Crusty Artisan Bread
This homemade crusty artisan bread is better than the bakery, and so easy to make!
If there is anything better than a hot slice of bread, fresh out of the oven, and spread with butter and honey, I haven't found it! I bake bread all the time, and this bread recipe is one of my favorites. It has a crisp and chewy crust, a tender, soft middle, and the perfect texture throughout. It's the perfect loaf to make when you want to impress your guests, or bring something special to a dinner party, but it's incredibly easy to make, too! You just stir all the ingredients together, let it rise, then bake, and it comes out perfect. I love a bread recipe that doesn't require kneading!
Crusty Artisan Bread
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
6 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting dough
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Mix in the salt and flour, stirring until there are no dry patches. The dough will be very soft and not like a typical bread dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. After rising, divide dough into two pieces and shape each into a round ball. Place each ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper, and let rest 40 minutes.
During the second rise, preheat oven to 450. Place a baking stone or overturned baking sheet on the upper oven rack, and a broiler pan or metal cake pan on the lower shelf. Heat the baking stone at least 20 minutes before baking. When the dough is ready to bake, dust it with flour and cut three deep slashes across the top. Slide the dough on the parchment paper onto the baking stone using a pizza peel (or a thin cutting board). Pour a cup of water into the broiler pan/cake pan and shut the oven door quickly. Bake until golden brown, 24-28 minutes.
Read more..