Tabular Recipes.

Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe

Total
4 hr 25 min
Makes
2 servings
Serves
Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe
3 and 1/4 cups (about 430g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and panIn a large ungreased mixing bowl, whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together. Pour in the water and gently mix together with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will seem dry and shaggy, but keep working it until all the flour is moistened. If needed, use your hands (as I do in the video tutorial below) to work the dough ingredients together. The dough will be sticky. Shape into a ball in the bowl as best you can.Keeping the dough in the bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine!). Allow to rise2–3 hr · The dough will just about double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles.You can continue with step 4 immediately, but for absolute best flavor and texture, I strongly recommend letting this risen dough rest in the refrigerator for at least12 hr · and up to 3 days. Place covered dough in the refrigerator for 12 hours – 3 days. I usually let it rest in the refrigerator for about 18 hours. The dough will puff up during this time, but may begin to deflate after 2 days. That’s fine and normal—nothing to worry about.Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet (with or without rims and make sure it’s nonstick) with flour and/or cornmeal. Turn the cold dough out onto a floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough in half. Some air bubbles will deflate as you work with it. Place dough halves on prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, shape into 2 long loaves about 9×3 inches each (doesn’t have to be exact) about 3 inches apart. Loosely cover and allow to rest45 min · You will bake the dough on this prepared baking sheet.During this 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).When ready to bake, using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears), score the bread loaves with 3 slashes, about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.) If the shaped loaves flattened out during the 45 minutes, use floured hands to narrow them out along the sides again.Optional for a slightly crispier crust: After the oven is preheated and bread is scored, place a shallow metal or cast iron baking pan or skillet (I usually use a metal 9×13-inch baking pan) on the bottom oven rack. Carefully and quickly pour 3-4 cups of boiling water into it. Place the scored dough/baking pan on a higher rack and quickly shut the oven, trapping the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust.Place the shaped and scored dough (on the flour/cornmeal dusted pan) in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake20–25 min · or until the crust is golden brown. Gently tap the loaves—if they sound hollow, the bread is done. For a more accurate test of doneness, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 195°F (90°C).Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for at least20 min · before slicing and serving. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2 teaspoons (about 6g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (about 9g) coarse salt (see note)
1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)
optional: cornmeal for dusting pan

Ingredients

  • 3 and 1/4 cups (about 430g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and pan
  • 2 teaspoons (about 6g) instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons (about 9g) coarse salt (see note)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)
  • optional: cornmeal for dusting pan

Stepssimplified

  1. 1In a large ungreased bowl, whisk together 430g bread flour, 6g instant yeast, and 9g coarse salt. Add 360ml water (70°F/21°C) and mix with a spatula or your hands until all flour is moistened and a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Shape into a ball in the bowl.
  2. 2Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Let rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours until doubled in size, sticky, and full of air bubbles.
  3. 3For best flavor, refrigerate the covered dough for 12 hours to 3 days (18 hours is ideal). The dough will puff up and may deflate after 2 days.
  4. 4Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet with flour and/or cornmeal. Turn the cold dough onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half with a sharp knife or bench scraper. Place both halves on the prepared sheet. With floured hands, shape each into a 9x3-inch loaf, spaced 3 inches apart. Loosely cover and rest for 45 minutes.
  5. 5During the rest, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).
  6. 6After 45 minutes, score each loaf with 3 slashes, 1/2 inch deep, using a sharp knife or bread lame. If loaves flattened, reshape them with floured hands.
  7. 7Optional for crispier crust: Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan on the bottom oven rack. Just before baking, pour 3–4 cups of boiling water into that pan. Put the scored dough on a higher rack and quickly close the oven door.
  8. 8Bake the scored loaves on the center rack for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 195°F (90°C).
  9. 9Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.