Crusty artisan bread
There’s something so special about pulling a freshly baked loaf of bread from the oven. That golden, crackly crust, the soft and chewy center, and the smell of homemade bread filling your kitchen. It’s one of those simple pleasures that never gets old.
This crusty artisan loaf is made with just a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. A little honey, flour, yeast, and salt come together to make a beautiful homemade loaf with a crisp golden exterior and a soft, airy inside.
It’s perfect for serving alongside a warm bowl of soup, dipping into olive oil, or simply enjoying a thick slice with butter while it’s still a little warm.
If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at making homemade artisan bread, this is a wonderful recipe to start with. Simple ingredients, a little patience, and something delicious to share. 🤎
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons dry-active yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Directions
Mix together the warm water, honey & dry-active yeast. Cover the mixture & allow 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate (a thick froth will form on the surface once activated).
Combine the flour & salt & mix thoroughly.
In your stand mixer with the dough attachment, combine your activated yeast mixture to the flour & salt. Mix on medium speed until a dough ball forms.
Oil or flour a bowl, & add your dough ball to it. Cover & let rest in a warm area (or in your oven that is off, with the light on) for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Shaping your artisan loaf
Once your dough has doubled in size, gently transfer it onto a lightly floured surface. Try not to handle it too roughly; you want to keep some of those lovely air bubbles inside!
Lightly flour your hands and gently stretch the dough into a rough circle. Take one edge of the dough and fold it toward the center. Continue working your way around the dough, folding each edge into the middle until you’ve formed a little bundle.
Flip the dough over so the seams are facing down. Using your hands, gently cup the dough and rotate it in small circular motions against the countertop. As you do this, the surface of the dough will become smoother and tighter, helping create that beautiful round loaf shape.
Once you’ve formed a smooth, round ball, let it rest seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper while you prepare for the next rise.
The second rise
Cover your shaped dough loosely with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest in a warm area for another 30–45 minutes, or until slightly puffed.
While your dough rests, you can prepare your Dutch oven for baking. Place your dutch oven into your oven & turn the temperature to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
Just before baking, use a sharp bread lame or razor blade to score the top of your loaf. This gives the bread room to expand as it bakes and creates that beautiful artisan appearance.
Once the oven is pre-heated, place your dough into the dutch oven & bake with the lid on for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the lid & bake for another 15 minutes (40 minutes total bake time).
Once baked & golden, transfer your bread to a cooling rack & allow it to cool before slicing (I know it’s tempting!)
I hope this little loaf brings some extra warmth to your kitchen. There’s something so rewarding about making bread from scratch, especially when it takes just a few simple ingredients. Enjoy it alongside your favorite meal, toasted with a little butter, or torn apart and shared straight from the cutting board. Happy baking! 🤎