What is your favorite, yet simple, recipe?
<Sorry so long>
So, ever since I've started learning how to really bake bread the 'right' way (via BBA, internet, etc), my bread has pretty much gone to pot. I can remember the flavor of the first loaf I baked without the knowledge I have today, and curse myself for not saving the recipe. The flavor was a rich buttery flavor. The kind that you could eat the whole loaf before it cooled. I remember the recipe was very simple.
Does anyone care to jot down their favorite simple recipe? (I love going by percentages in recipes).
FWIW, I tried multiple loaves with just salt, yeast and water. I've tried 2 hour short forments and as much as a two day cold forments, but my simple salt, yeast and water has not given me the 'Wow', that everyone talks about. Not even the 'pain a l'ancienne '. To me, all these are just very bland-flavor breads. I really don't think I'm doing anything wrong. I use a stone that's preheated for an hour at 450. Rise times, again, varied. I can get crumb to do anything I want. yet, the flavor is ho-hum. I yearn for the rich, buttery flavor that I made 'before' I started learning baking.
I'm thinking it's going to be a fat and suger added recipe. Here's what my last experiement was;
1% active dry yeast
2% salt
4% suger
4% shortening
Water (unknown %)
- 2 hour pre-forment, 1 hour proof. Baked at 450% until center was 205. Cooled on wire rack. Flavor slightly better, yet still no 'wow' factor.
-thanks