DUTCH OVEN BREAD

Let me introduce you the rustic, soft inside and crispy outside Dutch Oven Bread. I’m obsessed with my new Dutch Oven. We finally decided to get one last weekend and I used it to make the most amazing Pot Roast. While shopping at the store, we had a conversation with the sweetest saleslady who is originally from France. She told me she loves her Dutch Oven and use it to make bread all the time. I will admit that I prefer cooking over baking and I learned how to cook before baking, so baking is not really my forte. But the idea of making fresh bread in the Dutch Oven got me very excited. 

I came home and immediately googled the Dutch Oven bread recipe and came across a few different ones, so I am going to adapt and make one on my own. If you don’t have a Dutch Oven, an oven-proof pot will do just fine. This recipe is awesome, especially for those who are new to baking. It’s simple and doesn’t even require kneading. It reminds me of the really good artisan bread that they serve at the restaurants. It is soft inside and crusty outside, just like the way good bread should be. I added sea salt and fresh rosemary, since I have a few sprigs left from making Pot Roast last weekend. Mmmmm… my house smells heavenly right now.

Let’s cook some food! Or should I say let’s make some bread!?

In a large bowl, mix flour, sea salt, rosemary and yeast together. You can omit rosemary if you just want to make white bread.

Mix in the water and use a spatula or a wooden spoon to blend until well combined.

Dough will be shaggy and sticky.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit on the counter overnight, at least 12 hours (but not more than 18 hours) at warm room temperature, about 70°F.

Please don’t mind me, I had to get the beautiful flowers from my birthday in the background. 🙂

After you patiently wait for 12 hours, the dough will rise and form bubbles on the surface. I made the dough last night and woke up early this morning. The excitement kicks in.  Yay! It has risen and form a bunch of bubbles.

Generously flour your work surface and your hands. Punch down the risen/bubbled dough and transfer the dough from the bowl to the counter and form into a ball. I think the punching dough part is the funnest part in this whole process, well other than eating fresh bread of course.

The dough will be very sticky. No need to knead it, but you may have to fold it a couple times to get it to form the shape you want. It is sooooo soft. I think it is the cutest dough ever… ha ha. 🙂

Let it sit about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place your Dutch Oven with the lid on in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 °F.

Once the dough is ready (after you let it sit about 15 minutes), carefully take the Dutch Oven out from the oven and gently transfer the dough into the pot (be careful not to burn your hands, the pot will be HOT!)

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown. Mine only took 12.

Remove the pot from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.

There are many ways to use this awesome bread.

Cut and serve with butter and some eggs and Maple Fennel Bacon for breakfast.

Make Croque Madame for breakfast or brunch.

Serve with a cup of Roasted Tomato Soup for lunch.

Make fresh, easy, yummy Bruschetta or grill and pair with Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata for appetizer.

Or make some Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions.

The list goes on and on… mmm… I hope you give this Dutch Oven Bread a try. The recipe is below.

DUTCH OVEN BREAD

 

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Prep time

730 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

12 hours 55 mins

 

Author: Mink

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups room temperature water
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sea salt, rosemary(optional) and yeast together. Mix in the water and use a spatula or a wooden spoon to blend until well combined. Dough will be shaggy and sticky.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit on the counter overnight, at least 12 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees F.
3. After you patiently wait for 12 hours, the dough will rise and form bubbles on the surface.
4. Generously flour your work surface and your hands. Next, this is the fun part! Punch down the risen/bubbled dough and transfer the dough from the bowl to the counter and form into a ball. The dough will be very sticky. No need to knead it, but you may have to fold it a couple times to get it to form the shape you want. Let it sit about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place your Dutch Oven with the lid on in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Once the dough is ready (after you let it sit about 15 minutes), carefully take the Dutch Oven from the oven and gently transfer the dough into the pot (be careful not to burn your hands, the pot will be HOT!)
7. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown.
8. Remove the pot from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. Cut and serve!

Notes

You can use an oven-safe pot if you don't have a Dutch Oven. Also, you can omit rosemary if you just want to make crusty white bread.

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