Basel country bread

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 40 g yeast, fresh
• ½ cup(s) lukewarm water, approx. 120 ml
• 300 g wheat flour type 550
• 300 g wheat flour type 1050
• 500 ml water, lukewarm
• 2 tsp salt
• Flour for dusting
• Grease for the tray
• ½ cup(s) water, hot, approx. 120 ml

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

simple wheat bread with yeast

Dissolve the fresh yeast in a cup with about 120 ml of lukewarm water (about 30°C). Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Sift the flour if necessary and make a well in the center. Pour the dissolved yeast into the well and mix with the flour. Gradually add a little water and knead into the flour-yeast mixture, taking care not to add too much water. The amount of water depends very much on the flour. You may not need all of it. The dough should not be too sticky. Knead until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes. When it has roughly doubled in size, dust with flour, knead briefly, stretch it out, fold it like a letter, stretch it out again, and fold it again. This will give the bread a nice and airy texture. Then cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 250°C. Repeat the pulling and folding process. Shape the loaf into an oblong loaf, cover, and let rise for another 10 minutes. Then cut it lengthwise with a sharp knife and let it rest for another 5 minutes. Place it on a greased baking sheet or a preheated baking stone and place it on the lowest rack in the oven. Place the cup of hot water next to the loaf or pour it onto the oven floor (careful not to scald yourself), reduce the temperature to about 220°C, and bake the bread for a total of about 30 minutes. After 10 minutes, briefly open the oven door to release the steam. The bread is ready when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and the cut is crispy. The baking temperature and time will, of course, depend on the oven. If using fan-assisted baking, select a lower temperature accordingly.