Artisan bread- your daily loaf that is simple and so satisfying

This easy homemade Artisan Bread recipe only requires 4 simple ingredients to make! This crusty bread recipe will be the easiest yeast bread you’ll ever make. You don’t even need a mixer to make this bread with its thick, crispy crust, and chewy crumb.

There is nothing better than homemade bread straight from the oven, especially this artisan bread. It’s such an easy bread recipe to make, and it pairs perfectly with any dips, or soup recipes. It’s so flavorful and chewy on the inside and delightfully crispy outside. You won’t be able to get enough of it.

Have you ever thought of making your own rustic bread but thought that the process is way too complicated? Well, if you did……. This homemade artisan bread recipe is for you! Even if you have never made bread or worked with yeast….. this homemade crusty artisan bread recipe is for you! It only requires a few ingredients without the need for a mixer. You don’t even have to knead it or shape it!  

The tradition of making bread

The oldest record of bread making found in Ireland has been from the Stone Age. In those primitive times, grain was collected from wild grasses and crushed between two stones. This was then mixed with water to make the dough and cooked on a baking stone over an open fire.

This bread was coarse and flat as no raising agent was used. Later on, during the Iron Age, the baking stone was replaced by an iron griddle which continued to be used for traditional soda bread well into this century.

It is not known when yeast was first used to bake bread; the earliest definite records come from Ancient Egypt. Researchers speculate that a mixture of flour meal and water was left longer than usual on a warm day and the yeasts that occur in natural contaminants of the flour caused it to ferment before baking.

What is artisan bread:

Generally, artisan rustic bread is made by hand using longer and more traditional processes. the most basic ingredients. Flour, water, salt, and yeast – and a lack of chemical additives in its ingredients list is a sign that it is truly artisan. Sourdough bread may not even include yeast, as they rely on culture for leavening instead.

Why I wouldn’t buy commercial bread:

When you have a look at the ingredient list on the side of the bread in your shop the list usually is pretty long. Along with the basic ingredients like flour, yeast, and water, you will see things listed as emulsifiers, usually followed by a few long words that make no sense to anyone, preservatives, and treatment agents.

Commercial bread that sits on the shelf requires a lot of preservatives to keep it from getting stale and moldy. You can buy more expensive bread that seems better quality, but the reality is that packaged bread always has some preservatives.

If you make your own bread and you know exactly what is going into it. It gives me enormous pleasure knowing that I am giving my family the best bread possible.

Why You’ll Love This Bread

Is very easy

Soft and spongy inside

Delicious crispy crust (yum!)

No kneading or shaping is involved

No special pans or dough starters required

Only 4 ingredients

INGREDIENTS

Flour – I used wholegrain spelt flour, but you can use ordinary bread flour.  However, I do recommend bread flour here. This type of flour has a higher protein content which produces a stronger structure and chewier texture. Those components make a big difference in your bread.

Yeast – I used fresh yeast as I do have access to it. You can however use dry yeast if that’s what you have available. You can use the table below for reference.

Salt – Salt not only adds flavor to the bread. Salt regulates the rate of yeast activity, providing a slow, steady rise. This allows the yeast to develop the characteristic bread flavor. Salt also strengthens the gluten structure of the dough, not allowing the trapped carbon dioxide bubbles to expand too quickly.

Water – I recommend using room-temperature water. The temperature of the dough as it begins proofing, or rising, affects the rate of fermentation, and that affects the flavor and texture of the finished product. Dry ingredients will absorb wet ingredients more slowly in cold temperatures. Water that’s too warm will kill the lively bacteria that is yeast or it will over-stimulate the dough( multiply too quickly, thus causing the dough to overproof) 😊.

Onion and garlic powder – this is optional, but it adds a fantastic distinctive flavor.

I can guarantee that if you give it a go, this artisan rustic bread recipe will be a staple in your house like it is in mine 😉.

I am baking this loaf of bread every single week! Knowing how easy this recipe is, I simply cannot justify buying commercially produced bread.

This bread tastes delicious with :

Chickpea tuna. An ideal meal for lunch 😋

Cauliflower soup

Roasted squash

Zurek – traditional Polish soup

Immunity Boosting soup veggie soup

Some questions you might have:

Can you let the bread rise too long?

If you let the dough rise for too long, the taste and texture of the finished bread suffer. Because the dough is fermenting during both rises. Over-proofed loaves of bread have a gummy or crumbly texture.

Can I substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour?

You can substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour one-to-one, though your loaf of yeast bread might have a less chewy texture and likely won’t rise as much as a loaf made with high-gluten/higher protein flour.

How do I store the bread?

Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. I usually slice the bread after cooling it and place it in bags and in the freezer. I take them out and toast them as needed.

Why is my yeast not foaming?

Unfortunately, it means that the yeast could be way past the expiry date That foaming means the yeast is alive.

If you try this recipe for rustic bread, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating. And if you share a photo of your healthy and delicious soup on Instagram please tag me at @pronounced and use hashtag #pronounced as I LOVE seeing your remakes! HAPPY COOKING 🍽️!

💡 Interesting facts

• White bread was the preferred bread of the rich before it was found that it has less nutritional value than dark.
• The longest loaf of bread ever baked was 1.2 m long.
• Rolled-up piece of white bread was used to erase graphite before rubber erasers were invented.
• In Poland, bread (and salt) are symbols of welcome.]
• Superstition says it is bad luck to turn a loaf of bread upside down or cut an unbaked loaf!
• Ancient Egyptians used moldy bread as a treatment for infected burn wounds, possibly already utilizing the antibiotic effects of molds accidentally discovered by Alexander Fleming

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