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Ridiculously easy bread that is super crusty on the outside and steamy soft on the inside. You won’t believe how fool-proof this recipe is!
I have been OBSESSED with making homemade bread recently. Which is a little weird (and HOT!) for summertime, I know… but is homemade bread ever really out of season??
I actually have two different recipes I want to share with you, but for today– this Overnight Artisan Bread is what I’ve been making most frequently. And it’s been worth turning on the hot oven in the middle of June, I promise!
Aside from the crusty outside and heavenly soft insides, there’s something else I really, really like about this bread.
It is SO EASY to make. And I mean,SOOOOOOOOOOO easy. You don’t need a mixer at all, in fact, you don’t even have to knead the dough! Just stir it with a spoon, and then cover it up to do it’s thing overnight.
Yep– overnight!
That’s the other thing I love about this recipe. With most yeast breads, you have to be realllllly careful of the rising time. You always have to make sure that it risesjust right— not too much or it will fall, and not too little or it won’t be soft and puffy. Which means, you usually have to be around to babysit the dough for an hour or two.
But not this bread! Mix up the dough (and let’s review here– no mixer and no kneading!), and then let it just sit on the counter overnight. It can rest at room temp for 12-18 hours!! That’s a whole lot of time that you DON’T need to babysit dough.
I seriously adore low maintenance recipes like this one.
Ok, so next up…. I didn’t get a picture of this part, but it’s not hard to describe:
After the 12-18 hours of rising, the dough will be puffed up in the bowl. Don’t worry, it shouldn’t look smooth and round like typical bread dough. It will be sticky and pocked, and it should be pretty much level and flat.
Use floured hands to grab the dough out of the bowl and gently form into a round disc. Loosely wrap the dough in plastic or a bread towel while the oven is preheating.
Once the oven and the pot have preheated, place the dough in the pot, cover, and start baking. Quick tip. If you ever burn a pot, here’s an article on how to clean burnt pots and pans.!
Baking the bread in a dutch oven (or any covered pot that is oven safe up to 450ºF) is what makes this bread taste so special! The steam from baking in a covered pot bakes the inside of the bread to soft perfection, and it’s also responsible for making an incredible crust on the outside.
Steam is like the secret weapon of bread-making. It does magical things. ????
Once the bread cools (if you can wait that long before digging in), slice it up and serve it with pretty much anything! It makes fabulous sandwiches, incredible french toast, and even makes for a classy dinner bread on the side.
Enjoy!
Yield: 12 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 17 hours5 minutes
Total Time: 18 hours
Ridiculously easy bread that is super crusty on the outside and steamy soft on the inside. You won't believe how fool-proof this recipe is!
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups luke-warm water
2 tsp salt
½-1 tsp yeast
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients by hand until a sticky dough forms. Cover with a cloth and let rest overnight (12-18 hours) at room temperature.
Using well floured hands, turn dough out on to a floured surface and shape into a disc.Wrap loosely in plastic wrap or a cloth (preferable), and set aside while preheating the oven.
Preheat the oven,to 450ºF. Place dutch oven or pot in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove pot and carefully place dough inside. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Let cool on a cutting board after baking time is over.
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Yes!It's actually recommended to leave your dough to proof overnight. Some people prefer leaving their dough in the fridge and what it does is slows down the process, but there is absolutely no wrong with room temperature either. Whichever way works best for you!
And boy, is it good! It's an overnight method that I have found makes the bread even more digestible due to the longer fermentation and not only that, it's so beautiful I can't stop making and eating it.
The main differences between a loaf of artisan bread and regularly manufactured bread are the ingredients and methods used to create the bread. Artisan bread uses cleaner, less processed ingredients and is often handmade, making each loaf unique.
The benefits of the overnight rise go beyond flexibility. Long, slow fermentation in a cold environment leads to better, more nuanced flavor development in your bread. So you can save time and add flavor, all in one go.
So, just give it a few minutes to take the chill off, and you should be good to go! I bake right out of the fridge from an overnight proof, no warming at all. It scores so easily and I get great oven spring. I always bake straight out of an overnight final proof in the fridge.
Doughs with an overnight rise may have a stronger, more yeasty flavor [1]. Dough with eggs: If the dough contains eggs, it is best not to leave it out for more than two hours. Eggs stored at room temperature can encourage bacterial growth [3].
You can cold ferment or cold proof your sourdough overnight because the cold temperature of the fridge stops the dough from over fermenting. If you were to leave your shaped dough on the counter overnight, you'd wake up to a soupy mess (unless it was freezing in your home).
First fermentation: Mixing prefrements with rest of dough composition. This step may last up to 8 hours in artisan breads. Second fermentation: Takes place after the dough is first punched. Proofing: After dough make up and can last from 1 hr to 1 day.
If you want to let you dough proof for longer, try bulk-fermenting it in a cooler place, but don't allow it to go longer than three hours or structure and flavor may be compromised. For the workhorse loaf, a bulk proof of approximately two hours gives us the optimal balance of flavor and texture.
Many recipes for a yeasted baked good will straight-up call for bread flour, but if they call for all-purpose flour – perhaps in an effort to make the ingredient list “pantry-friendly,” as they say – you may substitute bread flour for all or some of the all-purpose, if you would like.
If the dough isn't punched down, the carbon dioxide will continue to be released, which can cause big, uneven air pockets in your bread. Additionally, if you don't knock back the dough, it can lead to a weaker gluten structure, meaning your bread may not maintain the desired shape.
When you put your dough in the fridge it slows the yeast activity down. It takes ten times longer for dough to rise in the fridge than it does at room temperature. This means you can put your dough in the fridge overnight or whilst you are at work and come back to it when you are ready.
Wrap in cloth: If you prefer to avoid plastic, wrap the bread in a clean, dry cloth, and then place it in a breadbox or a paper bag. Freeze: Bread can be frozen for longer-term storage. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container or a freezer bag.
Chilling the dough slows the action of the yeast, but doesn't stop it. You can leave it in the fridge for up to 72 hours, then take it out an hour or two before you want to make your pizza.
If you leave your bread dough to rise for too long outside at room temperature, there is a risk of overproofing the dough. It might look alright in appearance, but when you bake the bread, it will not rise much in the oven. The end result will be a dense loaf of bread.
A dough will last approximately three days in the refrigerator; however, it is best to use it within 48 hours. This is the best way to refrigerate your dough. After the dough is kneaded, place in a lightly oiled, large mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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