*** Retarded French Bread Loaf

Ingredients

DAY 1

• 8 oz unbleached all-purpose flour
• 8 oz unbleached bread flour
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp malt powder or brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/3 cups cool water (65 F to 70 F)
• vegetable oil cooking spray
• large bowl for dough to rise in
• plastic wrap
• cornmeal, for dusting
• parchment paper
• space in the refrigerator for baking sheet overnight
• large airtight container

DAY 2

• 1-inch pizza stone
• cast iron frying pan (for steam)
• spray bottle with water
• pizza peel
• very sharp razor or sharp serrated knife

DAY 1

1. Combine the flours, salt, malt, and yeast in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the water, and stir with a large wooden or metal spoon until the flour is gathered and the dough forms a ball.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead vigorously for about 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Fold dough in half, knead with one hand on top of the other, and turn 1/4 turn and continue. Knead in extra flour or water (just a few drops at a time) if necessary to achieve this consistency.
1. Windowpaning: Pinch about 1/4 cup of dough off and stretch it slowly apart, gently pulling and rotating it. You should be able to carefully stretch it into a thin membrane or window. If it tears easily, knead for a few more minutes and try again. If it hasn't set up after 15 minutes total, you may need to add more flour or water.
2. The dough should pass the windowpaning test (above) and be between 77 F and 80 F.
4. Place the dough in a large, clean bowl that will hold it when it has doubled in bulk. Mist the dough lightly with the cooking spray. Cover the bowl (not the dough) with plastic wrap and let rise about 30 minutes. It should just begin swelling.
5. Knead the dough for 30 seconds, form it into a ball, and recover the bowl with plastic. Allow it to rise for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. Scale, bench, and shape.
• Scale: Using a scale, trim pieces off the dough until it weighs 1 lb 8 oz
• Bench: lightly shape the dough into a ball. Let sit for 5-20 minutes.
• Dust parchment paper with cornmeal to prepare it for the dough.
• Batards: video
1. Gently pull dough into a roughly oblong shape about an inch thick. One of the long sides should be facing you.
2. Grasp the far edge and fold 1/3 of the dough toward you, pressing down with your heel to seal.
3. Rotate the dough 180 degrees and repeat. The two "flaps" should overlap the center of the loaf.
4. Now fold the dough in half lengthwise along the center line and use the heel of your hand to pinch the edge to seal
5. Placing your hands over the tips of the dough at each end, roll the dough by the tips back and forth to seal the ends.
6. Place on the baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
7. Place dough on parchment inside airtight container large enough for dough to rise. Let rest for 15 minutes.
8. Place the shaped dough in the refrigerator overnight.

DAY 2

1. The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator but leave it in the bag. The dough should be 50 to 75 percent larger than when it went in. If not, let the dough sit out for 1 hour to take off the chill. If not fully risen, let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until it completes its rise.
2. Prepare the oven for hearth baking.
• Place the pizza stone directly on the bottom floor of the oven (for gas oven).
• Leaving enough room for the loaf, place the cast iron frying pan on a high rack. You'll be pouring water into this, so make sure you leave room to do this.
• NOTE WHERE THE LIGHT BULB IN YOUR OVEN IS. You DO NOT want to spray the light bulb with water.
• Set the oven to 475 F.
• Ensure your water bottle spritzer is filled.
• Wait 20 minutes before moving on to step 11.
3. Remove the lid from airtight container with dough. Wait 15 more minutes. Place the parchment paper with the bread on the pizza peel. Ready 1 cup of hot top water. Slice four short parallel diagonal slits at a 45 degree angle (not straight down into the dough) into the top of the dough and immediately place in the oven. Immediately pour the hot tap water into the frying pan or extra baking sheet to create steam, spritz the oven walls and bread, then close the door. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
4. Wait 2 minutes. Quickly re-open the oven and spritz the bread and oven walls again. Repeat after 1 more minute. Then, lower the oven temperature to 450 F.
5. Check on the bread every 5 minutes thereafter. NOTE TIME
6. When the bread has developed a rich, golden brown color, turn off the oven (or lower to 350 if planning on baking more). Leave the bread in the oven an additional 5 to 10 minutes, standing at the oven window, watching it carefully, until it seems on the verge of over-browning.
7. Remove the bread to a cooling rack and allow it to cool thoroughly before eating, 60 to 90 minutes.