Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
- 1½ cups (360 ml) warm water
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
Do not knead. Make sure there are no large pockets of dry flour.
2. Let it rise
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for 8–12 hours, ideally overnight. It should become puffy and develop bubbles.
3. Shape
Lightly flour your work surface and gently turn out the dough. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough and shape it into a loaf.
Place it into a lightly greased 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.
4. Second rise
Cover loosely and let the loaf rest for 30–60 minutes, until noticeably puffed.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
5. Bake
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
For an especially crisp crust, place a small oven-safe pan of hot water in the oven during the first 10–15 minutes of baking.
6. Cool
Remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
🧈 Serving Ideas
Enjoy it with:
- Butter and honey
- Jam or preserves
- Eggs and avocado
- Cheese and deli meat
- Soup or stew
- Simply toasted with a little butter
⭐ Helpful Tips
- Don’t over-flour the dough. A slightly sticky dough helps keep the bread soft.
- If your kitchen is cool, the first rise may take longer.
- Use instant yeast for the simplest preparation.
- Let the loaf cool before cutting so the crumb has time to set.
Yield: 1 loaf
Prep: 10 minutes
Rise: 8–12 hours + 30–60 minutes
Bake: 30–35 minutes
Total: About 9–14 hours, mostly hands-off