Snow days are for snow angels, snowmen and easy Artisan Dutch Oven Bread. There's almost nothing better than the aroma of fresh bread baking on a cold and snowy day. While the kids are enjoying the outdoors, I'm enjoying the crackle and roar of the fire in my great room with a fabulous cup of espresso and a great bread rising next to me with the fire's warmth.
Some people think the task of making bread is daunting and that really isn't accurate. I'm happy to share this simple and flavorful artisan bread recipe with you all. It's delicious on its own but a bit extra special when eaten warm with homemade butter and jam.
A delicious and easy artisan bread that is sure to become a staple in your household. You'll be amazed how quickly this comes together and how little effort it takes. The perfect recipe for the busy homemaker.
You'll want to start by adding the yeast, honey and warm water to a mixing bowl. *I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook to make this bread. Stir it together and allow it to sit for 5 minutes so the yeast can proof. It will become bubbly and foamy when it's proofed.
Once the yeast is ready, add the sifted flour and salt to the mixer a little at a time until incorporated. Mix the dough thoroughly for approximately 3-4 minutes. It should be slightly shaggy still. Remove the dough from the hook and bowl and make it into a ball. Rub the EVOO all over it and set it in the bowl, rotating it once to get the oil on the sides of the bowl.
Set a dry cloth over the dough and set it in a warm spot to rise for an hour. I like to place the cloth directly on the dough to prevent it from drying out and then I love to set the dough near my wood stove o rise. This is the first of 2 rises the dough will go through.
When the hour is up, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. DO NOT punch the dough down. You want to preserve the air bubbles inside. Instead, take the corners one by one and gather them towards the center if the bread. Do this a few times while pinching them together to hold the shape Pull the dough towards you to create a beautifully rounded mound and add it to a proofing basket, covering it the same way with the tea towel touching the bread. Let this sit for an additional 30 minutes.
While the dough is going through the second rise, preheat the oven to 425*F and place the Dutch oven with the cover on it inside so it can heat up. Allow it to remain in there for the 30 minutes the bread is rising.
After 30 minutes, turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Do not add any more flour. You don't need it. With the smooth mound facing up and the seam down, you can get creative with a scoring knife. if you don't want to get creative, put the seam side up while baking. This will create nice, crusty ridges around the top. I find scoring the bread fun and beautiful.
Carefully remove the heated Dutch oven from the oven and take the cover off. Now carefully place the artisan bread on the parchment paper inside the heated vessel and put the cover on. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover after the 30 minutes and allow the bread to bake for 10-15 minutes more.
When the bread is done carefully remove it from the Dutch oven and set it on a cooling rack. If you are not going to consume the bread loaf in its entirety on this day, it's best to let the bread cool completely before cutting into it. This helps keep the bread from going stale and hard. We never have that problem in this house... it's gone in a jiffy with some homemade butter and jam so we enjoy it warm.
Shawn-Marie is a stay-at-home wife, mother and Nana that lives on a 5-acre hobby farm near Cape Cod Massachusetts. She is the author of the blog She's in Hert Element and is also the content creator for the YouTube channel She's in Her Element. There she shares all things homemaking including cooking, preserving, DIY, decorating and homesteading.
