Dutch Oven Artisan Bread

Black Friday. It seems to be a day that almost everyone has an opinion about. People don't have any interest in it, they boycott it, they set up tents outside the doors on Wednesday so they can be the first ones through (which, by the way, I think is crazy. Why give up Thanksgiving with your family for a TV or some other gadget that you're going to need to replace eventually anyway? They will always be coming out with new things, but you don't know how long the time with your family will last). Anyway, enough of me lecturing....

I will admit, I have gone black Friday shopping, and, most of the time, I really enjoy it. Don't worry, I don't have high expectations of getting what I want while trampling the folks ahead of me. My sisters and I usually go after the stores are already open and you can still find some pretty good deals, even later in the day. 

Which brings me to my post today. Last year, I got a heck of a deal on a 6 quart enameled dutch oven. I love it! My husband teased me about what this enormously heavy pot was going to be able to do that our regular pots couldn't. So I set out to prove to him that I wasn't crazy for buying it. :)

This is probably the easiest bread you will ever make. The reason the dutch oven works so well is because, when covered, it heats up and creates a lot of steam that doesn't escape from the pot. The steam swirls around inside and, while baking the bread with a soft texture inside, it also creates crisp, crusty outside. 

An extremely simple, and truly amazing Homemade Artisan Bread.

When my Mom and Godmother were visiting a week and a half ago, I made a fresh loaf of this bread.

My husband picked up some yummy Rondele Spreadable cheese (not cheap, but totally worth it) in garlic & herb flavor, so we chunked up the loaf of bread and served it alongside the cheese.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. warm water

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

3 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Begin by dissolving the yeast in the water.

Stir in the flour until it's a bit clumpy.

Add the salt.

Stir until well combined.

Leave it in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise for 7-10 hours.

Dust a clean area with a bit of flour.

Dump the dough on top.

Dust with a little more flour.

Fold over a few times to shape your loaf. (Do NOT knead it.)

Place on a sheet of parchment paper.

Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.

When it's almost done rising, place your dutch oven (lid, too!) in your cold oven.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees and let it preheat.

Once it's preheated, carefully take the pot from the oven and remove the lid.

Gently lift your bread, using the parchment paper, and set it in the center of the pot.

Slice a shallow cross on the top of the loaf.

Cover with the lid and return it to the oven.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Remove the lid, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool for about 45 minutes before slicing.

(Directions with Photos)

Begin by dissolving the yeast in the water.

Stir in the flour until it's a bit clumpy.

Add the salt.

Stir until well combined.

Leave it in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise for 7-10 hours.

(I usually turn my oven on to 250 degrees for about 2 minutes, then turn it OFF. Then, I cover my bread dough with plastic wrap, and then a clean towel, and place the bowl on a potholder in the oven. It keeps it nice and warm without baking it. Plus, it keeps your counters clutter-free!)

After the rising time it up, your bread dough should look something like this. 

It will be quite loose and bubbly.

Dust a clean area with a bit of flour.

Dump the dough on top.

Dust with a little more flour.

Fold over a few times to shape your loaf. (Do NOT knead it.)

Place on a sheet of parchment paper.

Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.

When it's almost done rising, place your dutch oven (lid, too!) in your cold oven.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees and let it preheat.

Once it's preheated, carefully take the pot from the oven and remove the lid.

Gently lift your bread, using the parchment paper, and set it in the center of the pot.

Slice a shallow cross on the top of the loaf.

Cover with the lid and return it to the oven.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Remove the lid, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool for about 45 minutes before slicing.

It's best when served the same day! :)

So far, I have only made this plain loaf. I'm hoping to soon try different versions and flavors. Like maybe a jalapeno/cheddar, whole wheat, garlic/herb, and rosemary/parmesan. 

When I get around to it, I'll let you guys know how they turn out. :)

Here is an approximate timeline for this recipe, depending on whether you want it for brunch or dinner. Obviously, you can change it up to whatever works best for you. :)

BRUNCH                                                               DINNER

 Mix it: 10:00PM                                                       Mix it: 7:00AM

Shape it: 6:45AM                                                      Shape it: 2:30PM

Bake it: 8:15AM                                                       Bake it: 4:00PM

 Serve it: 10:00AM                                                   Serve it: 5:45PM

The nice thing about this recipe is that it is very forgiving. If you don't get to it right away, it usually won't hurt if you wait a bit longer than you're supposed to. Hope you enjoy!