Rustic French Bread Dutch Oven (Print)

Create crisp, golden French bread with tender crumb using a Dutch oven. Simple steps, classic flavor.

# Ingredients:

→ Dough

01 - 410 g all-purpose flour
02 - 5 g sugar
03 - 5 g salt
04 - 6 g active dry yeast
05 - 295 ml water, warmed to 40–46°C

# Steps:

01 - In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine active dry yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let the mixture rest for approximately 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy.
02 - Add half of the all-purpose flour and all of the salt to the activated yeast mixture. Fit the mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead on medium-low speed, gradually adding the remaining flour until the dough just comes together. The dough will be sticky at this stage.
03 - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bowl. Cover with a clean towel and allow it to rise at room temperature for 2 hours until doubled in size.
04 - Place the dough onto a generously floured piece of parchment paper or cutting board. Gently form into a smooth ball. Sprinkle additional flour on top, cover with an inverted large bowl, and let rise for another 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside the oven and heat for 20 minutes. If baking on a sheet, do not preheat the sheet.
06 - With a very sharp knife, score the top of the dough. Carefully transfer the dough along with the parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is golden. If using a baking sheet, bake uncovered for 35 minutes. The bread should reach an internal temperature of about 99°C.
07 - Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving. Store in a bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Ensure water temperature is within 40–46°C to activate yeast properly.
02 - Allow bread to cool fully on a wire rack for a crisper crust.
03 - Keep dough slightly sticky for ideal oven spring and open crumb.

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