4-Ingredient Artisan Bread - Is It as Easy as Zoe and Jeff Make it Look!

Absolutely! After discovering the You Tube video way back in January of this year showing how easy it is to have fresh bread on the table every day after virtually minutes of prep, I vowed to give it a try.

 

Alas, days and weeks went by and although I occasionally was motivated to give it the old college try some other cookie or cake would take precedence.

 

Finally in this past week I have made 2 batches of this bread and it truly is simple, tasty and quick! All you need for success is large container with a lid, unbleached all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour, salt, yeast and water.

 

Measure 1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt (regular table salt is fine), 6 1/2 cups flour and 3 cups lukewarm water together. It doesn't even matter what order you put the ingredients in. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together and make sure to get the bits of flour that tend to adhere to the bottom. Once mixed the dough should have a wet consistency and look like the photo above.

Cover loosely with a lid or saran wrap making sure some of the gas can escape and leave it on counter for 2 hours. After 2 hours put it in the fridge..still with an opening for the gas to escape. Dough will keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

When you are ready for some fresh bread grab a portion of the dough, a large handful, and using a knife or scissors, cut if off. Flour your hands and sprinkle some on the sticky dough, and shape the dough into a smooth ball by gently smoothing the dough from the top to underneath. This step should take you all of about 45 seconds, yes only 45 seconds! Now place on a piece of parchment paper and leave it to rest for 40 minutes.

 

Preheat your oven to 450F and if you have a pizza stone preheat it in the oven as well. I just put a cookie sheet into preheat. As well have a cup of hot water ready to add to a metal pan for when you put dough in the oven.

 

The final step before baking, sprinkle with a little flour and using a bread knife cut several slits, about 1/4-inch thick, into top of bread. The bread expands a fair bit and this stops it from splitting and also adds to the look of the artisanal loaf. Now just transfer the loaf and parchment onto stone or cookie sheet in the oven, throw the cup of water into the waiting pan in the oven, close the door and set your timer for 30 minutes.

 

Voila, hot, crusty, fresh bread that will disappear as soon as you slice it up. Each batch of dough makes 4-5 smallish loaves.

Just how tasty is it...well I took 3 loaves over to a friends for dinner and as soon as I arrived the bread was cut into and disappeared within seconds. It was a hit with everyone wanting to know how to make it. Plus I bought a whole jar of yeast when grocery shopping this week instead of the little envelope as I know this will be one of my staple go-to recipes.

Sweet Enuf for me to make again soon.

 

 

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