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Instructions
Put 4 c flour in the stand mixer bowl, creating a well in the center with your hand/fist. Add 1 ½ c tepid water to the well in the flour. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast onto the water surface. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Mix ingredients to moisten, add 1 teaspoon salt and stir ingredients together.
Kneading with stand mixer (as in video demonstration): Place the bowl on the stand mixer and attach dough hook. Mix for two minutes to finish combining ingredients, then cover with a moist towel or plastic wrap and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Knead the dough on medium speed for 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth, slaps the sides of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test. Note: I usually knead for 3 minutes, allow the gluten to form for 10 minutes then finish the kneading process.
Kneading by hand: Mix ingredients for 3 minutes then cover with a moist towel, bowl or plastic wrap and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Knead for about 15 minutes.
Kneading with food processor: Process for 10 seconds, then cover with a moist towel or plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes. Process for 1 minute until the dough forms pellets (the dough will come together in a smooth ball once you pick it up and knead it by hand for a few seconds).
Fermentation
Cover the dough with a moist towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise. 2 hours at warm room temperature (fastest rise) or 30 minutes at warm room temperature, then overnight in the refrigerator (slowest rise, resulting bread has better flavor - as in video demonstration).
Shaping
Punch the dough down by pressing your fingers into the risen dough. The more you press down, the smaller the air pockets in your bread (for example, pressing down approximately half way as I did in the video results in smaller air pockets. If I want larger air pockets, as in my french bread loaves, I only press down a quarter of the way).
Working your dough on a floured work surface, dust any remaining wet or sticky spots on the dough with flour. To form a loaf press dough out into a large rectangle. Turn long side of the rectangle toward yourself and roll the dough onto itself creating a smaller loaf shaped rectangle. Turn the smooth side down and depress the center of the dough, turning the ends in toward the center. Turn right side up and place in greased loaf pan.
Proofing
Cover shaped loaf with a moist towel or oiled plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1-3 hours).
Baking
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Before baking, place a baking sheet on the bottom rack and fill to ½ inch depth with hot water.
Place your loaf pan centered over the baking sheet with water. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread loaf is 205 degrees F (96 degrees C). Allow to cool on a wire rack.