Artisan Bread Recipe (2024)

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Crusty Homemade Artisan Bread is so easy to make with NO KNEADING required. Soft on the inside with an irresistible chewy crust!

A no knead bread recipe without special equipment, stand mixers or dough hooks? YES! If you’ve never made bread before, youwill LOVE how easy and forgiving this recipe is. Bread lovers will appreciate thethick, chewy crust and soft open crumb, similar to Ciabatta, perfect to smother with butter.

Have warm, homemade bread from scratch on your table in less than 3 hours!

Artisan Bread Recipe (1)

ARTISAN BREAD

It looks too good to be true, I know. Fluffy, crusty bread with no effort? No way. But ever since we first saw this recipe a few years ago, we have been baking it just about every week. Now you will too! Beginner bakers rejoice: no intimidation needed!

Nothing beats fresh warm bread coming out of your oven, tearing it apart to see hot steam escape while the sweet carb smells make you dizzy. Dip chewy bread pieces into a hot bowl of chicken soupor chili for bread soaked in delicious flavours.

Artisan Bread Recipe (2)

HOW TO MAKE NO KNEAD BREAD

All you need is:

FLOUR: Bread flour results in a softer, fluffier bread because of the higher protein content. Regular all purpose or plain flour also work really well, with the texture changing only a little. If using wholewheat flour, useabout 1/4 cup less flour and add more as you go, if needed.

SUGAR: Yeast feeds on sugar and starch, the perfect pairing in bread dough. The mix releases carbon dioxide gas, causing the bread to rise while baking. The bubbles push the dough up and out, creating a soft and spongytexture.

YEAST: We have tried this recipe over the years with dried, instant and rapid-rise.We found the dried yeast did not need activating before mixing it through the dry ingredients. If hesitant, feel free to activate it first in the warm water and oil for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of your ingredients.

THE SECRET TO SOFT BREAD

OIL is what makes our bread even softer. You need this sneaky little addition for a silky, soft crumb.

WARM WATER:Not too hot or it will kill your yeast. 130°F or 55°C is the perfect temperature. You can also do the finger test: if you dip your finger in the water and its nice and warm, it’s perfect. If it burns, let it cool down slightly until warm.

MIX ALL OF YOUR INGREDIENTS TOGETHER UNTIL YOU GET A WET AND SLOPPY MESS

Artisan Bread Recipe (3)

RISE BABY!

Cover with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free warm place for about 2 hours.The dough will double in size; the surface will possibly alarm you, becoming dotted with bubbles. The texture will be like jelly and super sticky. KEEP GOING You’re on the right track.

Artisan Bread Recipe (4)

PREHEAT YOUR OVEN AT THIS POINT! You want to place you dutch oven in so it gets nice and hot!

SCRAPE OUT AND FOLD INWARDS

Lightly flour your work surface AND spatula with up to 1 tablespoon flour. Scrape dough out of bowl onto work surface, sprinkle with a little flour and fold it inwards over itself about 5-6 times.

Don’t use too muchflour! You still want it quite sticky for moist, fluffy soft bread.

SHAPE DOUGH
Transfer dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and shape it into a rustic round shape with your spatula. You’re mainly doing this to get some of the air out of it!

Carefully remove your HOT pot using oven mitts. Then, grab the ends of your parchment paper to lift the dough into your pot.

Artisan Bread Recipe (5)

BAKE!

Don’t forget to put the lid back on. This creates steam to bake your bread in before the crust sets in. To get that golden, crunchy crust, remove the lid and bake for a further 12-15 minutes.

You won’t believe how good it looks when it comes out of the oven. Cracks and all!

Let it cool before cutting into it to let the centre of the bread finish cooking.Slather with butter and prepare to have your mind blown! If you love bread, this homemade bread recipe is truly life changing!

Artisan Bread Recipe (6)

MORE BREAD RECIPES

Easy Soft Dinner Rolls (NO MIXER + EGG FREE)
Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread
Soft Cinnamon Rolls
Hot Cross Buns

Artisan Bread Recipe (7)

A SUPER EASY homemade bread recipe! Soft on the inside with a a chewy, crunchy crust! A no knead bread with no special ingredients needed, just a pot and your oven. This recipe has been adapted from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery, published by The New York Times.

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Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 42 minutes mins

Rising:: 2 hours hrs

Total: 2 hours hrs 52 minutes mins

Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients

  • 3 cups bread flour, or plain/all purpose (15.8 oz. or 450g)
  • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried, instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) warm water
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

Instructions

  • Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water and oil, mixing to incorporate all of the ingredients together. Dough will be wet, sticky and shaggy.

  • Lightly spray the top with cooking oil spray. Cover with plastic wrap and place a dry tea towel over the top.

  • Leave in a warm, draft-free place for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size. Dough will have a lot of little holes or bubbles and be wobbly like jelly.

  • Place a large (10-inch or 26cm) dutch oven or heavy based pot in the oven with a lid. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) 30 minutes before baking.

  • Lightly flour work surface and plastic spatula with up to 1 tablespoon flour. Scrape dough out of bowl onto work surface with spatula. Sprinkle the top of dough with a large pinch of flour and fold it over on itself with the spatula (about 5-6 folds). Roughly form a round shape.

  • Measure out a large piece of parchment paper, large enough to transfer the dough into the pot. Place paper next to the dough and roll dough onto the paper, smooth side up. Carefully move it to the centre of the paper and reshape if needed, or shake pan a couple of times to evenly distribute dough. (It will even out while baking.)

  • Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rest while oven is preheating.

  • Use oven mitts to carefully remove hot dutch oven from oven. Grab the parchment paper from each end to pick up the dough and transfer it into the pot.

  • Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, until loaf is beautifully golden browned.

  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

FLOUR:Bread flour results in a softer, fluffier bread because of the higher protein content. All purpose or plain flour also work really well, with the texture being only slightly different.

SUGAR: Yeast feeds on sugar and starch, the perfect pairing in bread dough. The mix releases carbon dioxide gas, causing the bread to rise while baking. The bubbles push the dough up and out, creating a soft and spongytexture.

YEAST:we have tried this recipe over the years with dried, instant and rapid-rise.We found the dried yeast did not need activating before mixing it through the dry ingredients. If hesitant, feel free to activate it first in the warm water and oil for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of your ingredients.

OILis what makes our bread even softer. You need this sneaky little addition for a silky, soft crumb.

WARM WATER:not too hot or it will kill your yeast. 130°F or 55°C is the perfect temperature. You can also do the finger test: if you dip your finger in the water and its nice and warm, it's perfect. If it burns, let it cool down slightly until warm.

RISING TIMEcan vary according to a couple of elements: humidity levels, room temperature, different flours, different yeast, etc. Let the bubbly surface be your guide. As long as the dough rises to double its size, it's ready to continue as per the recipe above. Just remember, yeast thrives in warmer temps.

DON'T FORGET TO PREHEAT YOUR OVEN WITH THE POT!

The very first time I saw this recipe was on Pinch of Yumand The New York Times.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Artisan Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes artisan bread different? ›

It Uses Natural Ingredients

Some store-bought breads, however, contains preservatives and processed ingredients. As artisan bread uses only the finest natural ingredients and it is made fresh, it has earned its spot in the top when it comes to the best bread options.

What is the best flour for artisan bread? ›

FLOUR: Bread flour results in a softer, fluffier bread because of the higher protein content. Regular all purpose or plain flour also work really well, with the texture changing only a little. If using wholewheat flour, use about 1/4 cup less flour and add more as you go, if needed.

What is the difference between artisan dough and regular dough? ›

Artisan breads are characterized by their lean formulation (i.e. low sugar and fat level), little to no use of dough conditioners (except for enzymes used for dough strengthening and crumb softening), and high or low hydration levels (depending on shape and spread desired by the baker).

Why is artisan bread so expensive? ›

The time to make artisanal breads can be somewhat or a lot longer than mass produced loaves because the bakers are using a long fermentation time. The extra time contributes to added labor cost. Also because artisanal baked goods generally have no preservatives this means that they are only good for a day or two.

Why is my homemade artisan bread so dense? ›

Make sure that your dough is not too wet or too dry, both extremes will result in a dense crumb. You can check to see if you are using the right amount of water for the type of flour you use (click here to check).

Is artisan bread healthier than regular bread? ›

Is Artisan Bread Healthier than White Bread? There have been studies showing that artisan bread (defined in the study as “bread that is produced using traditional methods and ingredients”) showed no difference nutritionally and the bread showed individual results.

What is the best yeast for artisan bread? ›

Active Dry Yeast is an ideal yeast to use for artisan breads or no knead breads that require a slower rise time. It's also the preferred type of yeast for those doughs that proof in the refrigerator for extended periods of time.

What flour do professional bakers use for bread? ›

While bread flour is more than adequate for everyday breads, some professional bakers use high-gluten flour with a 14% protein content to provide extra strength to dense, chewy doughs like bagels and pizza dough. High-gluten bread flour gives milk bread it's taut structure and compact (but tender) crumb.

What is the powder on artisan bread? ›

Artisan Bread doesn't need a special pan, and it is made with the most basic of ingredients - flour, yeast, salt, water, and malt powder.

What types of flour do bakers favor for making artisan breads? ›

Artisan bakers are more frequently using older wheat types with weak dough properties (6,26) and, as noted above, refined or semirefined flours with high ash contents.

Can I use artisan flour instead of all-purpose flour? ›

Artisanal flour is inherently no different t regular flour since the ingredients are largely the same. The differences lie in the product's quality and the quality of the goods you can make from it. Artisanal flours often produce a better aroma and flavor and are better for making crusty bread with tender insides.

Is bakery bread better than store-bought? ›

There are no hidden preservatives or crazy E numbers that are often found in the ingredients list in supermarket bread. When eating homemade, vegan bread you're reducing your saturated fat intake, saying goodbye to swelling in your gut, sometimes caused by dairy, and reducing your daily salt and sugar intake.

Is it cheaper to make bread than buy it? ›

In a nutshell, if you're buying basic, cheap sandwich bread, it's probably cheaper than you can make it at home. But if you compare two loaves similar to what you could make at home — one made with high-quality ingredients as opposed to one made with lesser quality ingredients — home baking becomes much cheaper.

Which is better artisan bread or sourdough bread? ›

Health benefits: Artisan bread may also be better for your gut - especially sourdough. Longer fermentation allows the enzymes in bread to begin to break down gluten, which is not easily digestible for most people.

Why is my artisan bread chewy? ›

Over-kneading has a tendency to result in chewy bread. Here's how to tell if you've kneaded enough. Another possibility—you used bread flour when all-purpose flour would do. If a recipe with bread flour turned out chewier than you like, try it with all-purpose and knead only as much as the recipe directs.

What are the four characteristics of artisan breads? ›

Characteristics of Artisan Bread
  • The bread is handmade.
  • It's created in small quantities rather than mass-produced in a factory.
  • The chef uses traditional techniques instead of machines to make it.
  • It does not contain preservatives.
Nov 30, 2022

What's the difference between artisan bread flour and regular bread flour? ›

Artisanal flours often produce a better aroma and flavor and are better for making crusty bread with tender insides. They're great for sourdough, enriched bread, French or Italian style bread, and pizza doughs. They will typically be unbleached, have no chemical additives, and are made with superior ingredients.

Why is artisan bread so popular? ›

Artisanal bread is definitely the way to go when it comes to freshness and deliciousness! Also known as "craft bread," artisanal breads use traditional methods that take time and care to produce. This includes fermenting dough with starter cultures and longer bulk fermentation times.

Why is artesano bread so good? ›

With its rich flavor and distinctly creamy character, the flavors you love just taste better. Artesano® is always baked without artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and free from high fructose corn syrup.

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