Henry’s Crusty White Bread

The flour/liquid ratio is important in this recipe, so measure carefully.

Your best bet is to weigh the flour or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. (Buy a scale)

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, or a large (6-quart), food-safe plastic bucket. For first-timers, "lukewarm" means about 100°F, but don't stress over getting the temperatures exact here. Comfortably warm is fine; "OUCH, that's hot!" is not. Yeast is a living thing; treat it nicely. You can use cooler water in the summer and warmer water in the winter.

Using a Danish whisk or, your hand or stand mixer, Mix and stir everything together to make a very sticky, rough dough just until dry ingredients are combine combined d.

If using a whisk or your hands, mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. When using a stand mixer mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the beater blade for 30 seconds or just until no dry ingredients are remaining.

If you don't have a mixer, just stir-stir-stir by hand, with a big spoon or dough whisk until everything is combined and no dry ingredients are remaining.

Next, you're going to let the dough rest for 45 minutes. This is called an autolyse. If you've made the dough in a plastic bucket, you're all set - just let it stay there, covering the bucket with a lid or plastic wrap; a shower cap works well here. If you've made the dough in a bowl that's not at least 6-quart capacity, transfer it to a large bowl; it's going to rise a lot.

Grease the bowl, it makes it a bit easier to get the dough out when it's time to stretch and fold.

After 45 minutes, take the dough from one end and stretch it back over itself for stretch #1. Turn the bowl to 90° and stretch it again. Do this until you've worked your way around the bowl.

Cover the bowl or bucket, and let the dough rest at room temperature again for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes repeat step one and let the dough rest again for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes repeat step one for the final time. allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes for the final time.

Turn the bowl upside down onto a lightly floured surface. Allow the dough to fall out using gravity. Lightly sprinkle the surface with flour and with the palm of your hands flatten a little removing large bubbles and stretching until you have an even square. Now with your dough knife, divide the dough into 2 even pieces. kitchen scales come in handy here.

Fold each piece into thirds then fold the corners into the center. Flip the dough over and work it between your hands to form it into a ball.

This is your pre-shape so it doesn't have to be perfect or tight. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Uncover and shape them more tightly into a boule or bâtard.

The top of your dough is your good side. Place your dough, seam, side up or good side down into the Banneton, or a bowl with a cotton cloth that's well-floured. Cover with a shower cap or cling film then into the refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours and for up to about 2 days. (The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it'll get; if you chill it for 2 days, it will taste sour like sourdough.)

Over the first day or so, it'll rise, then fall. That's OK; that's what it's supposed to do.

I recommend you let it rest in the

refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours then bring it out to bake. This will give you a milder, more European-tasting loaf. Preheat your oven and Dutch oven to 475°F/246°C.

Trick: if you plan to score your bread with a decorative pattern, pop your banneton pop your Beniton into the freezer for the 30 minutes or so it takes to preheat your oven and Dutch oven. The surface of the dough will be firm and easier to score without spreading out.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and score it to your liking. Use the edges of your parchment paper to carefully lower your dough into the Dutch Oven or onto your pizza stone.

Bake for 22 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the interior temperature reaches 200°F or 93° C.

Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack.

Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze it. this bread freezes exceptionally well.