A Success!

I have attempted baking homemade bread many times and have always been disappointed with the results. Too heavy, too much starter to manage, too chewy, too this, too that... I even accepted a hand-me-down bread machine in the hope that it would produce good homemade bread, it has yet to do so.

Recently, I stumbled upon Frugal Living NW  and not only a bread recipe, but a recipe for homemade "artisan" bread. And I must admit, I was skeptical--it seemed too easy. So I put it on the back burner until I had some extra time. Little did I know that time was of no concern. This really was easy and the results were fantastic. Not only was it a simple, make-it-and-forget-it recipe, but the result was home-baked heaven. The crust was perfect. Not soft or soggy or tough, but firm and well, crust-y! The inside was soft, fluffy and substantial.

The first step was to mix all the ingredients, cover and let sit for 2 hours. Easy. Make loaves and bake or refrigerate for up to three days. Done. After a good 36 hours, I took the dough out of the fridge to make my loaves...and they were tiny. Oh no--another baking attempt gone awry!!! But I went forth to see the process through. I let my loaves rest, put slits in the tops and baked at 350 for 35 minutes. What a relief I saw it through...scrumptious! A success; a quality homemade bread recipe that I don't have to slave over. The loaves did grow a bit during baking, but were still on the small side. But who cares when the results are so mouth watering!!!!

Beautiful Bread

3 tiny loaves