Refrigerator Bread Dough

     I am soo excited about this bread dough. I have long wanted a bread recipe that would keep in the 'fridge, that I could bake a bit at a time. I really did not think such a thing was possible. From another point-- I have seen ads for a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking . I found the basic recipe for this bread on the web and decided to try it. I am so pleasantly surprised.
It is simple, easy, fast (except for the rise time), and does not need to all be baked at once. Oh yeah, and it can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks! Sounds like that recipe I was looking for! The taste is nice and texture good. It is fine for what I was looking for in a recipe that I can make ahead and bake with very little planning. I think I'll take a look at the authors book and see what variations they offer.
 

                                          The Artisan Bread Made in 5 Minutes


11/2T granulated yeast ( about 11/2 packets)
11/2T Kosher salt
61/2c unbleached flour, plus a bit more
3c warm water (near 100 degrees)
cornmeal

In a large bowl (5qt) or re-sealable (not one with a tight fitting lid - it is important for the gases to be able to expand) container, mix the yeast, salt and water. Stir in the flour using a large spoon. This can also be accomplished with a mixer and dough hook or food processor. The dough should be uniformly moist, but DO NOT KNEAD. (I found the dough a bit stiff using a wooden spoon. Use wet hands to incorporate remaining flour, if necessary).

Allow dough to rise until it begins to collapse back on itself. Rising should be accomplished within 5 hours. Dough can be used at this point or refrigerated. Refrigerated dough is less sticky and easier to work with.It is recommended that dough be refrigerated at least 3 hours before shaping.


When ready to bake, remove the amount of dough you wish to bake from bowl. Place remainder back in 'fridge. Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on a pizza peel. Place baking stone in oven and preheat to 450 degrees for at least 20 minutes. Shape dough with lightly floured hands into a round loaf  that has a nicely rounded top.
Place dough on prepared peel and let rest 40 minutes. At end of the 40 minutes, make 2 parallel slashed across the surface of the bread. When ready to bake, put about 1c water in an oven-proof container and place in bottom of oven. Slide bread from peel onto baking stone sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal. Bake for about 30 minutes - but watch bread - bake until top is browned and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack - this will give best texture for slicing.


I had this with blackberry jam - delicious!
(PS - I made only a tiny loaf, since there was no one to eat this with me. And if I made a large loaf, I would have been tempted to eat it all myself - sorry to say).