Sweet n Spicy: Chad Robertson Crusty White Bread

Until couple of years ago, my kind of bread is a soft, cottony, slightly sweet and milky bread. The less I have to chew is the better...

That was until I came to Europe. At the beginning I thought....'Why did all the bread here are chewy with an even harder crust on??'I need to chew and chew and chew to swallow it. I really didn't get it. I didn't like it. I refused to eat bread if there's no milk bread available(that's the closest one with the bread I grew up with).

It even got worse when I went to visit my husband's family in French. Unlike the Dutch people who eat potato most of the times for dinner, my French in-law family eats every single meal with baguette. And as we all know, the French baguette are the one with strong aroma (from the long resting time) and the crustiest U can find. I miss my normal bread, or just rice with my meal.

But the more I tasted this kind of bread, I started to appreciate the unique aroma that come out of the crumb when I ripped the baguette ends. Or the thick brown crust that kept it's texture when I dip it in Boeuf Borguignon jus. And how good the crumb tasted when I use it to whipe off my salad dressing on the plate. I started to miss it when I was back from our visits.

So then I tried to buy French baguette in Holland. Or the pain rustique. Or the more expensive sourdough bread. But none can even compared to the baguette from the humblest boulangerie in french. Maybe it's the feeling of being in French..eating baguette...I don't know.

So when I found the video of Chad Robertson about his Tartine Country Bread, I cannot wait to try his recipe. I am usually not a bread baking girl, I am more in to sweet dessert. But somehow watching him, talking about his love of bread making...I got the virus I guess. So then I start making my sourdough starter. But from what I read it took about a week to make the first starter. I can't wait any longer. So I put my sourdough starter aside and found a short cut starter recipe. I made it last night and this afternoon I baked one baguette and one loaf.

It tasted so good...directly from the oven I pulled one end of the baguette and smell it....took a bite and hhmmmm... I missed U.

*note:The aroma was kinda less than what I was expected though. I think it's because of the short resting time I chose. I just let it rest at room temperature for couple of hours instead of overnight in the fridge( I can't wait!!). And I should've bake it longer looking at the thickness of the crust which should be more. It was good out of the oven but after half hour outside it gets a bit softer. I just baked it for 20 minutes instead of exactly followed the recipe (again..I can't wait!!). As for my sourdough starter, I'll let U know hot it goes on my next post.

I found this recipe from food and wine website white several adjustment with the baking and resting time.

Recipe: Crusty White Bread

Pre-ferment

250 grams warm water (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

1/4 teaspoon dry granulated yeast

300 grams organic all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)

Bread Dough

1.25 kilograms warm water (5 1/2 cups)

1.8 kilograms organic all-purpose flour (13 3/4 cups)

200 grams organic whole wheat flour (1 1/2 cups)

5 tablespoons kosher salt dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water

White rice flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting

In a medium bowl, mix the water with the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 10 to 14 hours.

In a bowl, combine the warm water with the pre- ferment: Using your hands, break up the pre-ferment until dissolved. In a very large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour. Using your hands, mix the dissolved pre-ferment into the flours, until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

Uncover the dough and add the salt water. Gently fold the dough over onto itself until the salt water is thoroughly incorporated. Loosely cover the dough and let rest for 1 hour; every 20 minutes, gently fold the dough up and over onto itself 4 times. Cover the dough and let stand for 3 to 4 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in half. Using a bench scraper and floured hands, gently shape the dough into 2 rounds, folding the dough under itself as necessary. Let the loaves stand on the work surface for 20 minutes and then gently fold the sides under again.

Line 2 large bowls with kitchen towels and generously dust the towels with rice flour. Transfer the loaves to the bowls, rounded sides down. Cover the loaves with clean towels and let rise for 4 to 5 hours. Alternatively, let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate the loaves overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking.

Preheat the oven to 490°. Heat 2 large enameled cast-iron casseroles or cast-iron skillets with lids for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust the bottoms with rice flour. Turn the loaves into the casseroles, rounded side up, and score the tops with a sharp, thin knife. Cover the casseroles and bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 470° and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake the loaves for 25 minutes or until the bread is richly browned. Transfer the bread to a rack; let cool before slicing.