Don’t you just love having pictures and a post in your stash for those days when you haven’t cooked/baked or created anything. This is one of them. Back when Hodgson Mills sent me a shipment of their different flours I made this bread. I found the recipe at Epicurious.com and was feeling very brave that day.
It didn’t come out bad and I wasn’t jumping for joy either. The smell of baking bread should be bottled and or made into a candle scent, it is heavenly. Have you ever made something that smelled better than it tasted? That’s kinda-sorta the situation here. It came out a little dense and I haven’t baked enough bread to figure out why. Any bread bakers out there with any advice? A little more care with shaping the loaves will be helpful the next time around also. With all that being said, the taste wasn’t bad. It was perfect for dipping in the soup I made to go along with it and for dipping in olive oil.
On another note I have to thank Eileen at The Joy of Caking again for the Hershey’s giveaway that she ran on her blog. She notified me on Monday that I had won and I received a huge box of goodies from Hershey’s today. I have something in mind to bake with part of it and I’ll be sharing it soon.
Cornmeal Harvest Loaves – Epicurious.com
2 cups lukewarm water
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 ¼ -ounce packages (about 1 TBS plus 2 tsp) active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 TBS yellow cornmeal
About 4 3/4 cups bread flour
5 tsp salt
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp basil
In bowl of a standing electric mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand, hopefully not) stir together lukewarm water, sugar, yeast, basil and 1 cup cornmeal and let stand until foamy about 5 minutes. For some reason this is one if the steps that really freaks me out. In another bowl stir together flour and salt and gradually stir enough flour mixture into cornmeal mixture to form a soft dough. With dough hook knead dough; add in cheddar cheese and any remaining flour mixture if dough is too sticky, 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, dough may be kneaded on a floured surface with floured hands until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes.)
Put dough in an oiled deep bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl loosely and let dough rise in a warm place 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Alternatively, dough may be allowed to rise, covered, in refrigerator overnight. If I did this I wouldn’t sleep a wink worrying about the dough rising.
Punch down dough and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece between hands to form a 14-inch loaf and put 2 loaves on each of 2 large baking sheets. With a knife or kitchen scissors make eight to ten 2-inch-long diagonal cuts down length of each loaf and pull open to make decorative holes (exaggerate openings as they will become smaller during rising and baking). Cover loves loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle loaves with remaining 2 tablespoons cornmeal and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven 25 minutes, or until golden, switching baking sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through baking. Cool loaves on racks.
Sandra, these are just beautiful! What a fun and delicious post to have stashed away, do you have any extra?
As a matter of fact I do. I also made a pot of tomato soup when I baked the bread. Stay tuned!
Wow, Sandy!! These loaves look like you bought them from a bakery!!
You’re going to make me think I’m on to something Joyce, LOL!!!!
I think your bread looks wonderful… especially since I have never baked such lovely bread.
You are a talented baker my friend. 
Looking forward to you baking bread, it’s going to be great. You always know how to put a special twist on your recipes.
This bread recipe sound (and looks) so good. I am a huge fan of homemade breads and am always looking for new recipes. I think I’m going to have to get busy in the kitchen this weekend. They are predicting a big storm here in the NE. Perfect timing!
This past weekend was perfect for baking. There wasn’t much else to do. We didn’t get as much as your area. Hope everything is getting back to normal.
I’m not a bread baker at all, so sorry…I can’t help you with solving the problem! Aren’t some breads supposed to be kind of dense, though? I would imagine that one made with cornmeal would be. I don’t know. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer. It sure looks pretty, though, and the smell, as you said, is always a day brightener! Keep whackin’ away at it, girlfriend! It’ll happen for you! You are such a wiz in the kitchen…there’s no stopping you! Have a good weekend!
Thanks Alycia and you know I will. I’ve considered buying a bread machine but I won’t to get halfway good at doing it the old fashioned way first. Kind of like tying your shoes with laces before getting ones with velcro!!!
I agree with you about the aroma of baking bread…nothing better. Sorry this underwhelmed you, but your loaves look wonderful, Sandra!
Thanks Liz. I’ll keep practicing until I hit it out of the park!
I love the smell of bread baking in my kitchen. It’s a wonder they haven’t developed that scent in a candle yet. I don’t know what you mean about reshaping your loaves…they look gorgeous! And congrats on the Hershey’s…..what a great treat!
We should drop a couple of hints to the Yankee Candle people so they can get to work. I’m working up my nerve to try braided loves.
I’m jealous. I really want to make homemade bread! I used to make it for fun, but after I started to get busy with the kids, I completely stop because I’m always running in and out of the house. I can’t wait to focus on making bread again! You continue to inspire me…
I’ve seen some recipes where the bread dough rests/rises in the refrigerator overnight. Not sure how comfortable I’d be with that. Thank you for always saying the nicest things.
I agree that the smell of baking bread makes a house heavenly!
It surely does!
The aroma trumps the flavor many times, but it´s great when it´s the other way around. I think these look wonderful! I just love a bread with some cornmeal in it. And the cheese is a bonus.
Thank you Paula, hope you stop by again.