Description
The easiest bread you will ever make! This homemade bread recipe always comes out with a perfectly golden crust and is soft and fluffy on the inside. All you need is a few ingredients, some time to proof, and you’ll be baking artisan bread in your Dutch Oven.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 425 grams or 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- 1 1/2 cups Warm Water (105-115 °F or 40-46 °C)
Utensils:
- 6 Quart Dutch Oven
- Food Scale (optional if weighing the flour)
- Large Bowl for proofing
- Parchment Paper
- Bread Scraper
- Serrated Bread Knife
Instructions
- Dough: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and active dry yeast together until mixed. Add the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a chunky, thick dough forms. Make sure there’s no flour excess flour on the bottom. The dough will look scrappy, but trust the process.
- Rise: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight for 12-18 hours at room temperature.
- Preheat: When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 °F (230 °C), and stick the Dutch oven (with the lid on) into the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
- Dough Shaping: Gently scrape the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Fold it on top of itself with the bread scraper by pulling the outer edges up and into the center a few times until the dough feels tighter and forms a round ball. Line the proofing bowl with parchment paper and carefully scoop the dough ball back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap while the oven heats up.
- Baking: Careful it’s very hot! Use oven mitts to take the Dutch oven out the oven and remove the lid. Lift the parchment and dough together into the Dutch oven so the parchment lines the bottom of the hot pan. Quickly add 2 ice cubes into the Dutch oven underneath the parent paper (ensuring they do not touch the dough). Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Serving: Remove from the oven and then carefully lift the edges of the parchment to transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Let it cool down completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
