Whole-Grain Artisan Free-Form Loaf
- 1 pound 9 ounces (about 5 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour
- 10 ounces (about 2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, more for dusting
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packets) granulated yeast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 4/10 ounces (about 1/4 cup) vital wheat gluten
- Cornmeal, as needed
- Seeds for sprinkling on bread, optional
- In bowl of a 14-cup food processor with dough attachment, or heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and wheat gluten.
- Add 4 cups lukewarm (100 degrees) water and mix just until well blended, about 2 minutes; dough will be very wet and loose.
- Transfer dough to a container with a slightly vented lid, or a bowl covered loosely with plastic wrap.
- Allow dough to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours; longer rising times (even overnight) will not harm dough.
- After rising, cover securely and refrigerate, and use dough over the next 14 days.
- Do not punch down or knead dough at any time.
- To bake: Prepare a baking peel by sprinkling liberally with cornmeal, or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Tear off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) mass of dough, and dust very lightly with flour.
- Quickly shape into a ball, stretching surface so that it is smooth.
- Stretch ball gently to elongate it, and place on baking peel.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 90 minutes for refrigerated dough, or 40 minutes for fresh unrefrigerated dough.
- Thirty minutes before baking, heat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on middle rack, and an empty broiler tray on a lower rack or bottom of oven.
- Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint top of loaf with water.
- Sprinkle with seeds if desired.
- Slide loaf onto pizza peel or place on baking pan and put in oven.
- Quickly pour 1 cup hot water into broiler tray in oven, and close door.
- Bake until richly browned and firm to touch, about 30 minutes; adjust baking times as needed for larger or smaller loaves.
- For best texture, allow bread to cool before serving.
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Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013058 (may not work)