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sliced artisan bread on a cutting board.
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4.51 from 608 votes

Artisan Bread

4 Ingredient No Fail Homemade Artisan Bread that's easy and delicious! Perfect for those who love freshly home baked bread right out of the oven.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Rising Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: artisan bread, bread recipe
Servings: 20
Calories: 149kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water lukewarm
  • tablespoon active dry yeast
  • tablespoon salt
  • cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Activate the yeast. In a medium bowl add the warm water, yeast and stir together. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast bubbles up. If you are using instant yeast, you do not need to wait for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • Make the dough. In the bowl of your mixer add all the flour, salt, then pour the yeast mixture over the flour and mix using the dough hook of your mixer, until it's all well incorporated and the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. I usually do this for about 5 to 7 minutes. If you do not have a mixer, simply add all the ingredients to a large bowl and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon mix everything together until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will seem shaggy at first but keep mixing until you don't see anymore dry flour. The dough will be very sticky and elastic.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • First rise. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it well with plastic wrap and poke a couple small holes in the top using toothpicks. Let the dough rise for 2 hours in a warm draft free environment.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • Prep the baking sheet. It is recommended to bake this bread on a stone, however a regular baking sheet will work just fine. Cover the baking sheet, or stone with parchment paper.
  • Shape the dough. Add flour to your hands, and divide the dough in two pieces. Add more flour to your hands as necessary. Shape the dough into the desired shape for your bread and place it seam down on the baking sheet. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the loaves.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • Second rise. Let the loaves rest for another 30 minutes so that they can rise a bit. Preheat oven to 450°F. Before placing the bread in the oven, add a pan with a cup of water and place it in the bottom rack.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • Bake the bread. Score the top of your bread with a very sharp knife, to allow gases to escape. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes. The water will allow for the bread to form a nice crusty top.
    process shots showing how to make artisan bread.
  • Cool and serve. Cool on a rack before serving.

Notes

  1. Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn't expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
  2. To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard. However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
  3. Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
  4. One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
  5. How do I know when my bread is done baking: Tap the bottom! Turn the bread upside down and give the bottom a firm thump with your thumb, or a knock and if it sounds hollow it's done.
  6. Recipe will yield 2 loaves. Nutritional information assumes 10 slices per loaf and is per slice.
  7. This recipes comes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home BakingBread Baking Books).

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg