The Best Bread Recipe

The Best Bread Recipe

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Yield: 1 Loaf

Author: Hudson Stepper

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 55 M

This artisan bread has all the qualities of a baguette, but it is much larger and gives you great slices that are perfect for dipping in olive oil or spreading toppings on.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients, then add warm water. Stir with a spatula just until a sticky mess forms and no dry flour remains. Cover with a moist towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. Instead of kneading, do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over the next hour. With a wet hand, pull one side of the dough up and fold it over the top; rotate the bowl 90° and repeat until you have done all 4 sides. Do this once now, once 20 min later, and a final time 20 min after that.
3. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 hrs 15 min or until doubled in size and full of surface bubbles.
4. Turn the dough gently onto a floured surface. Do not punch it down. Gently shape into a round loaf. Flour the bowl, place the dough back in upside down, and cover it again to let it rise for 45 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 450°F with the pot and lid in the oven during the last 20 min of the second rise.
6. Once the oven is at 450°F, remove the pot and flour the bottom. Carefully flip the dough right side up onto your hand, then lower the dough into the hot pot. Score the dough with a sharp knife, creating one slash through the center, 3/4 the length of the loaf at a 45° angle and 1/2 inch deep.
7. Bake for 34 minutes with the lid, then remove the lid and bake for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown, closer to a pretzel than a dinner roll.
8. Take the bread out of the pot carefully and let cool for at least an hour on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

You can add any mix-ins of your choice, like olives, rosemary, nuts, raisins, etc.

For the yeast: I buy Saf's Instant yeast by the pound, but you can just use a part of a 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast packet and store the rest in a plastic baggie in the refrigerator.

Mix-ins: You can add any mix-ins you like, such as olives or rosemary, during the stretch-and-fold process.