Go Back

Crusty, No-Knead, Artisanal, French Bread Boule

Barbara
Learn how to bake an artisanal loaf of crusty French bread. This technique is perfect whether you're new to baking bread or a more experienced bread baker. This technique bakes up a loaf with a soft, fluffy interior with a crunchy crust that has an excellent chew!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rise Time & Cooling Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 1 boule

Equipment

  • large Dutch oven enameled pot
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 1½ tsp yeast
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Add yeast to warm water and stir to combine.
  • Allow yeast to bloom, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the yeast water to the dry ingredients.
  • Stir together until you have a shaggy dough.
  • Cover bowl with a towel and allow dough to rise for 3-4 hours, or until dough triples in volume.
  • Place an empty Dutch oven pot in the oven and preheat to 450℉.
  • Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the dough from the bowl onto the floured surface. Dough will be sticky, so be sure to flour your hands well.
  • Grab the edges of the dough and pull them towards the center and start to form dough into a ball shape.
  • Cup the dough with your floured hands and gently form dough into a ball, stretching the dough from the center out towards the edges and underneath.
  • Once you have a smooth ball formed, transfer the ball of dough onto a sheet of parchment paper.
  • Dust the top of the loaf with flour.
  • Allow ball of dough to rest for 30 minutes while Dutch oven is preheating in the oven.
  • Use a sharp knife to score an ⅛ inch deep "X" into the top of the loaf.
  • Carefully remove hot Dutch oven from the oven.
  • Grab the four corners of the parchment paper and carefully lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven pot. Cover with the lid.
  • Bake covered for 30 minutes.
  • Removed lid and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.
  • Loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped and the crust is a rich golden brown.
  • Use the four corners of the parchment paper to carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven pot and place it on a rack to cool.
  • Cool the loaf completely, 45-60 minutes, before slicing into it.
Keyword Artisan bread, Baking, French bread, yeast dough