La Cloche

this recipe uses a preferment, you'll need some patience, a Cloche and a stand mixer ( hand kneading is fine as well)

the preferment

1 and 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

6 tablespoons warm water (110 to 115 degrees fahrenheit)

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

Dissolve yeast into warm water and rest for 5 minutes, mix 1 cup the flour and salt in mixer bowl, on speed 2 of Kitchen Aid mixer, add yeast mixture to 1 cup of flour mixture and blend with dough hook attachment until dough forms a ball on hook. Knead in mixer for 4 to 5 minutes longer. Turn mixture out onto floured surface (using remaining 1/2 cup of flour) and knead for 10 minutes or until a smooth dough forms, dough needs to remain tacky, do not add any additional flour, use a scraper if necessary . Shape dough into a rough ball, coat a bowl lightly with oil, turn dough ball into bowl and give it 1 full turn to coat with oil, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. Remove from fridge 3 hours before using in final recipe,  leaving bowl covered to allow dough to warm and rise. Dough should have doubled.

Final bread recipe

Preferment dough 

3 and 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup+2 tablespoons warm water (110 to 115 degrees fahrenheit)

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

dissolve yeast into 2 tablespoons of warm water and the teaspoon of honey and rest for 5 minutes. Combine flour, sea salt and poppy seeds into standing mixer bowl. Combine remaining 1 cup of warm water to yeast mixture and add to flour mixture on speed 2 of Kitchen Aid mixer. Add preferment to dough mixture in pieces combining thoroughly after each addition until all is added and dough forms a ball on the dough hook. Mix on speed 2 or an additional 4 minutes. Turn dough out onto surface and knead until a smooth and slightly tacky dough forms. In a stainless steel bowl ( medium sized, I didn't have a brotform basket) place a clean dish towel sprinkled with flour, enough so dough wont stick, shape dough into a ball and place smooth side down into bowl. Cover with remaining tea towel and let proof for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough has doubled. Place Cloche in oven and preheat to 500 degrees fahrenheit, place dough on a bakers peel sprinkled with cornmeal and slide onto cloche and place top over dough. Bake for 20 minutes, remove cloche cover, lower temperature to 400 degrees fahrenheit and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until internal temperature of bread reaches 205 degrees fahrenheit. Remove bread from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.