Easy 4-Ingredient Bread

5 from 1 vote

Easy 4-Ingredient Bread

This bread is SO simple to make and tastes SO delicious. Perfect for beginners. It's a basic yeast bread, also known as rustic bread, peasant bread, or artisan bread. This easy yeast bread rises and bakes in under four hours, requires no kneading, and is inexpensive to make (less than $1 per loaf)!

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 152kcal

Author Jennifer

Cost $1

Equipment

1 2.5 quart mixing bowl
1 mixing spoon
1 food thermometer
1 sheet of parchment paper
1 cotton or linen cloth
1 bread knife serrated
1 Dutch oven
2 pot holders
1 oven gas or electric

Ingredients

1.5 cups warm water 105-115°F / 40-46°C -- warmer than this can kill the yeast
2 teaspoons active dry yeast fresh is best
4 cups bread flour can also use all purpose flour, but do not use whole wheat
2 teaspoons salt any type, I used kosher

Instructions

Step 1. Mix Your Ingredients
Put warm water in a bowl or other container. Mix warm water and yeast until combined, then let sit for 10 minutes. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add water-yeast mixture.
1.5 cups warm water, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 4 cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons salt
Step 2. Do the First Proof (Rise)
Cover your bowl with a clean cloth for two hours at room temperature or slightly warmer (but not cooler). The dough should double in size in this time.
Step 3. Fold the Dough
Put flour on a clean work surface and transfer dough from your bowl to the surface. Fold dough onto itself several times with your hands -- do not knead. Form dough into a ball.
Step 4. Do the Second Proof
Cover your dough with a cotton or linen cloth and let sit for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Prepare Your Heavy Pot
Line your heavy pot with parchment paper. If you do not have a pot, you can just line a baking sheet with parchment paper instead, but it may not get the same golden brown crust. Pre-heat the oven to 430°F (221°C) and put your heavy pot in the oven to warm up with it.
Step 6. Transfer Dough to Pot
Remove hot pot and transfer dough ball into the pot. You can score the top of the bread with a knife to control where it cracks, but it's also okay if you do not (I did not).
Step 7. Bake Your Bread
Put the lid back on the pot and return to oven to bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes to get a golden brown crust.
Step 8. Enjoy Your Bread
Remove the bread from the pot. Let the loaf cool to near room temperature, and slice down the middle.

Video

Notes

If you have leftovers, put the bread back together (if possible), wrap in a linen or cotton cloth, and store in a bread box for a day or two, or place in a resealable plastic bag to keep a little longer. You can also wrap it in plastic and freeze it.

Nutrition