out into a roughly shaped rectangle slightly longer than your bread pan .
Fold the dough in half lengthwise .
Seal edges of dough together with your thumbs as illustrated , or with the heel of one hand. Roll dough a quarter turn forward, so seal is on top.
Flatten the dough again into a rectangle .
Press a trench along the central length of the dough with the side of your hand .
Fold again in two lengthwise and seal the edges together with the heel of your hand . Roll dough a quarter turn toward you, so seal is underneath.
Place the dough smooth side up in the prepared pan, pressing it down snugly into the corners with your knuckles . Pan should be no more than ⅓ to ⅖ full.
(*) You can freeze the dough at this point, wrapping pan airtight. To continue with the recipe, let thaw for several hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
For the final rising, set pan uncovered at a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees until dough has risen to slightly more than double, or to fill the pan by no more than ¾. It is important when you are to bake in a covered pan that you do not let the dough rise more than this, as it must have room to finish swelling and to fill the pan while it is in the oven. When dough has risen, bake at once.
(*) You can delay the rising action by setting the pan in the refrigerator, or even by weighting it down under refrigeration. In either case, the pan should be covered airtight, then set uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before baking. If dough has over-risen, bake it uncovered or deflate by pressing it down and letting it rise again to the correct height.
7) Baking, cooling, and storing—oven at 435 degrees; baking time 40 minutes
A perfectly smooth sheet of aluminum foil 1½ inches larger all around than bread pan, and greased on shiny side
A baking sheet or a pan large enough to cover entire top of bread pan
A 5-pound weight of some sort, such as a brick
A cake rack, for cooling bread after baking
Oven has been preheated to 435 degrees. Cover bread pan with aluminum foil, greased side down. Set pan on a rack in middle level of preheated oven, cover pan with baking sheet or second pan, and center the weight on top.
Bake undisturbed for 35 to 40 minutes (30 for small loaves), then slide rack to front of oven. Standing well enough aside in case bread should burst out of pan (which could occur only if you had let it over-rise before baking), see if bread is done. The bread should have shrunk slightly from sides of pan so it will unmold easily, and the crust should be lightly browned. When thumped, the loaf should make a hollow sound. If not quite done, return to pan, cover with foil and baking sheet, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more. Unmold and cool on a rack.
When thoroughly cool, in 1½ to 2 hours, wrap airtight and refrigerate. Flavor and texture improve after 12 to 24 hours, and you should probably wait 36 hours if you want very thin slices forsandwiches or Melba toast.
This bread freezes perfectly; thaw it in its wrapper either in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
VARIATIONS
Baking in an uncovered pan—the conventional loaf
If you want a loaf that swells up in the oven, bake the dough in an open pan, one that holds twice the volume of the unrisen dough, in this case a 6-cup pan. During its final rise, Step 6, let the dough come up almost to the edge of the pan. Just before baking, glaze the top of the dough by painting it with a tablespoon of milk in which you have dissolved ⅛ teaspoon of sugar. Oven temperature and timing are the same as in the preceding Master Recipe; if the top of thebread seems to be coloring too much, cover loosely with heavy brown paper or a sheet of aluminum foil.
Omitting the butter
You may omit the butter in the Master Recipe if you wish. This will give you a lighter and whiter loaf; you may prefer it this way forMelba toast.
Melba toast—to serve with consommé, foie gras, caviar
Use 2-day-old pain
Fold the dough in half lengthwise .
Seal edges of dough together with your thumbs as illustrated , or with the heel of one hand. Roll dough a quarter turn forward, so seal is on top.
Flatten the dough again into a rectangle .
Press a trench along the central length of the dough with the side of your hand .
Fold again in two lengthwise and seal the edges together with the heel of your hand . Roll dough a quarter turn toward you, so seal is underneath.
Place the dough smooth side up in the prepared pan, pressing it down snugly into the corners with your knuckles . Pan should be no more than ⅓ to ⅖ full.
(*) You can freeze the dough at this point, wrapping pan airtight. To continue with the recipe, let thaw for several hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
For the final rising, set pan uncovered at a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees until dough has risen to slightly more than double, or to fill the pan by no more than ¾. It is important when you are to bake in a covered pan that you do not let the dough rise more than this, as it must have room to finish swelling and to fill the pan while it is in the oven. When dough has risen, bake at once.
(*) You can delay the rising action by setting the pan in the refrigerator, or even by weighting it down under refrigeration. In either case, the pan should be covered airtight, then set uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before baking. If dough has over-risen, bake it uncovered or deflate by pressing it down and letting it rise again to the correct height.
7) Baking, cooling, and storing—oven at 435 degrees; baking time 40 minutes
A perfectly smooth sheet of aluminum foil 1½ inches larger all around than bread pan, and greased on shiny side
A baking sheet or a pan large enough to cover entire top of bread pan
A 5-pound weight of some sort, such as a brick
A cake rack, for cooling bread after baking
Oven has been preheated to 435 degrees. Cover bread pan with aluminum foil, greased side down. Set pan on a rack in middle level of preheated oven, cover pan with baking sheet or second pan, and center the weight on top.
Bake undisturbed for 35 to 40 minutes (30 for small loaves), then slide rack to front of oven. Standing well enough aside in case bread should burst out of pan (which could occur only if you had let it over-rise before baking), see if bread is done. The bread should have shrunk slightly from sides of pan so it will unmold easily, and the crust should be lightly browned. When thumped, the loaf should make a hollow sound. If not quite done, return to pan, cover with foil and baking sheet, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more. Unmold and cool on a rack.
When thoroughly cool, in 1½ to 2 hours, wrap airtight and refrigerate. Flavor and texture improve after 12 to 24 hours, and you should probably wait 36 hours if you want very thin slices forsandwiches or Melba toast.
This bread freezes perfectly; thaw it in its wrapper either in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
VARIATIONS
Baking in an uncovered pan—the conventional loaf
If you want a loaf that swells up in the oven, bake the dough in an open pan, one that holds twice the volume of the unrisen dough, in this case a 6-cup pan. During its final rise, Step 6, let the dough come up almost to the edge of the pan. Just before baking, glaze the top of the dough by painting it with a tablespoon of milk in which you have dissolved ⅛ teaspoon of sugar. Oven temperature and timing are the same as in the preceding Master Recipe; if the top of thebread seems to be coloring too much, cover loosely with heavy brown paper or a sheet of aluminum foil.
Omitting the butter
You may omit the butter in the Master Recipe if you wish. This will give you a lighter and whiter loaf; you may prefer it this way forMelba toast.
Melba toast—to serve with consommé, foie gras, caviar
Use 2-day-old pain
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