How to make great homemade bread

Gather 460g flour, 355ml water, 2tsp yeast, 1.5tsp salt, 1tbs butter.

12oz/355mL water

Pour water in first.

460g/16.25oz flour.

1.5tsp salt.

2tsp yeast

1tbs butter chopped up

A bread machine does the kneading and rising, but not the baking. Program: 18min knead, 45 min rise 1, knead down, 85 min rise 2.

About 20 min before the end of the last rise start the oven preheating to 550 F...

...with a baking/pizza stone.

The dough should be very puffy and sticky after the second rise.

Flour a clean work surface.

Carefully dump the dough out

Divide into 3 equal parts.

Divide into 3 equal parts.

Stretch the dough into a rectangle. Try to avoid breaking the bubbles.

Fold over 1/3.

Fold over the other 1/3 and pinch closed the seam. The seam goes on the bottom of the loaf.

Repeat for the other two loves.

Score the loaves with a very sharp dry knife to allow room for the loaves to rise.

Separate an egg white.

Brush the egg white on the loaves until all of the top surface is covered.

Optional. You can add salt, pepper, or grated cheese to enhance the crust. Let's make one loaf have a cheese crust.

Press the cheese into the egg wash a little so it sticks. Get ready to transfer to the oven. I use my hands so I have better control of how they are arranged on the baking stone.

Place them carefully because you can't rearrange them easily. Bake for about 1min at 550F, then lower the temperature to 450F. Set a timer to Bake for an additional 22 minutes.

If the bread starts to get darker than a medium brown you can remove it earlier. If you prefer a harder or softer crust, add or subtract 2 minutes from the baking time.

Done!

What you lose in loaf shape perfection you gain in flavor.

NOM