Simple Dutch Oven Yeast Bread with a Crackly Crust

Crusty Homemade No Knead Artisan Bread is a simple Yeast Bread that forms an airy interior while resting. You can chill the sloppy dough in your fridge for a maximum of 3 days to encourage better flavor. Baking the loaf at 450°F (230°C) inside a covered dutch oven keeps steam trapped, yielding a dark, crunchy crust.

The flour and yeast

Bread flour gives the loaf a fluffier, chewier texture and a longer shelf life because it contains more protein and gluten. You can use all-purpose flour. The bread will have a slightly different texture and smaller air holes. Wholewheat flour absorbs more liquid, so you need to start with a smaller volume of flour if you use it.

Instant yeast goes straight into the bowl with the dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, you must dissolve it in the warm water first before adding it to the flour and salt. Table salt requires a smaller volume measurement than salt flakes because of its fine grain size.

Mixing the wet dough

The water should feel comfortably warm. Do not use scorching hot water. High heat kills the yeast.

You mix the flour, yeast, salt, and water until no dry spots remain. The dough will look very loose and sticky. You cannot knead this mass by hand. It must hold a wet, wobbly consistency to rise properly. Do not add excess flour during this stage.

The initial rise and refrigeration

The dough needs 2 to 3 hours at room temperature to swell to twice its original size. The surface will fill with bubbles, and the whole bowl will jiggle like gelatin. Keep the bowl out of direct indoor sunlight. The sun can heat the bowl too much and damage the yeast.

You can bake the bread after this first rise. The covered dough can also sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to slow the yeast fermentation. The extra time allows enzymes to build more flavor.

The dutch oven

You bake the bread inside a heavy pot with a lid to trap moisture. A 10-inch (26 cm) or larger cast iron dutch oven works best.

The pot preheats in a 450°F (230°C) oven for 30 minutes before the dough goes inside. If you do not own a dutch oven, you can bake the dough inside a covered roasting pan. You can also place a metal pan on a lower oven rack and pour boiling water into it to create steam. Never use a glass pan for the water bath. The heat will cause the glass to break.

Dough Shaping

Take the cold dough out of the refrigerator 45 to 60 minutes before baking so it can warm up slightly. Scatter one tablespoon of flour on the counter and scrape the sticky dough out of the bowl.

Dust the top of the dough with a half tablespoon of flour. Use a metal dough scraper or a spatula to bring the edges inward. You want to make about 6 folds to build a rough, movable shape. Too much handling deflates the rustic structure. Excess flour dries out the mass and creates smaller air pockets in the finished loaf.

Slide a piece of crunchy baking parchment next to the dough. Flip the mass over onto the paper. The smooth side needs to face up with the seams tucked underneath.

Baking and cooling

The preheated dutch oven is extremely hot. Grab the edges of the parchment paper to lift the dough.

Lower the paper and dough directly into the pot and put the lid back on. You bake the bread covered for 30 minutes. The trapped steam helps the bread rise. You then remove the lid and bake for another 12 minutes to crisp the crust and turn it a deep golden brown.

Move the hot loaf to a wire rack. A hot loaf needs to cool for 10 minutes.

If you cut into the bread immediately, the center stays gummy and doughy. The rest period gives the inside time to finish cooking.

Serving the bread

Fresh artisan bread tastes excellent served warm with butter.

The thick, sturdy slices hold up well for many uses:

• Sandwiches
• Toast and bruschetta
• Garlic bread
• Dipping into warm soups and heavy stews