Quick and Easy Yeast Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 cups warm water about 110°F
- 5 1/2 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- cornmeal or flour for dusting
- boiling water
Directions
- In a large bowl mix together the yeast, sugar, salt and water. Let this stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, to the liquid and mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead. Knead for about five minutes, adding flour only when necessary, until dough is smooth and easy to handle.
- Lightly grease a large bowl, add dough, then flip dough over so the greased side is up. Allow dough to rise for 2 hours at room temperature, covered with a kitchen towel.
- Divide dough in half and shape into 2 loaves, rounding the top. If you only want to make one loaf of bread at this time, store the unused dough in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks until ready to use.
- Place unbaked loaves on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper that is lightly dusted with flour. Apply light dusting of flour over top and cut three slashes into top of dough, using a serrated knife. Cover dough with kitchen towel and allow to rest for 40 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450° F. When bread is ready to go in the oven, place 1 cup boiling water in an oven safe container on bottom rack of oven. Quickly close oven door to created a steam bath within the oven. This will help produce a crisp outer crust.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes and allow to cool slightly before slicing.
