When to bake? Looking for strategies
I am a beginning baker and I am trying to get into a rhythm to bake bread for my family.
I am working out of Peter Reinhart's, "Artisan Bread Every Day" and he generally suggests:
Do Ahead: Mix the bread and put it into the fridge
Baking Day: Take the bread out 3 hours before baking, then bake.
If the goal is to have bread for dinner, I'm stuck. . . I get up at 5am and leave for work at 7 and I get home at 5pm.
The options seem to be the following:
1) Make bread the evening before I am going to eat it for dinner.
2) Let the bread stay out all night long (7-8 hours)
3) Get up at 3am take the dough out and go back to sleep until 5. (not gonna happen)
4) Take the dough at 5am and start baking at 6am
5) Throw the dough directly in the oven upon coming home from work.
6) Take the bread with me to work and throw in a refrigerator at work. (total hassle)
Obviously, week-ends aren't a problem, but I'm seeing if I can weave baking into my daily schedule. I have LOVED mixing the dough the night before after doing the dishes. I just need to figure out when to take it out of the fridge and when to bake it.
Many Thanks!
Ronan