Crusty Bread Recipe

We thought we’d landed upon the simplest yeast bread recipe in 2007, when Mark Bittman wrote about the no-knead approach of Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery. It quickly became (and remains) one of our most popular recipes because it made bakery-quality bread a real possibility for home cooks. But then we heard about Jeff Hertzberg, a physician from Minneapolis, who devised a streamlined technique for a crusty loaf of bread. Mix flour, salt, yeast and water. Let it sit a bit, refrigerate it, take some out and let it rise, then bake it. The crusty, full-flavored loaf that results may be the world’s easiest yeast bread. —Nick Fox

Easy Crusty French Bread

Easy dutch oven bread ready in just a few hours – no overnight rise needed.

Prep: 1h45min

Total: 2h30min

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1/6 of a loaf

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1/6 of a loaf, calories 250 calories, Sugar 0.9 g, Sodium 585.5 mg, Fat 0.8 g, Saturated Fat 0.1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 52.2 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 7.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (9 grams)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (4 grams) (use honey if you prefer)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (300 grams)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons (8 grams) kosher salt
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour (400 grams) plus extra for dusting (see recipe notes)

Instruction:

1. Cover bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
2. Flour a proofing basket or a medium bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so while you preheat the oven. Note: I like to line my proofing basket or mixing bowl with a clean linen napkin to distribute the flour more evenly and help with cleanup.
3. While bread is rising, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 460 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Slice, slather with butter, and enjoy!

Crusty Homemade Bread

Crackling homemade bread makes an average day extraordinary. Enjoy this beautiful crusty bread recipe as is, or stir in a few favorites like cheese, garlic, herbs and dried fruits. —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Prep: 20min

Total: 01h10min

Yield: 1 loaf (16 pieces).

Nutrition Facts: calories 105 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 296mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1-3/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal or additional flour

Instruction:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Using a rubber spatula, stir in 3-1/2 cups flour and salt to form a soft, sticky dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise at room temperature 1 hour., Stir down dough (dough will be sticky). Turn onto a floured surface; with floured hands pat into a 9-in. square. Fold square into thirds, forming a 9×3-in. rectangle. Fold rectangle into thirds, forming a 3-in. square. Place in a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough and repeat folding process. Return dough to bowl; refrigerate, covered, overnight., Grease the bottom of a disposable foil roasting pan with sides at least 4 in. high; dust pan with cornmeal. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead gently 6-8 times; shape into a 6-in. round loaf. Place into prepared pan; dust top with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Cover pan and let rise at room temperature until dough expands to a 7-1/2-in. loaf, about 1-1/4 hours. , Preheat oven to 500°. Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4 in. deep) across top of loaf. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake on lowest oven rack 25 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 450°. Remove foil; bake bread until deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Remove loaf to a wire rack to cool.

How to Make Crusty Artisan Bread | Easy Homemade Bread | Beginner Artisan Bread | Heartway Farms

FAQ

What makes a bread crusty?

What is the secret to crispy bread?

1. Shape your dough well. …
2. Really pre-heat your oven. …
3. Create steam in your oven. …
4. Use a pizza stone or cloche. …
5. Don’t wrap your loaf as it cools. …
6. Think about the flour that you bake with. …
7. Will using different toppings on your dough help?

What type of bread is crusty bread?

How do you make soft crusty bread?