The basic process is that you make a large batch of somewhat wetter than normal dough and place it in the fridge after a short rest. Over the next week or two, you cut off chunks of it, shape it, let it rest 40 minutes, and into the oven it goes. 30 minutes later, you have perfectly baked bread for the cost of a few minutes of actual effort. The book has several other shortcuts that make the process easier. For instance, there is no kneading involved at any time.
Since getting the book, I have made a couple batches of the dough and have baked several boules (the most basic recipe) and once got adventurous and tried baguettes. The results have been encouraging, and a nice bonus is that the house frequently smells of freshly baked bread!
Although I still need work on the shaping of the dough and also with getting the moisture content just right, I will say that everything I've made so far has turned out great, considering the lack of effort required. The crust has that crunchy texture I've never found in a store or bakery around here, and the interior stays nice and moist and light. I've used the bread at all three meals, everything from breakfast toast to lunch sandwiches to dinner bread. And that's just with the basic recipe - the book contains many variations and more advanced uses for the dough that I haven't tried yet.
Here are a couple of photos from my efforts. First, the boule:
And the baguettes:
The best part (besides the smell) is the sound the bread makes when it comes out of the oven and hits the cool air and the crust starts to crackle. That's about when my mouth starts to water.
I recommend this cookbook and baking method to anyone. It's the easiest method of making great fresh bread that I've encountered, and it really is easy enough that anyone can do it. It's worth checking out their web site link above.
That's all for tonight!
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