Artisan Bread Recipe
This Artisan Bread Recipe creates a rustic, bakery-style loaf with a golden, crackly crust and soft, airy interior. Made with just flour, water, salt, and yeast, this recipe delivers incredible flavor and texture through long fermentation and proper baking technique — perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour or 450 g bread flour + 50 g whole wheat flour
- 370 –390 g water 74–78% hydration
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 4 g instant yeast or 6 g active dry yeast
- Optional: 1 tsp honey or olive oil
Instructions
Autolyse:
- In a large bowl, mix 500 g flour with 375 g water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes.
Add Salt and Yeast:
- Sprinkle 10 g salt and 4 g instant yeast over the dough. Mix by pinching and folding until well incorporated.
Bulk Fermentation (2–4 hours):
- Cover and let rest at room temperature. During the first 90 minutes, perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 20–30 minutes. Let the dough rise 20–50% in volume.
Pre-shape and Bench Rest:
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pre-shape into a round and let rest 20–30 minutes, covered.
Final Shaping:
- Shape into a tight round (boule) or oval (batard). Place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
Final Proof:
- Let rise at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate 12–18 hours for a cold proof.
Bake:
- Preheat oven with a Dutch oven inside to 250°C (482°F). Carefully transfer dough onto parchment, score with a sharp blade, and place into the Dutch oven. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered at 230°C (446°F) for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
Cool:
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- For sourdough version, substitute yeast with 150–200 g active starter and adjust water accordingly.
- For added flavor, refrigerate dough overnight during bulk fermentation.
- Storage: Store in a paper bag at room temperature for 2 days or freeze sliced loaf for up to 3 months.
- Variations: Add olives, herbs, seeds, or cheese for customized flavors.