Miracle Bread Recipes

MIRACLE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the flours together in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.
• Make a well in the center and gradually add the warm water, oil, and malt extract to form a soft dough.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for at least 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Lightly oil 2 8x4x2 inch loaf pans. Knead the dough again, knocking out the air, then divide in half.
• Shape the the dough into 2 loaves and press into the prepared pans. Cover loosely and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans.
• Brush each loaf with a little water and scatter over a few mixed seeds.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Leave in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• If you prefer to make rolls, divide the mixture into 24 equal portions and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

THE MIRACLE BOULE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups/375 ml water to blend. What you'll have is a wet, shaggy, sticky dough, but not so wet as to be batter. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest in a warm place for at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours. It's ready for the next step when the surface is dotted with bubbles.
• Flour a work surface and dump the dough out onto it. Sprinkle over a little more flour and fold it once or twice. Cover with the tea towel and let rest 15 minutes.
• Using only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers, shape the dough into a ball. Coat a cotton towel with cornmeal, wheat bran or flour and lay the dough on it, seam-side down. Dust with more cornmeal, wheat bran or flour. (You need quite a lot because you want to be sure the dough doesn't stick to the towel). Cover and let rise for about 2 hours. When ready, the dough will be more than double in size.
• Half an hour before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C. Put a 2-liter cast-iron pot or Dutch oven (cocotte) inside to heat.
• When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven and turn the dough into it, seam-side up. (It will look messy, but this is OK.) Shake the pot to settle the bread evenly. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until the loaf is nicely browned, another 15 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

GLUTEN-FREE MULTIGRAIN MIRACLE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°F.
• Sift the flours, yeast and all other dry ingredients together into a medium bowl. Stir in flax meal and combine.
• Combine the wet ingredients in a separate large bowl using a hand-mixer on low or medium speed. When fully combined, slowly add dry ingredient mixture and mix until fully blended, with no lumps. Scrape the sides regularly.
• Grease a 9x5" bread pan, and pour the dough into the pan. Turn off the oven and immediately place the pan in it. Do not open the door again, if possible. Allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes. It should rise to the very top of the pan.
• Increase heat to 350F and bake for approximately 40 minutes. The crust should be golden-brown. Allow to cool slightly before removing it from the pan to finish cooling. Do not slice until the bread is no longer hot.
• This loaf does not need to be frozen, but if there are leftovers after a few days, place slices in airtight bags and freeze.