This homemade artisan bread is easy to make and requires no special equipment or ingredients. Surprisingly flavorful and great for beginners.

I love this recipe because it is only 4 ingredients (really. Only four) and I can make the dough ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for when I am ready to bake it. Then it is as simple as shape it, bake it, and bam! some lovely bread is waiting for me to consume.

This bread is great for beginner bread makers because you don’t need any fancy equipment to make it or any fancy ingredients. No dutch oven is needed either.

It really reminds me of Panera-style bread, with the satisfying crust all around and the fluffy bread on the inside. Only it’s bigger and you can eat as much as you want.

This crusty bread tastes so good on its own, but you can also slather some butter on top or dip it into your favorite soup.

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Ingredients for Homemade Artisan Bread

There are only four ingredients

• Bread Flour. Bread flour has a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour. This gluten will improve the texture of the bread and give it more of a chew.
• Instant yeast. Instant yeast can be added directly to the flour. It is easier to use than active yeast, and more consistent with the rise.
• Salt. This will improve the flavor, especially since there are so few ingredients.
• Cool Water. Since we are resting this dough in the fridge for a long time, you want to use cool room temperature water instead of warm water. It can over proof if you use warm water.

You can also add any herbs you want to flavor your dough, like rosemary, garlic, or fresh dill. It’s up to you.

Storing It and Extra Tips

Try to avoid adding too much flour. You want the dough to be a little sticky. This combined with the long resting time, ensures the big air pockets.

Once the dough is rested, divide it into two to shape into loaves. You can decide if you want longer baguette-style loaves or round loves like the ones I show here. Lastly, using a bread lame or knife, score the tops. This helps to ensure an even rise and gives your dough a unique look.

I bake my bread over a tray lined with aluminum foil. To make a slightly crispier crust, preheat an empty tray with the oven. When you are ready to bake, put the dough in and place an ice cube in the tray. Close the doors immediately to trap the steam inside. This helps the outside of the bread crisp up.

This bread stores extremely well. The dough can rest in the refrigerator for up to three days before baking. You can also bake the bread and freeze it for 3 months. Just let it thaw in the fridge before trying to serve it.

Want More?

Try Out Similar recipes below:

• Buttery Vegan Brioche
• Super Fluffy Garlic Knots
• Fluffiest Vegan Milk Bread

I hope you try this recipe. If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below.

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