Garys Honey Rosemary Dutch Oven Bread Recipes

GARY'S DUTCH OVEN BREAD

Steps:

• 1. You will use a stand mixer for this recipe. In the mixer bowl, place all the ingredients for the sponge (step 1) and mix well. This can be done by hand. Cover with plastic and let sit until doubled and quite bubbly. This will take 75-90 minutes. Note this recipe calls for instant yeast, which is much faster than regular yeast.
• 2. While the sponge is rising, prepare a 5 qt. Dutch Oven by lightly greasing with shortening and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the paper and sift a bit of flour on top of the greased paper. You do not need flour on the sides of pan.
• 3. You should have all of your step 2 ingredients measured and ready to go when the sponge has doubled in size.
• 4. When sponge has doubled, add all the remaining ingredients and mix with the dough hook attachment on your mixer. The dough will be sticky and not come together in a ball. Add additional bread flour a couple of tablespoons at a time, while mixer is kneading on low speed. You should only need 1/4 to 1/2 cup total flour. Stop adding flour when the dough starts to come together and barely sticks to the bottom of the bowl. At this point, process a few minutes more.
• 5. Transfer the dough to a large greased or buttered bowl, using a rubber spatula. Grease or butter the top of dough. Cover with plastic until doubled in size, or about 1 hour.
• 6. When the dough has doubled, do not punch down. Use a rubber spatula to fold several times to shape and then turn out into your prepared Dutch Oven. Cover with plastic to rise around 30 minutes. The dough should fill your 5 qt. pan by almost halfway up.
• 7. Remove plastic from top of pan. With a very sharp knife or razor blade, score the top in a diagonal pattern. Dust with a little flour and place the lid on top to cover. Place the Dutch Oven in a cold oven. Turn the heat to 425 and bake undisturbed for 55 minutes. Remove the lid after 55 minutes and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven to a rack.
• 8. After the bread has cooled a few minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on a rack before slicing. Keep tightly covered to retain freshness. This is a large loaf. I cut mine in half and freeze half for later.

GARY'S HONEY ROSEMARY DUTCH OVEN BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Make the dough for this bread the afternoon before you want to bake it. I usually do that around 3 o'clock. In a large mixing bowl, place the Rosemary, Salt, Pepper, Yeast and Flour. Use a fork to blend well.
• 2. In a large pouring cup. Mix the warm Water, Olive Oil, and Honey by stirring. Pour over the dry ingredients.
• 3. Use a rubber spatula to stir/fold the dough as much as you can. Some of the flour might not incorporate at this point. Using your hands work the dough for 1-2 more minutes by folding or gently kneading just until it comes together well enough to shape a ball.
• 4. Place the ball of dough, rubbed with a very little amount of additional olive oil in a clean large bowl. Cover with plastic. Let sit to rise at room temperature for about 3-4 hours. It should have doubled in size.
• 5. Punch down dough. Shape into a ball. Cover again with the plastic. Refrigerate overnight until morning.
• 6. When you get up in the morning, remove the dough from the fridge. Punch it down and shape it in a ball. Place it in a 5 quart Dutch oven that is lined with two layers of parchment paper. The double layer will assist in the bottom not over-browning. Cut a shallow x in the top of the bread with scissors. Using a small sieve, give the top of the loaf a good dusting of a couple Tbsp of additional flour. Cover with plastic and let rise until double in size. That will take about 2 1/2 hours.
• 7. Before you get ready to bake your loaf of bread, prepare your oven for optimum baking. With one rack in the lowest position, set an empty cookie sheet or baking stone on it. This is done to deflect the heat away from the bottom of your Dutch Oven. Have a second rack positioned in the center of the oven. You will bake the bread on this rack.
• 8. When your loaf is ready to bake, remove the plastic and place the lid on the Dutch Oven. Place in a Cold Oven. Close the oven door and turn the oven on to 375 degrees. Bake for 1 hour. Do not open the door during this time.
• 9. After bread has baked 1 hour, remove lid and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes.
• 10. Remove the bread from the oven and remove loaf immediately to cool on a rack. Cover the loaf with a lightweight cotton or linen tea towel. Leave to cool at least 2 hours before slicing with a good bread knife.