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Vincent Price's House Bread
This was posted on Gail's Recipe Swap by my friend Michael (in Phoenix). Vincent Price, in addition to being a gifted actor, was an incredible cook. This was the bread that he always prepared from scratch in his home, and now we can, too. Take it from me: if you like bread, you will LOVE this one!!!
1 package of active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (120º F. -130º F.)
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
5 cups all-purpose or bread flour
baking sheet lightly buttered and dusted with yellow cornmeal
melted butter
small bowl of ice water
Place 2 cups of flour in the bowl and add the ginger, salt and sugar. Mix with the flat beater on low until well mixed. Then add yeast and mix again. Add the warm water and slowly increase mixing speed to medium high and mix until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough becomes a shaggy mass too dense for the flat beater. Change to the dough hook. Keep adding flour with the dough hook on #2 until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead under the dough hook 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding sprinkles of flour to keep the dough from sticking. Place in a warm bowl coated with soft butter, turn once to butter the top, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double. Punch down, knead a few times to work out the air bubbles and form into one large, or two small loaves, French bread style. Place them on the cookie sheets coated with butter and dusted with cornmeal. With a sharp knife, slash the loaves across the top with a few diagonal cuts. Brush the loaves with ice water using a pastry brush. Place the loaves in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled. Preheat oven to very hot (450º F.). For a great crust, place a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven and brush each loaf with melted butter. Bake in the very hot oven for 7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350º F. and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer. Cool on a rack and enjoy!
This was posted on Gail's Recipe Swap by my friend Michael (in Phoenix). Vincent Price, in addition to being a gifted actor, was an incredible cook. This was the bread that he always prepared from scratch in his home, and now we can, too. Take it from me: if you like bread, you will LOVE this one!!!
1 package of active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (120º F. -130º F.)
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
5 cups all-purpose or bread flour
baking sheet lightly buttered and dusted with yellow cornmeal
melted butter
small bowl of ice water
Place 2 cups of flour in the bowl and add the ginger, salt and sugar. Mix with the flat beater on low until well mixed. Then add yeast and mix again. Add the warm water and slowly increase mixing speed to medium high and mix until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough becomes a shaggy mass too dense for the flat beater. Change to the dough hook. Keep adding flour with the dough hook on #2 until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead under the dough hook 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding sprinkles of flour to keep the dough from sticking. Place in a warm bowl coated with soft butter, turn once to butter the top, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double. Punch down, knead a few times to work out the air bubbles and form into one large, or two small loaves, French bread style. Place them on the cookie sheets coated with butter and dusted with cornmeal. With a sharp knife, slash the loaves across the top with a few diagonal cuts. Brush the loaves with ice water using a pastry brush. Place the loaves in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled. Preheat oven to very hot (450º F.). For a great crust, place a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven and brush each loaf with melted butter. Bake in the very hot oven for 7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350º F. and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer. Cool on a rack and enjoy!