Pain Normand Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in one cup of lukewarm water in a large bowl.
• After a minute or two, add one cup of flour and mix.
• Then add a second cup and knead by hand until smooth; the dough should be dry and not stick to your hands.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise overnite at room temperature.
• The next day, punch the dough down and add 3/4 of a cup of lukewarm water, the salt and the remaining flour, one cup at a time, mixing all the while.
• If you are using a stand mixer, use your dough hook; otherwise knead by hand, working the dough until dry.
• Now, either knead for several more minutes in your stand mixer or place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for a good five minutes.
• Now, take the dough on your board and pound it heavily with a rolling to flatten it.
• Fold the dough and pound it again until flat.
• Repeat this process 7 or 8 more times.
• Now let the dough (and the cook) rest for ten minutes.
• Form the dough into a ball, place on a board or counter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the dough rise for two and a half hours at room temperature.
• Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
• With a small, sharp knife, make five parallel cuts, approximately 1/4" deep, along the top of the loaf.
• Place the loaf on a lightly buttered cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until browned and hollow sounding when knock on the bottom.
• Note: If you are planning to make this bread again in a few days, reserve a cup of dough for a starter and save it in the fridge--but don't keep it past a third day; when you are ready to make the second batch, bring the starter to room temperature, and proceed, skipping the overnight proofing.

Steps:

• Whisk the water, cider and starter in a bowl until the mixture was thoroughly mixed and slightly frothy. To this mixture was add the flours, salt and yeast. Use dough whisk was used to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
• Let stand on the counter for twenty minutes.
• Put in a stand mixer with a dough attachment. Knead for 3 minutes, adding the minced dried apple bits. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, covered, and let rise for about three hours, folding once.
• Divide in half, let rest again for 15 minutes, then form into two loaves. Let proof again until puffy, about 1 1/2 hours, depending on how strong your starter is. Using a peel, slash and transfer to a hot stone and bake with steam for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.