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1.24.2011

Guinness Bread

Adapted from a recipe I found from Birch & Barley

I love bread, actually I think it's the sole reason why often times my diets fail. And I don't discriminate, I love pita bread, wheat bread, rye bread, Challah bread, SOURDOUGH bread, Naan, Wonderbread (remember that), and the list goes on. So recently after reading the label of a bread loaf at Trader Joe's, I asked myself "really, does this Whole Wheat bread really need 37 ingredients?!" I started to do some online research and found that making bread is actually easier than we are lead to believe. It takes time, yes - but hands on time is literally only like 20 mins, the rest of the time you just have to let the dough sit/rise, and while the cast iron-ice and pizza stone sounds funky - the end result is spectacular. Finally, I decided to give this recipe a try with the last bottle of Guinness beer we had left. It's unfreakingbelievably delicious, I highly recommend making this.
For the dough starter
1 and 1/4 cup bread flour (I used King Arthur's unbleached flour - available at luxurious Target!)
3/8 tsp instant (i.e., “rapid rise”) yeast
2 tbs honey
3/4 cup Guinness, at room temperature
1/3 cup + 4 tbs water, at room temperature

For the flour mixture
1 3/4 + 2 tbs bread flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast (i.e., “rapid rise”)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the dough
Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Make the dough starter: in a mixer bowl, whisk together the bread flour, yeast, honey, Guinness, salt and water for two minutes, to incorporate air. Scrape down sides of bowl. Call this the sponge.

Make the flour mixture: in a medium bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt and yeast. Gently scoop the flour mixture onto the sponge, covering it completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise, 3-4 hours at room temperature. Do not worry if the starter bubbles through the flour mixture – this is fine.

Make the dough: Place mixer bowl on the elecric mixter and fit with a dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until a rough dough is formed (about 1 minute). Scrape down any stray bits of dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and rest dough for 20 minutes.

Knead on medium speed for about 7 minutes. The dough should be elastic and smooth, and just sticky enough to cling to your fingers. If it is too sticky, knead in a little flour; if it is not at all sticky, add a little water.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled – around 1 hour.

Remove dough from bowl to a lightly floured work surface and give it a business letter fold. Gently round dough and return to oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled – 45 minutes to an hour.

Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and shape into a round ball, approximately 6 inches by 2.5 inches high. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Place dough on prepared baking sheet. Cover with a bowl, let rise until almost doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 475°F. Place one rack in the middle of the oven, and one in the lower portion of the oven. Place a baking stone or baking pan on middle rack, and a cast iron pan in lower rack.

Just before baking, slash the top of the bread with a razor or sharp knife, and gently mist with water. Gently set baking sheet on hot pizza stone in the center of the oven. Toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the cast iron pan below and quickly shut the oven door. After 10 minutes, lower heat to 425°F. Bake 20-30 minutes more, until bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove dough from oven and let cool on a rack.

Yummy!

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