Rustic Boule Perfectly Baked in a Dutch Oven

Rustic Boule Perfectly Baked in a Dutch Oven
Chef's notes

This flavorful bread is made with only five ingredients and is baked in a Dutch Oven. Finished loaf is slightly grainy inside, with a medium firm texture, easy to slice, and makes great toast. Tanned on the outside as shown results in perfectly crisped crust.

I wanted to create a delicious bread using the same simple ingredients as my “Basic Everyday Bread” but baked in a Dutch oven. Assuming most casual bakers don’t have access to live sour dough starter, I also wanted a flavorful recipe that didn’t require it. After several tweaks, the third using 400° direct heat cooked perfect in and out.

Like all my other quick and easy bread recipes, first stage creates a light and thinner dough that’s exceptionally convenient to work with. Once assembled, it’s easily mixed by hand in a bowl only with a spatula. It also rises quickly, doubling its volume in under a half hour.

Once risen remaining flour is incorporated with the dough, kneaded until smooth then formed into a ball. Dough is placed in the Dutch oven lined with parchment.

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Rustic Boule Perfectly Baked in a Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 cups hot tap water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 1 rounded tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 3 plus 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Utensils

  • Approx. 7-quart Dutch oven
  • Parchment paper 
  • Dough scraper
  • Sharp knife 

Instructions

  1. Line bottom and sides of Dutch oven with parchment paper. Roughly smooth creases. Weight of the dough will hold parchment in place.

  2. Whisk water, sugar, instant yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix by hand with a spatula until smooth. Loosely top with wax paper sprayed with nonstick facing dough. Top with a towel moistened with warm water. Place bowl in a warm location.

  3. Preheat oven to 400° direct heat.
  4. Place remaining 2 cups of flour on working surface. When dough doubles in size, empty onto flour. With the aid of a dough scraper, combine and knead smooth. Form into a ball.
  5. Place dough into the Dutch oven. Score top of dough with a sharp knife or razor blade and place uncovered Dutch oven in the oven.

  6. Bread is ready when crust is crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes and bottom of bread sounds hollow when tapped. 
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