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The World’s Easiest Yeast Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 60 reviews

This recipe for the World’s Easiest Yeast Bread is perfect for beginners and bread lovers alike. Using just a few simple ingredients and minimal hands-on time, you can create a warm, crusty, and flavorful homemade bread. The process involves mixing the dough, letting it rise slowly, and baking it in a preheated Dutch oven to achieve a perfect golden crust and soft, airy inside without the need for kneading.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups (450g) flour (bread or all-purpose)
  • 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 2 tsp kosher or cooking salt (not table salt)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm water (up to 55°C/130°F)

For Dusting

  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour (1 tbsp for work surface, 1/2 tbsp for dusting dough top)

Instructions

  1. Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the very warm water and stir with the handle of a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and the dough is sticky and shaggy.
  2. First Rise: Cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap or a plate. Leave the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until it doubles in size, becomes bubbly, and jiggles when moved.
  3. Optional Refrigeration: To develop deeper flavor, refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days. Before baking, allow the dough to come back to room temperature by sitting on the counter for 45 to 60 minutes.
  4. Preheat Dutch Oven: Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 230°C (450°F) for at least 30 minutes to ensure it is thoroughly hot for baking.
  5. Prepare Dough for Shaping: Lightly dust your work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour. Gently scrape the dough onto this surface and sprinkle the top with 1/2 tablespoon flour.
  6. Shape Dough: Using a dough scraper, fold the dough over itself about six times, shaping it roughly into a round ball. This helps develop the structure without kneading.
  7. Transfer to Parchment: Flip the dough seam-side down onto a sheet of parchment paper. Reshape gently if necessary to maintain a round shape.
  8. Bake Covered: Carefully lift the dough on the parchment paper and place it into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. This traps steam and promotes a beautiful crust.
  9. Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and bake for another 12 minutes uncovered, allowing the crust to develop a deep golden color and crisp texture.
  10. Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place on a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing to allow the interior to set properly.

Notes

  • The dough is very sticky and shaggy, so resist the temptation to add extra flour while mixing or shaping.
  • Using a preheated Dutch oven is key to achieving a crusty loaf that mimics artisan bakery bread.
  • Rapid rise yeast can speed up the process, but regular instant yeast also works.
  • Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator enhances the flavor through slow fermentation.
  • Be careful when handling the hot Dutch oven to avoid burns.

Keywords: easy yeast bread, no knead bread, homemade bread, artisan bread recipe, Dutch oven bread, simple bread, beginner bread recipe

Find it online: https://thedishspot.com/the-worlds-easiest-yeast-bread-recipe/