Rustic Crusty Loaf
How to make a no knead Rustic crusty loaf, easy step by step instructions from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 250g / 8.8oz Strong white bread flour
- 250g / 8.8oz Plain or all-purpose flour
- 380g / 380mls Lukewarm water / 40°C / 104°F
- 4g / 1tsp Instant or active dried yeast
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- 6g / 1tsp Sugar
- Add the sugar to the warm water and stir, once dissolved, add the yeast and stir it in thoroughly, set it aside until it activates.
- Add both flours to a large bowl, and mix in the salt.
- Once activated, add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix together until you have a sticky shaggy dough.
- Cover the bowl, and let it rise for a minimum of 1 hour, in a warm draft-free spot, the dough should at least double in size (this may take longer depending on the temperature of your location)
- Turn out the dough onto a slightly wet bench, and with wet hands turn and fold the dough for about 30 to 45 seconds, you should notice the dough become smooth now.
- Place it back in the bowl, cover, and allow it to proof for 45 minutes this time.
- Prepare a vessel to transport the dough to a hot Dutch oven, and line it with parchment paper, see video for example.
- Once the dough has well risen carefully and gently turn it out onto a floured surface, dust the top of the dough, and fold it together pulling the dough toward the centre, turn it over and gently form it into a ball.
- Dust the top of the doughball, and gently lift it into the prepared vessel with the lined parchment paper, lightly dust again, and cover with a dry light weight cloth, and allow to proof for 1 hour
- When there is only 30 minutes left on the proof, set your oven to 230°C / 445°F or Gas mark 8, and place your Dutch oven in the oven to heat up, and set your timer for 30 minutes, this is how long a cast iron Dutch oven takes to heat up to the correct temperature for this baking bread.
- When the final 30 minutes are up on the proof, make a halfmoon slash in the dough with your Lame/blade, then lift out the Dutch oven onto the cooker top, remove the lid, carefully pick up the dough using the paper, and place it in the Dutchy, give it a quick swirl to centralise the dough, replace the lid, and get it back into the hot oven, set your timer for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutchy, and bake at the same temperature for a further 5 minutes to crisp up the top.
- Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the main oven, tip the bread out onto metal surface, carefully remove the paper, and place on a wire rack to cool before slicing and serving.
- To make it even crispier, place the naked loaf back in the hot oven for a further 5 minutes.
- Enjoy.
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
