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Then, turning the loaf right side up, with a repeated rhythmic motion that is at once downward, inward and rotating, smooth it into a perfect sphere with a little foot on the bottom.

As you turn and round the loaf, the foot should not become a cavern. Turn the loaf over to check the foot until you are sure of it. When done just right, the foot is made of a small amount of dough drawn down from the sides of the ball of dough and pressed together underneath by the edges of the palm and little fingers.

EQUIPMENT

2 two-quart covered casseroles,

OR

4 six-inch diameter bowls, stainless steel or Pyrex,

OR

1 7″x11″ baking dish,

OR

any similar-size appropriate baking dishes

a plastic bag (or two) large enough to hold the container(s) comfortably

a source of warmth

a thermometer

Let the dough rest covered for 15 minutes or more, and then, when it has relaxed and is supple again, flatten and repeat the rounding procedure, then put the loaves to proof. This whole process structures the dough inside the ball and stretches the gluten film tightly over it. This method helps the finished loaves to bake into a high, round shape, and is worth perfecting. The double rounding really does help the bread rise higher, with an evener crumb texture.

Put the loaves, seam side down, in baking dish(es) that have been greased and dusted with a sifting of cornmeal. Proof them (give them their final rise) for 1 ½ to 2 hours at 95°F and near 100 percent humidity. It is absolutely essential to approximate this temperature and humidity if you want light bread.

Maybe the simplest way to do it is to wet the inside of a plastic bag with water, put the bread in it, puff it up well, and seal it. Keep it in a place warmed by a source of mild heat, like an oven with a pilot or electric light, the door held open a little to get the right temperature. When the time comes to preheat the oven, one possibility is to set the loaves over a pan or sink filled with very hot water. Or use a heating pad on low-medium setting for the whole time. Having a thermometer is most helpful in this department.

Proof the bread until it feels completely spongy to the touch and loses all its firmness; it may even sag just a little.

BAKING THE BREAD

Desem Bread is a traditional hearth bread, meaning that it is formed into a loaf and baked without a pan, directly on the floor of a steamy brick oven. Baked in round casserole dishes with snug domed lids, however, the loaves nearly duplicate the hearth-baked version. For specifics on this, see the discussion of various steaming methods.

Preheat the oven in plenty of time to have it up to temperature when the bread is ready to bake. Just before you put the bread into the oven, poke a few ½ inch deep holes in the top of the loaf with a serving fork or skewer. This prevents the crust from pulling away from the loaf. Bake the bread at 450°F with steam until the crust browns nicely, then reduce the heat to 350°F to finish the bake, about an hour in all.

Desem bread is done when it is deep golden or rosy brown, and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom of the loaf. If you aren’t sure, though, take a look at the crumb. If you have baked two loaves next to each other like buns, just break them apart and look there; otherwise, make a small slice in one edge. Press on the bread crumb with a light touch: if it springs back, it is done. But if the fingerprint remains and gloms together, looking very wet, return the bread to the oven for another 15 minutes. Many things can increase the time this bread requires to bake: if your dough was soft, if it fermented extra long, if you bake in glass. If your oven is very hot, if it is wellsteamed, if you use metal baking pans, or if the bread rises especially well—these things decrease the baking time.

We are obviously exceedingly fond of this bread and dearly hope that all goes well with you in making it, so that you will be able to enjoy it as much as we do. In the rest of this section are some bits of information that