Artisan Bread Recipe
This artisan bread recipe yields a crusty, golden loaf with a chewy interior, perfect for sandwiches or enjoying with butter. Easy to prepare with simple ingredients, the dough undergoes a long fermentation process for enhanced flavor and texture, then is baked in a hot oven using steam to develop a signature crispy crust.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes (including rise time, varies by fermentation duration)
- Yield: 1 large loaf or 2 smaller loaves 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Artisan
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour or bread flour
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ ounce (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant or active dry yeast
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (105°F)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, kosher salt, and yeast thoroughly to ensure even distribution of each component.
- Add Warm Water and Mix: Pour the warm water over the dry ingredients and stir until a sticky but manageable dough forms, making sure all flour is incorporated.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap, then let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 10 hours, or preferably overnight to develop the best flavor.
- Shape the Dough: Wet your hands to prevent sticking, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently fold the edges towards the center to create a round loaf. Alternatively, divide the dough into two smaller loaves and tuck the ends underneath.
- Prepare for Proofing: Place the shaped dough onto parchment paper, sprinkle flour on top, and score 1 to 4 lines into the surface with a bread knife. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes to undergo a second proof.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C), placing a baking stone, pizza stone, Dutch oven, or iron skillet inside to heat thoroughly.
- Bake with Steam: Slide the dough on parchment paper onto the hot surface inside the oven. Quickly add 1 cup of hot water or 5 ice cubes to the bottom of the oven to create steam, then close the door immediately to trap moisture, which helps develop a crusty exterior.
- Bake Until Golden: Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes until it turns golden brown and crusty on the outside, signaling it’s properly cooked through.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes to set the crumb and improve slicing quality.
- Store: To maintain the crust crispness, store the bread in a paper bag rather than plastic, which helps preserve texture without moisture buildup.
Notes
- For best flavor and texture, allowing the dough to rise overnight is recommended but not mandatory.
- Using a baking stone or Dutch oven helps mimic professional bread ovens by distributing heat evenly.
- The steam in the oven is crucial for developing the signature crustiness of artisan bread.
- Wet hands when handling dough to prevent sticking and preserve the structure.
- Store bread in paper bags to keep the crust crispy longer than plastic bags.
Keywords: artisan bread, homemade bread, crusty bread, easy bread recipe, no knead bread
Find it online: https://tastewithamy.com/artisan-bread-recipe/
