Instructions For Use
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the bottom of the bread cloche liberally with corn meal. Place shaped bread dough in the center and cover loosely with a dish towel. When the bread dough has risen to double its original size, remove the towel cover the baker with the bell-shaped top. Place in the center of the oven and bake covered for 35 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until loaf is nicely browned and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles. Now comes the hard part – allow your crusty loaf to cool before cutting and eating. Enjoy!

French Country White

– 1 cup warm water
– 1 packet dry yeast
– 1 Tablespoon sugar
– 2 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
– 1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in the sugar, then 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir in the salt and enough of the additional flour to form a firm dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rest and relax for 20 minutes, then continue kneading for another 10 minutes. It should feel silky and resilient.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Punch down, cover again, and allow to double a second time, about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough, form it into a tight ball and proceed as instructed above, under Instructions For Use.

Walnut Whole-Wheat Bread

– 1 cup warm water
– 1 packet dry yeast
– 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup oil
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 cup whole-wheat flour
– 1/2 cup chopped walnuts – OR 1/4 cup walnuts & 1/4 cup raisins
– 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Make a sponge by dissolving yeast in water, stirring in the brown sugar and the first 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Beat until thick and creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to work until bubbly and puffy, about 45 minutes.

Now stir the rest of the ingredients into the sponge to form a stiff dough. Knead for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Cover with a towel and rest for 20 minutes, then knead dough an additional 10 minutes. It should feel springy and alive. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap and allow to rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Turn the dough onto your counter, give it a couple of quick kneads, and then form it into a firm ball. Place the ball in the bottom portion of your bread baker to rise and proceed as instructed above, under Instructions For Use.