1380 minutes
A homemade rustic artisan bread with a crispy crust and soft crumb, perfect for bringing the comfort of a bakery into your own kitchen.
Instant Yeast
teaspoons
teaspoons
cups
Cornmeal
as needed
1. Combine dry ingredients
Combine the flour, instant yeast, and kosher salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the water, stirring until the mixture forms a shaggy and sticky dough.
2. Rest the dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours until the surface is dotted with bubbles.
3. Shape the dough
Generously flour a work surface and your hands. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface. Gently shape it into a ball by folding it over on itself a few times. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
4. Second rise
Coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal. Place the dough seam side down on the towel, cover with another towel, and let it rise for another 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven and pot
About 30 minutes before the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a heavy covered pot, such as a Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats.
6. Bake the bread
When the oven and pot are thoroughly heated, carefully remove the pot. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
7. Cool the bread
Transfer the bread to a rack and let it cool completely before slicing.
Select high-quality flour. An artisan bread flour with a protein content of around 12-14% would be ideal for better gluten development and a chewier crumb.
Introduce steam during the initial phase of baking using a preheated cast-iron combo cooker or a tray of hot water at the bottom of the oven to help the loaf expand and create a glossy, crisp crust.
Use fresh, instant yeast for a more reliable rise and make sure the water is lukewarm (105-115°F) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
Allow the dough to rise until it's just doubled in size to prevent over-proofing (which affects shape) or under-proofing (which results in a dense crumb).
Use this technique to develop the gluten instead of traditional kneading, which helps align the gluten networks without overworking the dough.
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