Homemade Artisan Bread

Cooking Time: 4 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 2 8-inch loaves

Ingredients Needed:

• 423g bread flour, plus more for hands and pan
  
  
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  
  
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  
  
• 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cool water
  
  
• Optional: cornmeal for dusting pan

Instructions:

1. In a large un-greased mixing bowl, whisk the flour, yeast, and salt together.
   Pour in the cool water and gently mix together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
   The dough will seem dry and shaggy, but keep working it until all the flour is moistened.
   If needed, use your hands to work the dough ingredients together. The dough will be sticky.
   Shape into a ball in the bowl as best you can.
   
   
2. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set on the counter
   at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine!).
   Allow to rise for 2-3 hours. The dough will just about double in size, stick to the
   sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles.
   
   
3. You can continue with step 4 immediately, but for absolute best flavor and texture,
   let the risen dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days
   is strongly recommended. Place covered dough in the refrigerator for 12 hours – 3 days.
   The dough will puff up during this time, but may begin to deflate after 2 days.
   That’s fine and normal– nothing to worry about.
   
   
4. Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet (with or without rims and make sure it’s nonstick)
   with flour and/or cornmeal. Turn the cold dough out onto a floured work surface.
   Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough in half. Some air bubbles will
   deflate as you work with it. Place dough halves on prepared baking sheet.
   Using floured hands, shape into 2 long loaves about 9×3 inches each (doesn’t have to be exact)
   about 3 inches apart. Loosely cover and allow to rest for 45 minutes.
   You will bake the dough on this prepared baking sheet.
   
   
5. During this 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).
   
   
6. When ready to bake, using a very sharp knife or bread lame (some even use kitchen shears),
   cut the bread 'shallowly' loaves with 3 slashes, about 1/2 inch deep.
   If the shaped loaves flattened out during the 45 minutes, use floured hands to
   narrow them out along the sides again.
   
   
7. Optional for a slightly crispier crust: After the oven is preheated and bread is scored,
   place a shallow metal or cast iron baking pan or skillet on the bottom oven rack.
   Carefully and quickly pour 3-4 cups of boiling water into it.
   Place the scored dough/baking pan on a higher rack and quickly shut the oven,
   trapping the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust.
   
   
8. Place the shaped and scored dough (on the flour/cornmeal dusted pan) in the
   preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
   Gently tap the loaves– if they sound hollow, the bread is done.
   
   
9. Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before
   slicing and serving. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for
   up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.