This is the best homemade bread! Seriously easy to make, even if you're not used to baking with yeast. Baked in a Dutch oven, NO kneading required, and can be made to eat the same day - no need for an overnight rise. Your whole family will inhale this bread!
Ingredients
1 1/2cupswarm water- 95-110 degrees F
2tablespoonshoney
1teaspoonsalt
1(5/16 ounces) packet rapid rise yeast- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons
3cupsbread flour- plus extra for dusting
2tablespoonspumpkin seeds- plus extra for sprinkling
1tablespoonsesame seeds- plus extra for sprinkling
1tablespoonflax seeds- plus extra for sprinkling
1tablespoonchia seeds- plus extra for sprinkling
1tablespooncornmeal- for dusting the parchment
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Instructions
In a large bowl, combine water, honey, and salt. Stir to dissolve the honey, then stir in yeast. Add 3 cups flour and all the seeds. Stir until the flour is well incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, until at least doubled in volume.
While dough is rising, cut a piece of parchment paper to about a 9” square. It should fit a medium-large Dutch oven. Sprinkle the parchment with cornmeal and set aside.
Sprinkle the dough with additional flour, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold the dough in half, then in half again. Sprinkle again with flour, and, using well-floured hands, lift up the dough and pat it gently into a ball. Place it in the middle of your prepared parchment, with the dough’s seam side down. Scatter extra seeds on top, and let the dough rise uncovered at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
Soon after setting the dough for its second rise, place your empty Dutch oven and lid inside the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
When bread has finished its second rise, carefully remove the Dutch oven and place on the stove. Lift the bread with its parchment paper and set it in the center of the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, return to the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake another 3-4 minutes, just until the top is golden brown.
Using the parchment paper, carefully lift bread from the Dutch oven, and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely, preferably one hour or more, before slicing.
Notes
Preheat your oven pretty soon after you set the bread for its second rise - it can take awhile to get all the way up to 450!
Be very careful while handling the Dutch oven, both before and after baking - it will be extremely hot!
Slicing into bread before it’s completely cooled will cause it to release steam and become gummy! For best results, wait until it’s all the way at room temperature. I know it’s hard to do!