Baking Artisan Bread

Artisan bread is baked on a pizza stone. These are readily available. We have a small convection oven in our motor home, so we got a 12 3/4 inch pizza stone for less than $15 at Target.

To make bread that is soft on the inside and crusty on the outside, you will need to introduce steam into the baking process. Place a pan on a shelf under the pizza stone. You will add water to this pan while baking.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees with the pizza stone in it. We dust the stone with corn meal as well.

Just before the bread is placed in the oven use a serrated knife and slash an "X" in the top of the loaf - cut about 1/4 inch deep.

Slide the dough onto the pre-heated pizza stone. Add water to the pan - CAUTION - it will make steam. Be careful. We add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water. You do not need to fill the pan.

Bake the bread for about about 30 - 40 minutes - until it is a little darker than golden brown. It can be darker if desired. Because it is a wet dough it can get quite brown on the outside without drying out on the inside.

When nicely brown it is done. You can also 'thump' the loaf on the bottom - a well done loaf has a sort of a hollow sound.

Slice and enjoy!