![]() I like a round boule shape but you can make an oblong or football-shaped loaf instead, if you choose. When you’re ready to bake, gently remove the dough from its bowl and carefully pat it into shape. Just remember to take the dough out of the fridge a couple of hours before you bake it. Chilling the dough slows down the rise but allows flavor to continue developing, so it’s actually a really good thing to do if you have the time to plan ahead. Here, carefully remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface, gently stretch and fold it, envelope-style (see photo below), flip over, and pat into a circle.Īt this point, you can return it to the bowl (seam side down) to rise again in preparation for baking, or, if you’re not ready to bake the bread yet, refrigerate it overnight (or even up to a couple of days). Either way, plop your pretty little dough ball in an oiled bowl, let it rise for an hour or two, and you’ll end up with a beautiful big poofy dough ball:Īfter this initial rise, you’ll want to prep your dough for its second rise (proofing). If you’re pressed for time and want to get other things done, a mixer with a bread hook will do a perfectly fine job, too. Plus, I think it’s good to get a feeling for the dough under your hands – after a few times you’ll instinctively know when it feels done. It takes a while – 10-12 minutes, typically, until the dough is smooth and elastic – but once you get the hang of it and get a rhythm going, the motion becomes rather soothing and meditative (especially if you complement it with a mantra: I need to knead!). I enjoy kneading by hand, which entails folding the dough over itself toward you, then pushing it away with the heel of your hand, turning a quarter-turn and repeating (want a visual?). Those popular no-knead bread recipes you see everywhere? Yeah, they’ll technically work at altitude, but generally will result in a loaf with a dense, heavy crumb and a brittle, rather than chewy crust. Kneading is particularly important at altitude because you need those strands of gluten to be strong in order to stand up to the enthusiastic amount of gas yeast produces when unencumbered by atmospheric pressure. Then spend a little more time kneading it to develop nice strong strands of gluten, which trap the gases produced by the yeast and created the little airy pockets found in artisan bread. Simply mix yeast and a dab of sugar in warm water and let it get nice and foamy, add it to your flour and salt, and stir until it begins to come together in a ball. (Sea-level friends, feel free to try using all-purpose flour instead and an extra half-teaspoon of yeast – a standard packet of commercial yeast is about 2.5 teaspoons, so you can just use the whole thing). The main differences are two: 1) we use bread flour exclusively for its higher protein content, which helps create a stronger structure to support the quicker rise we tend to get at altitude, and 2) there’s a little less yeast to help control said crazy rise. ![]() This high-altitude recipe is actually not dramatically different from its sea level counterpart. I’ve done the work for you! It’s actually quite simple. And for us mountain folk, there’s also altitude to consider.īut please, don’t be skerred. Today’s world of bread contains many deep, lengthy rabbit holes peppered with words like barm and poolish and couche, and for the unseasoned baker, it’s intimidating, if not totally overwhelming. Artisan techniques, hand-milled flours, wild harvested yeast … it’s a bona fide gourmet thing now. ![]() But in our current century, bread has suddenly gotten kind of complicated. All you need to make this High Altitude Crusty French Bread – this delightful loaf of yum – is five ingredients, a few hours, and a little faith.īread is one of the simplest, most basic foods, right? We, and our ancestors before us, have made and eaten it, in some form or another, for centuries. You totally can! Don’t shake your head at me. You? Bake a delicious loaf of crusty, chewy homemade french bread? At 9,000 – 10,000 feet? YES. ![]()
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