Description
This Artisan Bread recipe yields a rustic, crusty loaf with a chewy interior, perfect for sandwiches or to enjoy with butter. It uses simple ingredients and a no-knead technique that requires minimal hands-on time, making it accessible for home bakers. The dough is slow-risen to develop flavor and then baked in a preheated Dutch oven for a perfect crust.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups bread flour (plus more if needed)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (115°F / 46°C)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar (if using), and salt until well combined.
- Add Water and Combine: Pour in the warm water and stir with a spoon or spatula until a sticky dough forms, ensuring all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate overnight without an initial rise.
- Shape the Dough: Once risen, transfer the dough onto a generously floured surface. Form it into a ball with your hands. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky to handle but try to keep it minimal.
- Stretch and Fold: Grasp the dough at the top and stretch it over the bottom (12 o’clock to 6 o’clock), then turn 90 degrees and repeat. Do this stretch and fold motion four times in total to develop gluten structure.
- Form Ball and Rest: Shape the dough back into a round ball, place it on a large piece of parchment paper (large enough to lift the dough later), and cover lightly with plastic wrap.
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Let the dough rest for 30 minutes while preheating your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a 4-quart Dutch oven with its lid inside on the middle rack to preheat alongside.
- Bake the Bread – Part 1: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade down the middle. Remove the lid and gently transfer the dough with the parchment paper into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return it to the oven.
- Bake the Bread – Part 2: Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on to trap steam, then remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes to brown and crisp the crust. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature; the bread is done at 195-200°F (90-93°C).
- Cool Before Slicing: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the bread cool inside for 10 minutes. Then, lift the loaf using the parchment paper and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy interior.
Notes
- The sugar is optional and helps activate the yeast for a slightly sweeter crust.
- If the dough is too sticky to handle, use just enough flour to form a ball to avoid a dense loaf.
- You can refrigerate the dough overnight for better flavor development and flexibility in baking schedule.
- Preheating the Dutch oven is crucial for creating steam and developing a crispy crust.
- Allow the bread to cool completely to ensure proper crumb texture; slicing too soon can result in gummy bread.
- An instant-read thermometer is the best way to ensure the bread is fully baked inside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 loaf)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
