Thyme Bread

THYME BREAD

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs / 1 kg of bread flour
• 1 pint / 0.5 l of water
• 1 teaspoon of dark sugar
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of thyme
• 2 oz / 60 g of yeast
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 sprigs of thyme for decoration

Directions:

Mix dark sugar, lukewarm milk and yeast and stir until it creates a soft mash. Let it become leaven. Mix bread flour with thyme, salt and cumin in a bowl, add the leaven and gradually add lukewarm water and vinegar. Knead soft dough and let it rise for an hour. After it rises, make two identical loaves and put them on a baking tray powdered with all purpose flour. Cut a little hole on the surface of the loaf, put thyme in it and let it rise for another half hour while covered by cloth.

Preheat the oven to 445°F / 230°C. Spread water with vinegar over the breads just before putting them in the oven. Bake for just five minutes, then lower the temperature to 340°F / 170°C and bake for about 50 minutes. Spread water with vinegar on the bread loaves even during baking. After enough time passes, take them out of the oven and let them cool on the baking grid.