Inspired by our original Country Loaf, this recipe takes advantage of the added flavor and texture benefits of our Super 10 Blend. The medley of whole grains and flours in the blend complement the bread’s airy interior and crusty exterior, giving it distinguishable originality and depth.
Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine the flours, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir in the water — by hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment — to form a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of unmixed flour.
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and cover the bowl. After 10 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90° each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.
Re-cover the bowl, and after 10 minutes do another fold. Wait another 10 minutes, and do a third and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes undisturbed, or until it's doubled in size.
Generously flour a brotform (with or without a liner, depending on your comfort level; the liner will prevent any possible sticking) or a towel-lined 9”-diameter bowl with Super 10 Blend. Gently deflate the dough on a lightly floured work surface and form it into a ball. Cover the dough, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then form it into a tight ball. Place the dough seam-side up into the floured brotform or towel-lined bowl, cover it with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap or large upside-down bowl, and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until it’s noticeably puffy.
Towards the end of the rising time, position a rack in the center of the oven (with a baking stone on it if you have one). Place an oven-safe pan in the bottom, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Have a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet ready (or just a sheet of parchment if you’re baking on a stone). Very gently, roll the dough from the brotform or bowl onto the baking sheet or parchment. It should slip out without deflating. Slash the loaf several times with a lame or sharp knife.
Transfer the bread on the baking sheet to the oven or on parchment to the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of water into the hot pan at the bottom; make sure to wear an oven glove to prevent burning from the steam. Immediately close the oven door and bake the bread for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown.
When the bread is done turn the oven off, remove the loaf from the baking sheet, and set it back on the oven rack (removing the stone if necessary). Leaving the oven door cracked open a couple of inches, let the bread cool completely in the oven. Alternatively, if you want a soft loaf, remove the bread from the oven, set it on a rack, and let it cool completely at room temperature.
Store bread, well wrapped, for a day or two at room temperature; slice, wrap, and freeze for longer storage.
