There is something truly wonderful about the smell of freshly baked bread. Warm, homemade bread, slathered with homemade jams or dripping with butter, is absolutely divine. And this is the easiest bread recipe ever. There’s no kneading required. And you only need four ingredients. You can’t go wrong with this recipe, even if you have never baked bread before.
What’s So Different About this Bread Recipe?
This bread has a lovely crispy crunch and a soft and fluffy inside. The secret is cooking it in a Dutch oven. A Dutch oven is a cast iron pot with a lid. But if you don’t have one, don’t worry. A casserole dish with a lid or any oven-safe pot with a lid will work just as well.
If you want to invest in a Dutch oven, you can buy a perfect one for about £40. A quality pot will last you for years and is versatile.
This bread will take a day or so to make, but there is very little work to do. The long fermentation time does the same as kneading the dough, except it requires no effort. This is the ideal bread to make the day before, leaving it to rise overnight. Bake the next day.
Easiest Bread Recipe Ever
Ingredients
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast
- 350ml water at room temperature
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring jug
- Wooden spoon
- Clean tea towel or plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Dutch oven with lid 0r casserole dish with a lid
Method
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough should be sticky and slightly rough in texture.
2. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. The long fermentation allows the dough to develop flavour and structure without kneading.
3. After the dough has risen and is bubbly on the surface, turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over on itself a few times with floured hands to form a rough ball. Do not knead.
Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Cover it with the tea towel and rest for about 30 minutes.
4. preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F) while the dough rests. Place the Dutch oven (with the lid on) inside the oven as it preheats. This ensures the Dutch oven is very hot when the dough is placed inside, which is critical to achieving a good crust.
5. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough using the parchment paper and place it into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes. This traps steam inside, creating a beautiful crust.
After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the bread is a deep golden brown.
6. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. This helps the crumb set and makes slicing easier.
Hints and Tips:
The dough is typically wetter than traditional bread dough. This high moisture level helps develop gluten, giving the bread its characteristic open crumb.
Flour – For best results, use plain white bread flour. But you can also use different flours if you prefer. Whole wheat or rye flour can be used instead of white flour for added flavour and nutrition. If using whole-grain flour, you might need to adjust the water slightly.
Have you tried this easiest ever bread recipe? Let us know how you got on in the comments.
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