Baking bread seems to many a very challenging endeavour. When a true bread lover considers all of the perfect components that must work together to create a truly delicious bread, they think there is no way they themselves could cook this. But, when you are open to the possibility, you find that baking a delicious bread may be more achievable than you thought.

Our recipe today is for a bread variety with a crispy light edge and a soft interior. This timeless recipe can be used to pair with any dish to add flavor and texture and the simple delight that a good bread brings. Once you are able to master this simple recipe you can begin to make variations on it according to your preference.

What You’ll Need

• 1 ¼ cups Manitoba Flour
• 3 cups 00 Flour
• 1.5 cups room temperature water
• ¼ ounce yeast
• 1 teaspoon of malt
• Up to ¼ ounce of salt

What To Do

1. Dissolve your yeast in your room temperature water by mixing it slowly in with the water
2. In a separate bowl combine both your Manitoba and your 00 flour
3. Add your teaspoon of malt to the same bowl
4. Combine all flours thoroughly
5. Mix your flours together and slowly pour in your water, little by little
6. Add about half of your water and continue kneading until fully absorbed
7. Add your salt to your dough and then continue to knead again
8. Now add the second half of your water to the forming dough, again very slowly
9. Once all of the water has been added, continue kneading with both hands for about 10 minutes
10. Let your dough rest, uncovered for about 10 minutes
11. Transfer your dough to a lightly floured surface
12. Begin expanding it and then folding it onto itself
13. Once folded in turn it over and do the same once more
14. Once you have a smooth round ball of dough, place it in a floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap
15. Let it rise at room temperature for about two hours
16. Return your dough to a lightly floured surface once again and repeat the same folding pattern
17. Complete the folding by creating a smooth ball of dough
18. Transfer your dough to a floured baking pan
19. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for one more hour
20. Once the dough has risen preheat your oven to 475 degrees
21. Before placing in the oven you may opt to cut a decorative cut into the top
22. Reduce the heat to 450 degrees
23. Place a large bowl of water at the bottom of the oven to promote humidity
24. Bake the bread for about twenty minutes before lowering the temperature to 350
25. Remove the bowl of water and continue cooking another 35 minutes
26. Once it is baked allow to rest for several minutes before digging in!