Bready or Not: Country Loaf
The blog is called Bready or Not, and today we are definitely bready with this gorgeous, old-fashioned Country Loaf.
This is a basic boule in the French style. Water, salt, sugar, flour, yeast. Baking is done with added steam–boiling water in a pan below the bread, sending up a cloud to give this loaf the perfect crust.
This bread is absolute perfection toasted with butter, but it’s also great for sandwiches or to go along with soup. Some breads are best hot, but this one is more versatile.
I modified this recipe from a fantastic cookbook called Making Artisan Breads in the Bread Machine by Michelle Anderson. Click here to get it through my affiliate link.
Bready or Not: Country Loaf
Equipment
- bread machine
- large bowl
- parchment paper
- baking sheet or pizza stone
- cake pan
- kettle for boiling water
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water 100-110-degrees
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 4 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
Instructions
- Add ingredients to bread machine bucket, which usually means liquids first–so water, sea salt, sugar, bread flour, and yeast. Let the dough cycle run.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, tucking dough under the sides to form a tight ball. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap to let rise for an 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Lay out a large piece of parchment paper. Flour lightly. Roll dough onto it, deflating the round and tucking the dough to form a new, smooth round. Flour lightly on top. Cover with towel or plastic wrap again to let rise, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven at 500-degrees. Place baking pan or stone on middle rack. On rack below that, place a cake pan with 1 or 2-inch sides. In an electric or stovetop kettle, boil about 2 cups of water.
- Use a sharp knife to score a hash mark across the top of the risen dough. Place the hot baking sheet or stone on the stovetop. Very carefully, use the parchment paper as a sling to move the bread onto the hot pan. Place it in the oven. Immediately use the kettle to carefully pour water into the cake pan on the lower rack; no need to measure the water, but get the pan about half full. Close the oven and do not open it again until the end of baking.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400-degrees. Bake an additional 30 minutes. The bread should be risen and golden. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing in.
- This bread is fantastic at room temperature or heated up again. Use it with butter, for sandwiches, whatever you want! While the bread is still fresh, freeze leftovers for later enjoyment, too.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies
These Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies are easy to customize based on your budget and ingredient availability. Go expensive and fancy and use a goat cheese log, or more budget-conscious and still-delicious with standard cream cheese.
I’ve done it both ways. Both are fantastic. For the goat cheese, I recommending hitting someplace like Costco or Sam’s Club. For cream cheese, my go-to has become Aldi.
Use any variety of jams or preserves, but the one necessity is that it is THICK. A watery one will sink to the bottom (says the voice of experience). I found the good basic Smucker’s Strawberry Jam was fine in this recipe.
Bready or Not Original: Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Blondies
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Swirl
- 8 ounces soft goat cheese or cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon plain or vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup jam or preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the cheese, sugar, yogurt, egg, and vanilla to make smooth.
- Pour about half the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out with an uneven spatula.
- Dollop on all of the cheese mixture. Then add spoonfuls of the jam to fill any gaps. Follow up by adding dollops of the remaining blondie batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers together for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the middle is not jiggly and passes the toothpick test. Cool for at least an hour at room temperature, then chill in fridge. Once the pan is cool, use the foil to lift the blondies onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
- Enjoy promptly or store in a sealed container in the fridge to eat over the coming days.
OM NOM NOM!
RELEASE DAY: A Thousand Recipes for Revenge
It’s June 1st, and A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is now available worldwide! Follow Ada and Solenn into a realm inspired by France of three centuries ago, a world that relies upon magic derived from food. I really hope you enjoy the read and look for the second book in January! Also–please add a rating and review on sites like Amazon and Goodreads! Those numbers mean a lot, especially in the first few weeks.
- Amazon: paperback | kindle | audio CD | audible
- Barnes & Noble: paperback | audio mP3 on CD | audio CD
- Bookshop: paperback | audio mP3 on CD | audio CD
- Books-a-million: paperback | audio mP3 on CD | audio CD
Thank you!
[Amazon links are through their affiliate program]
#SFWApro
Read MoreBready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
These Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are super-chewy thanks to that combo. Plus, they aren’t super-sweet, which lets the chocolate shine through.
I love how old-fashioned these cookies look, like something I’d eat when I was a kid, with my grandma on a visit to friend’s house. There’s a certain level of heartiness and coziness to these cookies.
These cookies are quick to assemble, too. After posting some intricate recipes this month (I’m looking at you, Apple Cream Cheese Brioche Tart) it’s nice to share things are simple and good.
Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Equipment
- parchment
- tablespoon or tablespoon scoop
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats also called old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup chocolate chips semisweet, milk, dark, or a mix
- 1 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars to create a creamy mix. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; mix this into the butter bowl. Fold in the oats, chocolate chips. and coconut until everything is distributed.
- Use a tablespoon to place scoops of dough spaced-out on the baking sheet; the cookies will spread.
- Bake until the cookies are golden and set, about 11 to 13 minutes. Let them sit on pan for about 5 minutes before moving to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Moving!
I’m interrupting the usual flow of recipes and book news to bring you an important update: I am moving from scalding hot Arizona to the wintery wilds of Minnesota. That means you may see me at Twin Cities-area conventions and other Midwest gatherings in the coming years. Do you have a favorite? Are you involved with a convention or bookstore that’s looking for future guests? Well hey, drop a comment on this post, send an email via my contact form, reach out on social media–make a connection! (But also please understand if I’m slow to reply.)
As this move is happening at the same time as the full release of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge, I’m also looking for people to keep an eye out for promotions I might miss while in-transit and unpacking. There might be ads on Goodreads or Kindles, recommendations from Amazon–all kinds of things! If you see something, please try to get a picture or screencap and send it my way! Thank you in advance.
#SFWAPro
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