slices.
Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bake for 18 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, reducing the oven temp
to 465F/240C.
Once baked, transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool.
