Onion-basil artisan bread

By making your bread from scratch, you’ll avoid unhealthful ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and dextrose (both forms of sugar) commonly found in store-bough varieties. Your homemade bread will likely be lower in salt (sodium) too! 

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups hot (100 to 110 F) water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
1 package fast-acting yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups enriched white bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
nonstick cooking spray
2 1/2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/4 cup dried basil leaves (You can also use 2 tablespoons ground basil.)
1 cup room temperature water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine hot water, 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast. Stir and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
2. Add remaining sugar, salt and flours. Stir until well-combined. (Mixture should be sticky.)
3. Sprinkle a clean work surface lightly with flour. Place dough on surface and spray the dough bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Return the dough to the bowl and turn until well-coated. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Sprinkle a clean work surface lightly with flour. Place dough on surface and sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Flatten the dough into a square, and sprinkle lightly with onion and basil. Fold one-third of the dough toward the center of the square, and continue to fold and turn dough until a ball is formed. Spray the dough bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Return dough to the bowl and turn until well-coated. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let sit at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Place a metal pan on the lowest rack in the oven. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, form two rounds and stretch them out to look like a loaf (oblong shape). Place on prepared baking sheet. Use a knife to make three ½-inch-deep cuts in the top of each loaf. Sprinkle loaves lightly with flour. Place in the oven and pour 1 cup water into the preheated pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden-brown.
7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Makes 16 servings

Recipe contains: wheat

Carb choices per serving: 1 1/2