Rosemary Bread

I've been making this bread regularly for months now, and I keep forgetting to photograph it. But the recipe (from here) is really simple and I wanted to be sure to capture it before it disappears from the internet haha. I've modified the recipe to use RapidRise yeast, so it only needs one long rise instead of two.

Rosemary Bread

• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  
• 1 1/4-oz. packet (2 1/4 tsp) RapidRise yeast (the 3rd product down on this website)
  
• 1 c. slightly-hotter-than-warm water (get the hottest water from the tap)
  
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and serving
• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salts in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, with a dough hook attached). Add the yeast and whisk again to distribute. Slowly add the water with one hand, and knead the dough with the other to evenly wet all of the flour (or just let your stand mixer go crazy). While still kneading, add the oil and, once that's incorporated, add the rosemary. Then keep kneading for an additional 10 minutes. You might need to dab your hands with some oil to keep the dough off of them.

Next, brush the sides of the mixing bowl with more oil, and let the dough rise (covered with either plastic wrap or a dish towel) for 10 minutes. While the dough is rising, brush your baking utensil (either a cookie sheet or a large loaf pan) with oil.

After the first rise, shape the dough for baking. If using a loaf pan, just place the dough in it (obviously this will yield a loaf of bread...). If using a cookie sheet (to get smaller rolls), break the dough smaller chunks (I've done everything from 4 to 12 pieces), roll into balls, and place on the oiled cookie sheet.

Place the dough into an UNHEATED oven, along with a big bowl of boiling water, and allow to rise for 2 hours. The oven is a great place for rising because it's sealed, so with the boiling water, it seals in a lot of steam and heat which yeast loves.

After the dough has doubled in size, take it out of the oven and begin to preheat the oven to 400F.

When the oven has heated up, place the bread in and bake for 10 minutes (20 if you're baking a loaf). Take the bread out of the oven, brush the tops with olive oil, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes (again 20 if you're baking a loaf). The bread should be golden brown on all sides (even check the bottom) when it's done.

Transfer to a rack to cool for 5-10 min (it should still be a little warm to the touch). Then either eat right away or store in plastic wrap/ziploc bags for later (this keeps it from completely drying out).

Really easy for bread! And oh so delicious. I've also tried replacing some of the white flour with white whole wheat flour, which works, but of course isn't quite as soft.

Holiday Greetings!

Wishing everyone a very happy holidays! Hope your holiday season is filled with lots of yummy baked goods :)