Crusty Artisan Bread (Printable version)

Rustic loaf with golden, crackling crust and airy chewy crumb. Perfect for soups, sandwiches, or slathering with butter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 g)
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (360 ml)

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, salt, and instant yeast. Stir thoroughly until evenly distributed.
02 - Add lukewarm water and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. All flour should be hydrated.
03 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let rest at room temperature (approximately 70°F/21°C) for 12-18 hours until dough is bubbly, dotted with air pockets, and doubled in volume.
04 - Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough and gently fold edges toward center to form a round ball, handling minimally to preserve air bubbles.
05 - Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
06 - Position a Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot on the center rack. Preheat oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure the pot is thoroughly heated.
07 - Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot pot from the oven. Lift the dough with parchment paper and lower it into the pot. Cover immediately with the lid.
08 - Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on to create steam and develop oven spring.
09 - Remove the lid and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
10 - Remove bread from the pot and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing to prevent the interior from becoming gummy.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • Almost no kneading required because time does all the work for you
  • The crust sings when you cut into it and the inside stays soft for days
02 -
  • The dough should look bubbly and have grown significantly before baking
  • Use oven mitts when handling the preheated Dutch oven because it gets extremely hot
03 -
  • A slightly wetter dough will give you bigger air pockets inside
  • The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom

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