Print

Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.2 from 1 review

This Homemade Artisan Bread recipe delivers a deliciously crusty and chewy loaf with minimal effort. Made with simple ingredients like bread flour, yeast, salt, and water, this no-knead bread involves an easy mixing process, a long rise, and baking at high heat for the perfect golden crust. Ideal for sandwiches, toast, or alongside soups and salads, this classic artisan bread offers rich flavor and satisfying texture with versatile shaping and baking options.

Ingredients

Dry 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

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) water, close to room temperature at about 70°F (21°C)

Optional

  • Cornmeal for dusting pan

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large ungreased mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, instant yeast, and coarse salt to combine evenly.
  2. Add Water and Form Dough: Pour in the room temperature water and gently mix with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until all the flour is moistened. The dough will be sticky and shaggy; use your hands if necessary to shape it into a rough ball inside the bowl.
  3. First Rise at Room Temperature: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or foil and let the dough rise on the counter at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until it nearly doubles and becomes bubbly.
  4. Cold Fermentation: For best flavor and texture, place the covered dough into the refrigerator for 12 to 72 hours. The dough will puff up and then may slightly deflate, which is normal.
  5. Shape Dough: Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet with flour or cornmeal. Turn the chilled dough onto a floured surface, cut it in half with a sharp knife or bench scraper, and shape into two long loaves about 9×3 inches each. Place them 3 inches apart on the baking sheet and cover loosely to rest for 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat Oven: While dough rests, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).
  7. Score the Loaves: Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make three shallow, half-inch deep slashes across each loaf to allow expansion during baking. If loaves flattened during the rest, reshape by narrowing sides with floured hands.
  8. Create Steam (Optional): Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan on the bottom rack while preheating. When ready, pour 3-4 cups of boiling water into the pan and quickly close the oven to trap steam, which helps form a crisper crust.
  9. Bake: Place the scored loaves on the center rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Tap the crust to check for a hollow sound or use an instant-read thermometer—it should register 195°F (90°C) internally.
  10. Cool and Store: Remove bread from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature up to 5 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.

Notes

  • The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before shaping and baking, making it perfect for prepping ahead of time.
  • You can freeze both unbaked dough (after step 3) or fully baked bread for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the fridge before proceeding.
  • Use bread flour for best texture; all-purpose flour can substitute in a pinch, but avoid mostly whole wheat flour to prevent density.
  • Instant yeast is preferred for faster rising, but active dry yeast works fine with longer rise times.
  • Coarse salt enhances flavor; if only fine salt is available, reduce quantity to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
  • Shaping into a round boule is an option but requires slightly longer baking time and different baking methods like a Dutch oven.
  • For baking on a pizza stone, preheat the stone and dust with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
  • If you lack a nonstick pan, line baking sheets with parchment paper and dust with flour or cornmeal for best results. Monitor closely as parchment paper may burn at high heat.
  • Adding minced garlic and chopped herbs to the dry ingredients before mixing can add flavor variations.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/homemade-artisan-bread-recipe/