"Easier Than a Bread Machine" Bread

I've never made bread before but I think that there are few things more tasty than a fresh loaf of bread. Straight from the oven... smeared with butter. Since we don't have a bread machine (and I'm a pretty awful baker who is slightly scared of yeast) I've just never attempted it.

I've decided to reconsider my store-bought only bread habit.

{and if you try this recipe, you'll join me}

This could not be easier, really. I have no idea how much effort goes into using a bread maker but I'll take the author's word that this is even easier. So easy that you may find yourself making homemade bread multiple times a week. Not that I would know anything about that...

I continue to fall more and more in love with my cast iron Dutch oven and this bread cooks perfectly in it. You simply combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, cover, and let sit so it can do it's magic. Then shape it a bit, put it on parchment paper, and back in the bowl for a couple more hours. Transfer to a oven safe dutch oven and in less than an hour, you have a delicious hot-from-the-oven-and-amazing-with-buttah loaf of bread.

{and we totally dipped this bread directly into the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup I shared last week. mmmmmm.}

Who's now craving bread? Yep, me too.

 

"Easier Than a Bread Machine" Bread

3 cups bread flour
¼ teaspoon yeast
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ cups warm water
Covered oven safe pot (like a Dutch oven)

 

Mix together the flour, yeast, salt, and water in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours.

After the dough has set for 12 to 18 hours, wet your hands and shape the dough into a ball. Place the ball on a sheet of parchment paper and transfer it - on the parchment paper - back into the bowl. Cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and allow to sit for two more hours.

Put your oven safe pot into the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees. Once it reaches 450, pull out the pot and add the dough - on the sheet of parchment paper - to the pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 20 minutes more.

Source: So Tasty, So Yummy