Homemade Bread Recipe

artimina (54)in Boylikegirl Club • 4 days ago

This homemade loaf yields a golden crust and a soft, open crumb with minimal effort. It uses basic pantry staples and a simple stretch-and-fold method that anyone can master. The result is a versatile artisan-style bread perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply tearing apart with butter.

Ingredients

500 g strong bread flour
350 ml lukewarm water (around 38 °C)
10 g fine salt
7 g instant yeast (one sachet)
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional for a softer crust)

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Dough scraper or sturdy spoon
Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
Dutch oven with lid (or baking stone + steam tray)
Parchment paper

Method

In your bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast until evenly distributed.
Pour in the water and olive oil. Stir with a spoon or dough scraper until you form a shaggy, sticky mass with no dry pockets.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). This step boosts gluten development without kneading.
Perform four sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes: reach under one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself, rotating the bowl 90° between folds. After the last set, cover and allow a bulk rise of 1–1.5 hours at room temperature, until roughly doubled.
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a tight ball by folding edges toward the center, then flip seam-side down and cup it under your hands to build tension.
Transfer the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Cover and proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy but not over-inflated.
Meanwhile, place the Dutch oven (with lid) in your oven and preheat to 230 °C (fan 210 °C).
When ready, remove the hot pot, carefully lift the dough on its parchment, score the top with a sharp blade, and lower it into the vessel. Cover and bake 20 minutes.
Uncover, reduce temperature to 210 °C, and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Remove the loaf to a cooling rack and rest 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips & Variations

For an overnight cold ferment, bulk-rise the dough in the fridge for up to 12 hours after the autolyse. This deepens flavor.
Stir in 2 Tbsp of seeds (sunflower, flax, sesame) during the first stretch-and-fold cycle for a seeded loaf.
Swap 100 g of white flour for whole-wheat or rye to introduce nutty complexity.
Brush the surface with melted butter right after baking for a tender, shiny crust.

Storage & Serving

Keep the cooled loaf in a paper bag or wrapped in a tea towel for up to 3 days so the crust stays crisp.
Refresh day-old slices by toasting or warming in a low oven for 5 minutes.
Transform stale ends into breadcrumbs or croutons—simply cube, toss in oil and bake at 180 °C until golden.

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