Slow Rise Bread

(start roughly 24 hours before desired bake time)

 

Bread yeast has been selected for speed, not flavor. Beer and wine yeasts are the same species as bread yeast, but are strains chosen for flavor. Thus, for more flavorful bread, you may also use beer and wine strains albeit with considerably longer rise times.

 

3 cups white flour

1 tsp hefeweizen beer yeast (or other beer/wine strain)

1 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups cool water

 

I made it in a winter house at about 65F (rise times will be a few hours less in a warmer house, more in a cooler house):

  1. Mix all dry ingredients with hands, then add water and mix with hands.
    1. Dough should be stickier than normal bread dough.
    2. You may use cool water.
  2. Place in a ceramic bowl and cover with a towel.
  3. Let rise 8-10 hours (until doubled) at room temperature.
  4. Stretch and fold in half 4 times on a wet cutting board. Do not knead.
  5. Let rise 8-10 more hours (until doubled) at room temperature.
  6. Stretch and fold in half 4 times on a wet cutting board. Do no knead.
  7. Place on a very well floured towel inside a bowl. Wrap the towel loosely over the dough.
  8. Let rise 3-6 more hours in a warm place (70-80F) (e.g., oven with light on).
  9. Preheat oven with a baking stone to 500F.
    1. Adding a pan of water may enhance the crust texture.
  10. Gently turn the dough onto a well floured pizza peel.
  11. Jerk dough from peel to stone.
  12. Bake 25-35 minutes (until crust thumps like a drum).
  13. Cool upside-down for at least 30 minutes before cutting.