Artisan Bread (aka bestest bread EVAH!)

Are you ready to become an addict? A Bread baking addict that is? Cause once you try this bread you won’t be able to stop making it. I found this recipe a little over 3 weeks ago and I’ve made 5 loaves already! 5 in 3 weeks! And if you count the 2 I’m going to make today that’s 7 in 21 days Yeah that’s a lot of bread! And a whole lot of flour, 42 cups to be exact! But it’s so worth it! Not to mention so easy! I found the recipe at Frugal Living NW. They have great pics on there showing step by step what it should look like. I’ll include some pictures of my own so you can see how mine turned out as well.

Here’s what you’ll need:

6 cups flour,

1/2 t. instant or active-dry yeast

2 1/2 t. salt

2 2/3 c. cool water

A 6-8 quart heavy covered pot, I used a ceramic Pampered Chef one.

Here’s how you make it:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated; the dough should be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12-18 hours on the counter at room temperature. Mine has taken the full 18 hours every time.  When surface of the risen dough has darkened slightly, smells yeasty, and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.

Lightly flour your hands and a work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and, using floured fingers, tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball.

Generously dust a piece of parchement paper with enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the paper as it rises; place dough seam side down on the paper and dust with more flour. Cover with a second piece of parchement and let rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot, such as a cast-iron Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats. When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot from oven. Remove top parchement from dough and slide your hand under the bottom parchement; flip the dough over into the pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until the crust is a deep chestnut brown. The internal temperature of the bread should be around 200 degrees. You can check this with a meat thermometer, if desired.

Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.