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Rustic French Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 150 reviews

This Rustic French Bread recipe yields a crusty, golden loaf with a tender crumb, perfect for sandwiches, toasts, or enjoying alongside your favorite meals. Using simple ingredients and a no-knead technique combined with a brief kneading step and dutch oven baking, this bread develops a deep flavor and authentic rustic texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups water (105 – 115 degrees Fahrenheit)

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: Combine the active dry yeast, warm water, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast activates and becomes frothy.
  2. Mix Dough: Add half of the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and knead on medium-low speed. Gradually add the remaining flour and continue kneading until the dough just comes together. The dough will be sticky at this stage.
  3. First Rise: Transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours until it doubles in size.
  4. Shape and Second Rise: Place the dough onto a generously floured piece of parchment paper or cutting board. Gently shape it into a smooth ball. Sprinkle the top with more flour, cover it with a large bowl acting as a dome, and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a dutch oven with its lid inside the oven to preheat for 20 minutes before baking. If you do not have a dutch oven, use a baking sheet, but do not preheat the sheet.
  6. Score and Bake: Using a very sharp knife, score the top of the dough to allow it to expand during baking. Carefully transfer the dough with the parchment paper into the hot dutch oven. Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is golden and crisp. If using a baking sheet, bake the dough for 35 minutes. The internal temperature should reach about 210°F (99°C).
  7. Cool and Store: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it carefully to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving. Store leftover bread in a storage bag or container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.

Notes

  • Ensure water temperature is between 105°F and 115°F to properly activate yeast without killing it.
  • Use a sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough to prevent tearing during baking.
  • Preheating the dutch oven creates steam inside which helps develop a crispy crust.
  • If you don’t have a dutch oven, a baking sheet works but the crust will be less crispy.
  • Allow bread to cool completely before slicing to keep the crumb from becoming gummy.
  • Storage at room temperature is best; avoid refrigerating bread as it can dry out quickly.

Keywords: Rustic French bread, homemade bread recipe, dutch oven bread, crusty bread, no-knead bread

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/rustic-french-bread-recipe/