French Sour Dough Bread a la Anton

Provides two (2) large round or oblong loaves –or – three (3) 6” bread loaf pan loaves. The recipe is using a Kitchen Aid mixer with bread hook • Three (3) 6” bread loaf pan loaves Other times I use: • Pizza peel (wooden Pizza Paddle) • In the oven we use a, 16 inch pizza stone and pan filled with water Every time I use: • Pan filled with water about 1 inch deep (See # 10 below) Preparation: Step: 1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water for 5 min’s 2. While the yeast is dissolving - in a medium sized glass microwave safe bowl, combine & then microwave the following until the butter has melted to half it’s original size (until the butter is soft); o 1 cup Hot water o 3 tb Sugar o 1 tb Salt o ½ Tsp Baking Soda o 5 tb Butter This mixture is going to be pretty hot mix, so be careful. 3. While the mixture is cooling bit – beat 3 egg whites to heavy froth – almost stiff 4. In the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl – using the bread hook and medium-high speed - add the ½ cup of dissolved yeast, the 1 ½ cup Sour Dough Starter and 3 beaten egg whites 5. Slowly add the Hot Water mixture (at a trickle pace, so not to ‘cook’ the beaten egg whites) o This mixture will be mixing for a minute or so 6. Add the 7 cups of flour – one cup at a time until blended. Keep mixing for an additional 5 minutes. NOTE: You’ll be keeping 1 cup of flour off to the side until it’s time to knead (see # 8 below) o The dough is going to be sticky at the end of 5 minutes 7. Rest time # 1. In a large ceramic or glass bowl – spray the inside with non-stick spray and transfer the dough into this bowl, and cover with a wet, hot hand towel o Place dough in a warm area for 1 ½ to 2 hours to rise • I turn my oven on for about 2 minutes to get pretty warm (not hot), and place the towel-covered dough inside the oven to rest & raise o The dough will rise to double triple it’s size 8. At the end of “Rest Time # 1” - Turn out the dough on to a floured board or floured Pizza Peel (wooden pizza paddle – works the same as a floured board); o Use the saved cup of flour to knead the dough until the dough becomes more satiny in look and feel. Should take 5 to 10 min’s of kneading. The dough should be stiffer now and able to hold it’s own shape or when you poke your finger into the dough it doesn’t ‘heal’ very quickly. o I use the Pizza Peel to knead the dough on, so it’s easier to transfer the dough into the oven (see Steps # 9 & 10) 9. Rest time # 2. Lightly dust the dough. Divide dough in half making 2 round or oblong loaves or use 3 bread loaf pans. When using bread loaf pans – fill about half way with dough with dough weighing about 1.8 pounds. o Place dough in a warm area for another 2 (or more) hours to rise again • If you’re going to use your oven, turn it on for about 2 minutes to get pretty warm and let the dough rest in there 10. Pre-heat your oven to 400. If you use a Pizza Stone inside your oven - take the resting dough out of the oven 25 min’s before you’re ready to bake. Place the Pizza Stone inside your oven, sprinkle with corn meal and turn your oven on to 400 to heat up the stone o Move one oven rack to lowest level and the other to the next one up (second from the bottom) o Place pan of water – 1 inch deep on the lowest rack, with the pizza stone on the next rack up 11. With sharp knife – slash the tops 1 to 3 times. Spray loaves with water or brush with 1 beaten egg white and sprinkle with (optional) sesame, poppy or sunflower seeds o Place dough on corn meal covered Pizza Peel and slide into the oven o - Or place dough on corn meal covered baking sheet o Bake at 400 degrees • For Round Loaves: 40 minutes or until golden brown • For Bread Loaf Pans: 35 minutes or until golden brown