Dutch Oven Bread

Did I make this beautiful-looking bread? I think I did! It was beyond easy (no kneading) and it looks so artisan - makes me feel fancy. All you need is a dutch oven, like my beloved orange Le Creuset above, which also makes me feel fancy.

The loaf comes out with a crunchy golden crust and soft and chewy inside. The most amazing part: you get to choose the flavor! The flavor combinations are endless, so let your imagination and pantry contents run wild! 

We tried a rosemary Parmesan and cracked black pepper loaf with the agrodolce pork chops we made the other night. As well as, a sharp cheddar and jalapeno loaf that made for some killer garlic bread to accompany our spaghetti. 

Seriously though, what smells better than fresh baked bread throughout your house? Nothing. 

If you manage to resist consuming the whole loaf in one meal, make sure to eat in within 2 days. Otherwise, you will have yourself a new doorstop. That sucker will be hard as a rock.

Start by whisking together your flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. 

Add water and any ingredients you choose to flavor the loaf to the flour mixture. Simply stir until combined.

I flavored one loaf with diced jalapenos and sharp cheddar and the other with fresh rosemary, Parmesan, and coarsely ground black pepper.

All together the dough will look like this. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 12 hours (overnight is perfect).

This is how it looks after the yeast has risen. Now, dump it out onto a heavily floured surface. It's going to be sticky!

While the dutch oven is preheating in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes, shape your dough into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap as it sits. Once the dutch oven has preheated, place your round loaf directly inside of it. You do not need to use oil or cooking spray to grease it.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on and another 15 minutes with the lid off. Remove your bread from the dutch oven right away to cool. Then sit back and feel accomplished, as you admire that gorgeous bread you made.

Dutch Oven Bread

Adapted from Simply So Good, originally from Le Creuset

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Any chosen ingredients for flavor

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast. Add water and mix until combined. If making a flavored bread, fold in flavor ingredients now. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-18 hours. 

After dough has risen, preheat oven to 450. Place dutch oven with lid in the oven and heat for 30 min. Meanwhile, dump dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Shape it into a ball then cover with plastic wrap until the pot is ready. Once the pot is hot, remove from oven and drop the dough inside. Do not grease the pot! Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, bake for another 15 minutes. Remove bread from the dutch oven and set on a rack to cool.

Sharing this incredibly easy bread over at Crafty Scrappy Happy, 52 Mantels, The 36th Avenue, Somewhat Simple, Live Laugh Rowe, Loving this Crazy Life, Trendy Treehouse, Cookie Nut Creations, Shine on Fridays, Be Different Act Normal, Whipperberry, 30 Handmade Days, Tatertots & Jello, Bubbly Nature Creations, Tickled Pink, and Crumbs and Chaos .

Thank you Camie and Karena, at Cookie Nut Creations, for featuring my dutch oven bread!