Description
This no-knead artisan bread recipe delivers a rustic, crusty loaf with minimal effort. Using simple ingredients and a long fermentation period, it produces a bread with a chewy crumb and crispy crust, perfect for sandwiches or enjoying with butter and jam.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (355ml) warm water
- 1 teaspoon (3g) active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt, stirring thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly. Add the warm water and mix until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. No kneading is needed.
- Let the Dough Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the dough is bubbly and has doubled in size.
- Shape the Dough: Flour your hands and a clean surface, then gently shape the dough into a round loaf. Place the shaped dough on a piece of parchment paper and let it rest, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the Oven and Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a Dutch oven inside to heat for 30 minutes, ensuring it gets very hot before baking.
- Bake the Bread: Carefully transfer the dough along with the parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool and Enjoy: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to preserve the crumb texture.
Notes
- Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure your water is warm (about 100°F/38°C) to activate the yeast properly.
- The long rise time at room temperature develops flavor and texture without kneading.
- Be sure to preheat the Dutch oven to create steam for the perfect crust.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent it from becoming gummy inside.
- You can substitute bread flour for all-purpose for a slightly chewier texture.
