Instructions

  1. To make the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, mixing and kneading to form a smooth, sticky dough.
  2. Cover the dough, and let it rise for about an hour; it should become puffy.
  3. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a 10" oval loaf. Place the loaves on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
  4. Cover the pan, and allow the loaves to rise for about 90 minutes, or until they've increased in size by about one-third.
  5. Just before baking, brush with a lightly beaten egg white, then sprinkle with seeds. Slash each loaf diagonally three times.
  6. Bake the loaves in a preheated 400°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the interior registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool. Store fully cooled bread at room temperature, well-wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • To bake this loaf on a stone: Place the shaped loaves on parchment paper. Preheat the oven with the stone on the middle rack. When the loaves are ready, brush them with the egg white and sprinkle them with the artisan bread topping. Transfer the loaves on parchment to the hot stone (sliding the parchment and loaves from the back of baking sheet to the stone is an easy way to do this), and bake according to the recipe instructions.

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