Homemade Artisan Bread
Homemade “no-knead” artisan bread that is crusty outside but soft and chewy inside. Enjoy a freshly baked rustic looking bread that is so delicious and so easy to make. A straightforward bread recipe for beginners and masters alike!
Ever wondered how they make those beautiful artisan bread displayed at boulangeries/bakeries? I was also in that situation before and was thinking that I will never be able to make artisan bread like they do. Well, it turns out I’m wrong. Not only was it easy to make, it taste exactly like the ones I buy if not better.
What is an Artisan Bread
The word “artisan” in bread making is an umbrella term for rustic homemade, crusty bread that come in different shapes and sizes . The most common are the big round ones with beautifully designed cracks on top. Others are shaped as loaves and have slits.
Make it with or without No-Dutch Oven
This recipe is great for beginners since it only uses 5 ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. The best this is you can bake the bread in two different ways. One is by baking it directly in the oven and the second is by using the Dutch oven method where you bake the bread inside a thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid then placed in a pre heated oven.
Why this recipe works
- Chewy crust and soft inside.
- It’s so easy to make you won’t even break a sweat.
- You’ll only need 5 ingredients and can be lessen to 4 because one ingredient is optional.
- You can bake it right after the dough rises or let it rest for 2 days for more flavor and to give you those trademark air pockets like French breads.
- No kneading required and shape them the way you like.
Tips for best results
Make it ahead of time – you can make the dough a day or two ahead of time. Once the dough rises in room temperature for 2 – 3 hours, place it inside the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
After baking for 25-30 minutes, gently tap on the crust. if it makes a hollow sound, that’s the signal that it’s done.
Spray warm water while baking the bread – This will help form crisp and shiny crust.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
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Homemade Artisan Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp yeast
- 2 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup warm water (add if necessary)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, tip in and whisk all ingredients except the water. Pour warm water gently and mix using a rubber spatula.
- After mixing and there are no traces of flour left, cover the bowl with cling wrap and let it rise for 2 – 3 hours or double in size.
Baking directly in the oven
- Lightly dust baking sheet with flour as well as your hands. Tip in the dough on top of the baking sheet and shape it either into a log or round shape depending on your preference. Loosely cover with clean kitchen towel and let it res for 30 minutes. Preheat oven at 220°C/428°F.
- When ready to bake, take a sharp knife and make 3 – 4 slits/slashes on top of the dough approximately 1 inch deep. Re-shape dough if needed.
- Place baking sheet with dough inside the pre heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden and makes a hollow sound when you tap on it.
- OPTIONAL: Place warm water in a bottle with a spray nozzle and spray the bread every 5 – 10 minutes while baking to give it a crispier crust and a shiny sheen.
- Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit before serving.
By Dutch oven
- When the dough has rested for 2 – 3 hours, Place a large (10-inch or 26cm) Dutch oven or heavy based pot in the oven with a lid inside the oven and preheat at 220°C/428°F.
- Lightly dust clean flat work surface with flour as well as your hands. Tip in the dough on top of the baking sheet and shape rough round shape.
- Measure out a large piece of parchment paper, large enough to transfer the dough into the pot. Carefully transfer the dough into the center of the parchment paper, smooth side up and place it in a large mixing bowl then let rest for 30 minutes. After resting use a sharp knife to score an "x" shape on top of the dough.
- Using pot holder or oven mitts, remove the preheated pot from the oven and transfer the dough by grabbing the parchment paper by its sides. Secure the lid and place the pot back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes until golden brow. Remove pot from the oven and transfer bread in a wire rack to cool down for 10 minutes before slicing. Bon appetit!
