Hearth Bread

This hearth bread recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. I like to serve it with soup. Fresh baked bread and home made soup is the perfect winter meal.

2 Cups warm water
1TB sugar
1 TB or packet of dry yeast
6 Cups flour
1 TB salt

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and add yeast. When yeast is active add your first cup of flour and the salt. Stir well. Add remaining flour one cup at a time until the dough holds together. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead until it is spingy. Let the dough rest while you wash out the bowl and grease the bottom. Place dough back in bowl and turn once so that the top is greased. Let rise in a warm draft free place until it has doubled in size.


Punch the dough down. Divide in half and divide each half into three equal parts. Roll each part into a rope one inch in diameter an braid each of the three equal parts so that you end with two braided loaves. Place braids on baking stones sprinkled with corn meal or on a greased cookie sheet. Place loaves in a cold oven. Turn your oven to 400 degrees and bake for fifteen minutes. Wash tops of loaves with and egg white whipped with a tablespoon of water. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes more.

Have the butter ready and enjoy!