A couple years ago, I read an interesting article that taught me a lot about the chemical process that bread making involves. I was intrigued by the article but the accompanying recipe seemed just too easy compared to how I had taught myself to bake bread. I always thought I'd try the recipe, but kept putting it off because, after all, I liked the kneading process. Bread-making should be complex after all.
Then a college friend suggested the recipe again, and I thought maybe I'd get around to doing it when I could manage the 18+ hour process (that is, when I could fairly accurately predict that I'd be home at the appropriate times over the next 18 hours. So I fed my sourdough starter, split some off for another baker buddy, and put it back in the fridge without using it. Instead, I pulled the yeast out of the fridge that I'd sworn off for anything but waffles when I started the sourdough life and did this no-knead recipe.
The results were astounding -- by far the best bread I have ever baked. The crust crumbled like I've been trying in vain to achieve with pans of water and spray bottles and baking stones. The "crumb structure" was appropriately moist and not too dense and the loaf just looked beautiful. I'll be baking this one again. And I'm going to attempt a similar loaf using my sourdough starter, and maybe check out some of the Cooks' Illustrated modified recipes on this theme. I think I'm on to a new frontier in bread.
But it made me think about other areas in life where I try too hard and end up with something less than I could have. More specifically, when I try to help God along and end up taking the very long way to get to where he wants me to be. What about you?
2 comments:
And suddenly the significance of leaving Egypt with unleavened bread becomes clear in the mind of Jen . . .
I've enjoyed CI's modified version. Of course, I had to go out and buy beer -- you won't have that problem :D
I'm pretty sure anywhere from 12 to 24 hours is okay for the rest time.
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