If you are under the impression that flour has no taste, it may just because you haven’t tried fresh flour. I know it is an odd concept that flour would be “fresh,” since we’re used to buying bags that have an exceptionally long expiration date. But, when you make a loaf of bread with flour that was just milled it is so much sweeter and more flavorful. Milling grains at home has been on the rise for a few years and many of our readers already do, so they know of what I speak, but for the rest of us (me included), this is a new discovery. I love bread, obviously, and love it made with all kinds of flour, but this is a real treat and one I am so excited to share with you.
I went to an event at Baker’s Field Flour and Bread here in Minneapolis and was completely blown away by what I heard and ate. I met the farmers (Penner and Peterson Farms) who grew this wheat, right here in Minnesota and they could not be more passionate about their crops and the bread that results from their work in the fields.
Baker’s Field Flour & Bread is returning stone-milling to the Mill City (Minneapolis was built on the grain industry), because our region grows an incredible variety of grains, so it just makes sense to mill those grains into flour in our hometown.
As a world class baker, Steve, the owner of the mill, knows the importance of good flour. And the local farmers know the importance of good wheat.By connecting the bakers’ demand for quality flours with the farmers’ desire to grow breeds of grains with unique flavors, Baker’s Field Flour & Bread is producing delicious flour. By stone-milling those local whole grains into FRESH flour, they are an integral part of the bread revival happening across America.
I was so excited that I asked Steve to partner with us on a giveaway, so that I can introduce more people to this incredible flavor. He will send 4pounds of flour to FIVE lucky winners. Due to the fact that this flour will be milled and shipped fresh, the giveaway is only open to people in the USA. Details of how to enter at the end of this post…*
First the recipe:
New Artisan Bread in Five Master recipe with Fresh Baker’s Field Flour and Bread BREAD Flour.
Typically our Master recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five is made with All-purpose flour, but because this Fresh flour contains more bran and germ than the flours we are used to using, we need the extra gluten strength of a bread flour to get the same results. Otherwise we made no changes. Below is an abbreviated version of our recipe, for more details click here.
3 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 pounds (907 grams)Baker’s Field Flour and BreadFRESH “FOREFRONT” BREAD FLOUR (To purchase their flour click here)
Mix the water, yeast, salt and flour together in a 6-Quart Food-Storage Container with Lid using a Danish Dough Whisk, spoon or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Let the dough rise (with the lid open just a hair, to allow gas to escape) for about 2 hours. You’ve just made about 4 pounds of dough (enough for four 1-pound loaves), so you can make a loaf right away, but will be easier to handle after it has been refrigerated for a few hours or overnight. (It can be stored for up to 14 days and you can bake as you wish during that time.)
Take out a 1-pound piece of dough (about 1/4 of the dough)
Let it rest, loosely covered with plastic on a piece of parchment paper that is dusted with flour, for about 2 hours.
Use a Serrated Bread Knife or baker’s Bread Lame to slash the dough.
Preheat a Dutch Oven to 450-500°F. (If your bread doesn’t seem to be getting a nice color, use the higher temperature.)
Carefully put the bread into the preheated Dutch Oven, using the parchment paper as a sling to lower it in.
Bake covered for 20 minutes.
Uncover the pot and continue baking for about 15 more minutes.
Until it is a deep brown caramel color and nicely set.
Carefully remove from the pot, using a spatula. The parchment become brittle when baking, so you can’t lift it out by that alone.
Allow to cool completely before slicing or it may seem gummy.
Enjoy with butter!
*To enter to win a bag of Baker’s Field Flour and Bread FRESH BREAD FLOUR please follow BOTH@Breadin5 and @bakersfieldflourandbread on Instagram, then tag two friends on @breadin5 and we’ll select FIVE winners there.
All of our regular contest rules apply.
FAQs
Active Dry Yeast is an ideal yeast to use for artisan breads or no knead breads that require a slower rise time. It's also the preferred type of yeast for those doughs that proof in the refrigerator for extended periods of time.
How do you make artisan bread taste better? ›
You can also add herbs and seasonings such as garlic, rosemary, dill, chopped onion, jalapeño, shredded cheese, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, etc. My no yeast bread is the quick bread alternative here—you can add flavors to that loaf, too! Baker's Tip: Avoid adding too much flour to the dough as you work with it.
What types of flour do bakers favor for making artisan breads? ›
How are artisan breads made?
| Ingredient | Baker's % |
|---|
| Bread flour* | 100.0 |
|---|
| Rye flour (dark, medium or light) | 20.0–40.0 |
| Semolina flour | Any level (depending on particle size) |
| Cracked or crushed whole grains | Any level (depending on particle size) |
9 more rowsUnlike terms like sourdough or poolish or miche, artisan bread doesn't have an exact agreed-upon definition, but we — and much of the baking world — use it to describe bread made by hand and marked by traditional methods and craftsmanship.
What yeast do professional bakers use? ›
Fresh yeast, sometimes called cake yeast or compressed yeast, is a block of fresh yeast cells that contains about 70% moisture and is commonly used by baking professionals. It's pale beige in color, soft and crumbly with a texture similar to a soft pencil eraser, and has a stronger yeast smell than dry yeast.
What is the best yeast for high sugar dough? ›
Osmotolerant yeast is commonly used in rich doughs, high sugar or salt , such as croissant, brioche and sweet breads, doughnuts, danish pastry and coffee cakes. Osmophilic yeasts are commonly used in frozen doughs. Osmotolerant yeast can perform well at: Sugar content above 5% and as high as 25%.
Why is my homemade artisan bread so dense? ›
If your starter is not active, the bread will be dense. Under-kneading: Kneading helps to develop the gluten in the dough, which gives it structure and allows it to trap air bubbles. If the dough is not kneaded enough, it will be weak and dense. Under-proofing: Proofing is the time when the dough is allowed to rise.
How do you keep artisan bread from burning on the bottom? ›
Use Baking Paper Between Your Dough & Dutch Oven
Baking your sourdough bread directly in a Dutch Oven with no parchment paper can make it easier for your bread to burn because there is nothing protecting the base of your bread.
Does artisan bread need to rise twice? ›
This real artisan bread calls for a 12-hour rise of the starter and then another two 45-minute rises. Remember, you don't have to do absolutely anything while the bread is rising.
What flour do professional bakers use? ›
Pastry flour is the middle ground between cake flour and all-purpose flour. Professional bakers love that it's finely milled with a protein content that hovers around eight to nine percent, striking the perfect balance between flakiness and tenderness while maintaining structure.
While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.
What is the difference between bread flour and artisan bread flour? ›
The differences lie in the product's quality and the quality of the goods you can make from it. Artisanal flours often produce a better aroma and flavor and are better for making crusty bread with tender insides. They're great for sourdough, enriched bread, French or Italian style bread, and pizza doughs.
What do bakers call the end of a loaf? ›
The proper term is “heel,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Some may call it just “the end piece” or “the butt” when going with true informality. Some Redditors even refer to them as the “crusts,” a double whammy for both the outside of each slice and the end of the loaf itself.
Is artisan bread healthier than regular bread? ›
Artisan bread is thought to be a healthier option than store-bought bread. While there haven't been clinical studies to clearly define the differences, artisan bread is made from wholesome fresh ingredients whereas store-bought bread contains processed ingredients and preservatives to stretch the shelf life.
What do you call a person who solely bakes bread? ›
baker in American English
1. a person whose work or business is baking bread, pastry, etc.
Is active or fast rising yeast better for bread? ›
Instant yeast, also called quick rise or fast rising yeast, looks like its active dry counterpart — but the granules are smaller. Because of its fine texture and other additives, instant yeast activates much more quickly. It's best for quick baking projects, because it allows you to make bread with just one rise.
Why use active dry yeast instead of instant? ›
Active dry yeast is slower to rise than instant yeast, but if your recipe calls for a long rise time (two to three hours), the outcome will be the same. If your recipe has a shorter rise time (such as an hour), add an extra 15 to 20 minutes for the active dry yeast to do its work.
What's the difference between rapid rise and active dry yeast? ›
Not only does it skip the proofing/dissolving step, instant yeast simply ramps up more quickly than active dry. Dough made with instant yeast and shaped into a loaf will rise to its optimal height significantly more quickly than a shaped loaf made with active dry yeast.
What yeast do French bakers use? ›
Professionally, fresh yeast is always preferred and is exclusively used in France. Here anyone can buy fresh yeast in a supermarket or even in most bakeries.
Master recipe with Fresh Baker’s Field Flour and Bread BREAD Flour.
using a Danish Dough Whisk
, spoon or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
or baker’s Bread Lame
to slash the dough.
, using the parchment paper as a sling to lower it in.
