Hi!! I made this bread the other day and I’m obsessed 😍 For some reason Ive always been super intimidated about making bread.. always thought it was super difficult but to my surprise this recipe is the simplest ever. Anyone can do it!
It requires a cast iron dutch oven but if you don’t have it there’s no problem. Just use a regular sheet pan but skip the part where you are supposed to pre-heat the pan. Just put the dough on the cold sheet pan straight into the pre-heated oven to bake. Add a second pan underneath filled with water and you are good to go. That creates a steam inside your oven and that’s what we need to make that delicious crunchy top.
Im using a stand mixer because I have one, but if you don’t its ok too! Just use a spatula and a bowl. Its easy as just folding in the ingredients. You don’t need to mix a lot, knead..anything like that.
Are you ready??? Lets go make that bread! *Watch video at the end*
INGREDIENTS
- 1 sachet (7g) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon (5g) sugar (or use honey if you prefer)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (300ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (360g) plus extra for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
MIX THE DOUGH & FIRST RISE (1 HOUR/or OVERNIGHT):
- Add yeast, sugar, and warm water in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.
- Add salt and flour to the bowl. Mix with your hands or a sturdy spatula, or mix on low speed with your stand mixer until all flour is incorporated and dough has just started to pull away from the sides of the bowl. For best results, mix until no dry bits of flour remain. Please note: This is a relatively stretchy (wet) dough, so it may seem a bit shaggy and sticky at this point. Don’t worry – it will become more smooth and elastic as we go!
- Lightly flour all sides of your dough (don’t mix the flour in – it’s just to keep the dough from sticking!) and turn it over inside the mixing bowl to coat with flour on all sides. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
- For best results and digestion I recommend letting it rise overnight, but if you are in a hurry 1 hour should be just fine. Place the covered bowl with the dough in the fridge overnight.
SHAPE THE DOUGH & FINAL RISE (30 MIN):
- When dough has risen, lightly flour a large cutting board.
- Tip the dough out of the bowl and onto the cutting board. DO NOT PUNCH THE DOUGH DOWN – you want to keep all those nice air bubbles intact so you have an airy, delicious loaf of bread. (Note: If the dough is sticking to the bowl a little bit, wet your hand with a bit of cold water and gently separate the dough from the bowl to get it all out).
- Sprinkle a bit of flour across the top of the dough, then begin shaping it into a round loaf. Pull each corner of the dough in towards the center (like you’re folding an envelope) and repeat until the dough feels tight and begins to resist your folds. Flip the dough over and tap it into a round loaf.
- Flour a medium bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so while you preheat the oven.
HEAT THE OVEN :
- While bread is rising, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 230 Celsius.
- If you don’t have a dutch oven just heat the oven by itself.
BAKE!
- When the oven is hot, you’re ready to go! Use oven mitts to pull the dutch oven out and remove the lid.
- Lay a piece of parchment paper down on your counter or cutting board (optional – it makes transferring the bread easier!)
- Tip your bread dough gently out of the proofing basket onto the parchment paper. Make sure the seam side is up this time – this is what will create those beautiful cracks on top of the bread!
- VERY CAREFULLY (without burning yourself!) use the sides of the parchment to lift the bread up and place it into the hot Dutch oven.
- Put your oven mitts back on, place the dutch oven lid back on the pot, and slide the whole thing back into your hot oven.
- Cook bread for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid from your dutch oven. The bread should be taller, crusty, and very lightly browned. Continue cooking the bread, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes more until the bread has deepened in color and you have a beautiful brown crust.
- When bread is done, use oven mitts to pull the pot out of your oven.
- Use a long spatula or the corners of your parchment paper to lift the bread out of the dutch oven and onto a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it.
- Slice, slather with butter, and enjoy!
- **If you don’t have a dutch oven then place your dough onto a sheet pan and into your oven. Directly under it place another pot filled with water, this will create steam and that’s what makes that beautiful crunchy crust.
If you make it please let me know! Tag me on instagram! 😘
