Mixing and Storing the Dough
Measure the flour by packing it tightly into dry-ingredient measuring cups. Whisk toether the flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
Warm the water slightly: It should feel just a little warmer than body temperature, about 100 degrees. By using warm water, the dough will rise to the right point for storage in about 2 hours. You can use cold water and get the same ï¬nal result, but the ï¬rst rising will take longer.
Add the water and mix with a spoon or heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If using the machine, mix slowly at first to prevent sloshing, and then increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to mix until very smooth, about 1 minute. Don't knead! It isn't necessary. You're ï¬nished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. This step is done in a matter of minutes, and will yield dough that is wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.
Allow to rise: Cover with a lid that ï¬ts well to the container but can be cracked open so it's not completely airtight -- most plastic lids ï¬t the bill. If you're using a bowl, cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Towels don't work -- they stick to wet dough. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on the top), about 2 hours, depending on the room's temperature and the initial water temperature. Then refrigerate it and use over the next 10 days. If your container isn't vented, allow gases to escape by leaving it open a crack for the ï¬rst couple of days in the fridge -- after that you can usually close it. If you forget about your rising dough on the counter, don't worry: longer rising times at room temperature, even overnight, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after the 2-hour rise. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and is easier to work with than dough at room temperature, so the ï¬rst time you try our method, it's best to refrigerate the dough overnight (or for at least 3 hours) before shaping a loaf. Whatever you do, do not punch down this dough. With our method, you're trying to retain as much gas in the dough as possible, and punching it down knocks gas out and will make your loaves denser.
On Baking Day
Pull of a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece, then place it on a pizza peel prepared with cornmeal (use plenty) or parchment paper. This dough does not stretch – and can’t be stretched because there’s no gluten in it – just gently press and pat into shape, and use wet fingers to smooth the surface.
Allow to rest for 60 minutes, loosely covered with plastic wrap or a roomy overturned bowl. The dough may not rise much, which is normal.
Preheat a baking stone near the middle of the oven to 450 degrees, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Place an empty metal broiler tray for holding water on any shelf that won't interfere with rising bread. Never use a glass pan to catch water for steam -- it's likely to shatter.
Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will prevent the knife from sticking. Slash a 1â„2-inch-deep cross, scallop, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife held perpendicular to the bread. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before eating.
Place the tip of the peel a few inches beyond where you want the bread to land. Give the peel a few quick forward-and-back jiggles, and pull it sharply out from under the loaf. Quickly but carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. If you used parchment paper instead of cornmeal, pull it out from under the loaf after about 20 minutes for a crisper bottom crust. Bake for about 45 minutes total, or until the crust is richly browned and firm to the touch. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking times. When you remove the loaf from the oven, a perfectly baked loaf will audibly crackle, or "sing," when initially exposed to room- temperature air.
Allow to cool completely (up to 2 hours), preferably on a wire cooling rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. Never eat gluten-free loaf breads warm, or they may seem underdone on the inside – they need plenty of time to set completely.
Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator in your lidded or loosely plastic-wrapped container and use it over the next 10 days. If you store your dough in your mixing container, you'll avoid some cleanup. Cut off and shape more loaves as you need them. The dough can be frozen in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator before use.
