A Slice of Heaven: Simple Crusty White Bread
Are you ready to indulge in the warm, inviting aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through your kitchen? There's nothing quite as satisfying as a slice of simple crusty white bread, with its golden crust and soft, pillowy interior. Imagine slathering a pat of butter on a warm slice while the steam still rises, or using it to soak up your favorite soup. This recipe is not only simple to follow, but it's also fast, taking just a few hours from start to finish, making it perfect for a family weekend project.
Ingredients
- 1000 g all-purpose flour + extra for dusting
- 700 g water divide if using active dry yeast
- 22 g salt
- 4 g instant yeast / 5g active dry yeast / 10g fresh yeast
- 1 tsp neutral oil for greasing
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and water (add a mixture of dissolved yeast in warm water if using active dry yeast) until a uniform dough forms. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 15-60 minutes.
- Add Yeast & Salt: Now, mix in the salt and yeast until smooth. Knead the dough using a stand mixer for about 3-5 minutes, or if you prefer to use your hands, knead until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise & Folding: Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it all up, and let it rest for 30 minutes. During this time, stretch and fold the dough four times, then let it rise for 1.5 hours.
- Divide & Shape: Move the dough to a floured surface, divide it into two portions, and shape them into balls. Allow them to rest for another 15 minutes before shaping again. Place the shaped loaves seam-side up in floured cloth-lined bowls, letting them rise for 1-1.5 hours.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven placed on the bottom rack to heat up.
- Bake: Carefully turn out the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Score the top of the dough and spritz with water to create steam. Cover and bake for 15 minutes at 500°F, then reduce the temperature to 450°F (235°C) and bake for another 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until it’s a lovely dark brown.
- Cool & Repeat: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about an hour. Repeat this process for the second loaf if you made two!