Matt's bread - live - 3

    It's wonderful! Absolutely superb!

 

    I was worried that it might stick to the casserole, despite the sprinkling of wheat bran in the bottom, or burn or dry out as it baked for its forty five minutes, but no - it's perfect.

 

    I can see why Matt says that after making this you may never buy bread again, and unless I'm pushed for time I shall use this recipe in preference to my old one because the result has such taste, texture and character, and the process couldn't be simpler!

You'll find the recipe here.

Comments

[margaret 46]

Ive started a batch this morning after reading your post.Now that you have been impressed with the results I can;t wait to taste mine sometime tomorrow evening.

[Cornflower]

I'm just about to get another one on the go, Margaret, but I hope you'll be pleased with yours!

[Joanna]

That looks great ... you can almost certainly combine the method with your usual bread if you haven't got much time. Funnily enough, I posted about this today .... I've been baking a lot of different doughs in a hot Le Creuset, and have found that they are almost all improved. So I can bake a good loaf that looks very like yours here in well under 2 hours .... but obviously the slower the bread the better the taste

Joanna

[Dark Puss]

Do you have one regular bread recipe, which this has now supplanted, or do you make a whole range of different breads? I sadly don't bake bread nearly as often as you do but I do make breads whose recipe originates in a variety of countries (Mediterranean and Middle East dominating) and I was wondering whether this technique works only for certain types of loaf.

Just got back home as you will note ...

[pamela]

OK, I'm doing this for Sunday lunch.
Tell me, what size Le Creuset are you using?
I only have a huge one, so I may have to improvise, pot-wise.

[sandpiper]

Off to mix some now for tomorrow, provided I have some easy yeast.

[Cornflower]

Pamela, the internal measurements of the one I used are approx. 8"x6", but I was thinking that as I have another Le Creuset pot which is much bigger, I might make double the quantity of dough next time and bake two loaves in it side by side, then freeze what we don't eat straight away.

[sandpiper]

Didn't have any easy yeast, but used some of this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orqwith/4465178720/ which required feeding with warm water & sugar, so I used the 1.5 cups of water to activate that. We'll see how it works; the fact that both the yeast & the flour I used are about 4 months past their use-by date could be a worry. It ended up looking a bit gluey: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orqwith/4465179658/ but I'm happy to wait & see.

[Cornflower]

Mine looked gluey, too, but it should be fine!

[Rebecca]

Oh it looks good Karen, my mouth is watering. I would have been so worried about my Le Creuset cracking, did you use a cast iron enamelled one?

I am absolutely going to try this bread now, I love that this version is even simpler than the American one doing the rounds a few years ago

[Cornflower]

Rebecca, I was a bit worried about the casserole (cast iron enamelled) as I put it to heat up in the Aga roasting oven for about 15 minutes and the colour changed from red to near maroon! It's survived though.

[Rebecca]

Ahhh, perhaps I will risk it then. I once destroyed a Le Crueset pan on the hob. Carrots that boiled dry. There was a horrible tink, tink, tink noise as the enamel cracked into tiny pieces. I've never really lived it down, it was one of those ones with the lid that acts as a frying pan, perfect for tatins, in other words extra expensive...

Of course it couldn't be the Ikea pan that I boiled dry.

[Darlene]

I'm going to try this! Yeast has to go on my shopping list for tomorrow before I can get started though. Do you think my Corning Ware French White will do the job? I don't have Le Crueset.

[Cornflower]

You should be alright with Corning Ware, Darlene, according to this original version of the recipe: http://www.sullivanstreetbakery.com/recipes

[Cornflower]

It would be worth experimenting with a variety of recipes, though I have another batch of the same on the go for tomorrow (today's is all gone!).

[Darlene]

Thanks Cornflower! I found some yeast in the cupboard so it's all systems go. The mixture is under some clingfilm and I'm looking forward to seeing some bubbly goo in the morning.

[Carole]

Oh Dear!
Just when I try to cut down on bread and the like, and the scales are going down in a pleasing fashion, I saw two programmes this week about bread which made my stomach rumble, and now these scrummy looking postings!
Sheer torture!
I normally make bread in a breadmaker, as I live in France and wholemeal is expensive - and the wrong shape and size for toast and sandwiches.
So I have all the ingredients and the Le Creuset, but not the willpower to resist eating too much.
What to do?!

[Cornflower]

Carole, if it's any consolation/encouragement, the quantities given produce a smallish loaf!

[Claire]

Hello Cornflower

You seem to be running a live masterclass at the moment so you might pick this up! How much yeast - it doesn't say in the recipe. Would you say 1/4 tsp is about right?

[Cornflower]

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, Claire (I used 1/2).

[Claire]

Thank you. I'll go and start one now. I smell bread baking all over the UK!

[sandpiper]

Well, after 18 hours, I shoved it in the oven at 11. No Le Creuset here, my casserole dish is a cheap Woolies one, but it survived the experience. I lowered the temperature to 210 degrees due to the oven being of the fan persuasion. Wheat bran on the bottom of the dish (went out to Tesco especially for this, as I wasn't really sure that porridge oats would do). 30 mins with lid, then 10 rather than 15 without, as it was looking a bit brown on top.

Straight from the oven: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orqwith/4466295839/
And sliced: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orqwith/4467064498/

It tastes a little bit too yeasty, to be honest, but I didn't use the easy yeast, so perhaps I used too much of the yeast I had. It being well past its use-by date was possibly a factor, too. But I've happily eaten a couple of slices with butter, and I will definitely make another one with easy yeast and see how that goes.

[Deirdre]

It is after 11 p.m. and I am trying this in a minute! This recipe sounds great and looks even better. Thanks, Cornflower.

[Jennifer Dee]

I used to love making my own bread but now I have arthritis I can't do the kneeding anymore. I know I could buy a bread machine but that has never appealed to me; this receipe sounds just what I was looking for. Thankk you.

[Tara]

This looks wonderful! I have thought of doing this type of bread recipe for years but just haven't gotten around to it. I'd heard that it discolors and blackens the le creuset pot - have you found that to be the case?

[Cornflower]

Tara, loaf number 7 is in the oven right now, so you can see the Le Creuset casserole has had a lot of use over the last week! The colour does darken considerably as it's heating up but it all goes back to normal when it cools down after baking.

[Dee]

I tried this bread for the first time today too - WOW!!

[Cornflower]

So glad it's turned out well!

[Kate/Massachusetts]

Regarding Le Crueset - they have a lifetime warranty on their pans. If the pan is damaged, they will repair or replace it. You have to pay to ship it. I had an oval casserole that was badly stained. I shipped it back to them and they replaced it. They were great to deal with. I don't think the knob on the cover can withstand high heat. It can easily be switched out for a metal one.

[Katie]

Having just been totally absorbed by Matt's book, which I read in one sitting, I am now off downstairs to try his method of bread making. Wish me luck!!!

[Cornflower]

Good luck, Katie! (We've just eaten loaf number 19). Matt's book is so engrossing, isn't it?

[Katie]

Just got me loaf out of the oven, and it is a long time since I was so excited by making bread..........it looked absolutely beautiful, though I would add a tad more salt.
However......it did stick to the bottom of the cast iron pan, which is a little elderly, and so am wondering about using parchment paper. I aint never gonna use my bread maker again!!

[Katie]

Just wondering if perhaps my Le Creuset wasnt as hot as it should have been, although when I first took it out to put the dough in, it was practically smoking!
Anyone else had problems with it sticking - mine stuck just on the bottom - the sides were fine.

[Cornflower]

Katie, I haven't had any problems with sticking and have used wheat bran in the bottom of the Le Creuset as the recipe suggests. Parchment should work, too.

[Zoe]

Hi Cornflower

Just made the bread today in a Denby casserole dish with lid. The bread is gorgeous but I did have a little problem with sticking at the bottom. (I think I should have let it cool a little longer). I used oats in the bottom of the dish. I will be trying this again. Thanks.

[Katie]

actually perhaps that was my problem with the sticking - that I didnt let it cool long enough in the pan.

[Katie]

Have now made Matt's bread many many times and am totally addicted. However....a word of warning.....last week after the last loaf I made, I took a bite and the delicious crust split one of my teeth in half!!!

[Cornflower]

Oh no, Katie, how dreadful - poor you!

[Elizabeth]

Where can I buy easy yeast? I am in Australia.

[Cornflower]

I'll see if I can find out for you, Elizabeth.