Easy 3-Ingredient Artisan Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cup All-purpose flour (Bread flour may be used instead; extra flour for handling and dusting is mentioned but not quantified.)
• 0.5 tbsp Kosher salt
• 0.25 oz Instant or active dry yeast (One packet.)
• 1.5 cup Warm water (About 105°F (40°C).)

Steps

1. 1

   Put the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Pour the warm water, about 105°F (40°C), over the dry ingredients; make sure the water is not too hot.

2. 2

   Mix with a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon, or your hands until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should remain somewhat wet and sticky; if it is too sticky to handle, add a little more flour.

3. 3

   Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray. Let the dough rise on the counter for 2–10 hours, or overnight. The longer rise allows it to ferment more.

4. 4

   Wet your hands and turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured surface. Do not punch it down, knead it, or roll it out.

5. 5

   Gently pull the sides of the dough up and fold them into the middle to form your preferred shape. Make a round French boule, or divide and shape it into two loaves, tucking the ends underneath.

6. 6

   Place the shaped dough on parchment paper. Lightly dust the top with flour, then use a bread knife to cut 1–4 lines across the top.

7. 7

   Let the shaped dough rest for about 20–30 minutes.

8. 8

   Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C), with a baking stone, pizza stone, Dutch oven, or iron skillet inside to heat.

9. 9

   Slide the dough on its parchment onto the hot stone or other heated baking surface. For a crustier loaf, add either 1 cup of hot water to a small broiler pan or 5 ice cubes to the bottom of the oven, then shut the door to trap the steam.

10. 10

    Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until browned.

11. 11

    Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Slice and serve. Store in a paper bag so the crust does not soften.

Notes

For easier handling, if the dough is too sticky to shape, add a little more flour, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping. It can also be refrigerated for up to one week before baking. Once cooled, store in a brown paper bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature. The source gives an optional steam method but no separate baking instruction for using a Dutch oven.

Nutrition per serving

• bread
• baking
• no-knead
• vegetarian
• vegan
• beginner-friendly