This is the newer recipe that I have only been playing about with for maybe five or so months.
The trick with it is to use that time! It literally can sit in the fridge for hours so perhaps make it quickly whilst boiling the kettle it can be done in minutes, and then after the few stretches, it's off for a slow rise in the fridge.
So really the actual baking bit is simpler as the whole process is broken by the rise time.
Ingredients:
500g plain flour (I use French Type 55 White Flour (102) (shipton-mill.com) But truly any will do!)
350ml water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon yeast or 1/2 of a 7g packet
1 tablespoon of honey, or any sugar, or even jam or syrup will work! :)
1 Get a mixing bowl. Add all the above.
2 Mix it however you damn well wish. I use a spatula, then hand knead a bit but you may use a fork, wooden spoon or any utensil to just mix it up well.
3 Once its a ball, it may be sticky, leave it covered loosely with clingfilm or even a plate if none to hand on the side. Give it a three stretches over the next hour and a half. Each time grab a handful, pull it away gently from the main bulk of the dough and pull that end out, up and then back to the centre bit of bread and gently repeat. The aim is to 'catch' some air within the stretched out bits to give your bread lift!
4 Once you've done the last stretch, cover again and fridge it for up to around 14 hours.
5 Tip it out onto a lightly floured side, divide into three roughly sized rectangles, leave rest for another hour!
6 Pull these now longer and then roll up (like a long skinny Swiss roll), gently tucking the seam underneath.
7 Place the three onto a large baking tray lined with greaseproof and leave to sit for another 30-60 mins! Preheat oven to 260c within this time, or as hot as you can get it to this! (I turn mine on with around 20 mins to go on this last rise.) Add a ovenproof dish half filled with hot water to the lowest tray beneath where you bread will go.
8 Score them all quickly maybe three or four slashes to each. A sharp knife here does help, or a razorblade!
9 Pop them in. Reduce temp down to approx 240c Bake for around 15 mins. Open oven and remove water dish. Drop temperature again to now around 230c for approximately ten more mins. DO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BREAD AS OVENS VARY, A COUPLE OF MINS IS A LONG TIME BETWEEN NICELY DONE AND BURNT!
DONE! :)
Below are two that, if I recall, were with dried spend grains added.
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