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Crusty White Bread
Crusty White Bread
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Crusty White Bread

5 stars (849) Rate this recipe
Preparation
20 MIN
Cooking
1 H
Waiting
45 MIN
Raising
12 H
Makes
Makes 1 loaf, about 1 2/3 lb (750 g)
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Ingredients

Bread

Coating

Preparation

Bread

  1. In a large pot, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water. With a fork, stir until the flour is completely moistened, but not necessarily smooth. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.

Coating

  1. In a large bowl, place the whole wheat flour. Set aside.
  2. With your hands, directly in the pot, fold the risen dough onto itself, about 6 times, or until it is smooth.
  3. Transfer the dough into the bowl with the whole wheat flour and turn to coat the entire surface of the dough. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes at room temperature or until it has doubled in volume.
  4. Meanwhile, with the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 450°F (225°C). Place a 12-cup (3 litre) Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with its lid (not glass) in the oven, and heat for about 30 minutes.
  5. Remove the pot’s lid. Drop the floured bread dough in the centre of the hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 30 minutes.
  6. Let the bread cool on a wire rack or in the pot. Remove any excess flour.

Note

This recipe was inspired by the bread recipe created by Jim Lahey and presented by food writer Mark Bittman in the New York Times.

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Comments

  1. First time for me to bake bread with yeast and you made it not only delicious, but simple to do! I made a beautiful chewy loaf with a great crust. Thank you!

  2. Have to agree with Amanda D. 525g for 3.5 cups seems way off (and i only realized this after adding the 525 g of flour). Started researching this, and while every flour brand is slightly different - it seems that 3.5 c will land somewhere between 395 g and 425 g. So for me it was 3/4 c too much, had to add more water.

  3. Hi, I made this and is was good, but the crust was too thick. Is there a temperature range I can stop at instead of the 1 hour cook time? Or adjusting the times of uncovered/covered? Thanks

  4. I have made this bread often! I am curious to know, has anyone tried putting fresh or dried herbs in the bread, if yes, what kind and when in the cycle? What about fresh garlic?

  5. I have been baking my own bread for many years including sourdough bread.I saw this recipe and thought i would try it as i do love crusty bread but without the days of getting the sourdough starter to kick in.This bread was absolute perfection!Although i own many cast iron covered casserole pots i could not find one small enough for this recipe.I used a cast iron baking stone and my bread was perfect!

  6. Thank you Ricardo for this amazing recipe. My family and friends love it. I have made 4 loaves so far. I know I can count on you for amazing recipes. Another one my family loves is your crepes. Thank you

  7. Need some help: with the pandemic, I started to use a sourdough starter, but can't get the ratio right to get a consistent rise. I have loaves that are beautiful with only starter, I have great results with only yeast, but in the middle, for a less sour loaf, I seem to hit snags. I think the issue is not enough rise time when using a starter, both in the first and second proof, and possibly dough that is too dry. Anyways, this recipe is a keeper, provided you get the ratio and time right.

  8. Very good bread. Have made it twice now. however, I have a puzzling problem with it: after about the third day made, the crumb at the center turns sticky, almost wet ... not keeping it in plastic bag, I open the bag twice a day, yet it turns all sticky..Ricardo, à l'aide, please. Merci

  9. Contrary to what Amanda wrote on April 7th, 3 1/2 cups of flour weigh 525g, NOT 425g. When I made this delicious bread for the first time last week, I measured the flour in cups, so no problem. Today, out of curiosity while assembling my ingredients, I checked the weight = 525g, as stated in the recipe.

  10. Hi The bread is easy to make and beyond delicious .My husband and I have made over 70 loaves during this pandemic and delivered warm bread to dear friends thank you so much Ricardo. You helped us pass time in the kitchen and let us show kindness during these trying times. I have been a fan of you for many years. Everyone asks for this recipe!!!!! Ricardo is becoming a household name in many kitchens in Guelph. THANKS

  11. Super easy taste amazing. My favorite bread

  12. This bread was easy to make and delicious. I would love to know if I could prepare 2 loaves and bake them at the same time.

  13. Let me make an important point before. I cook but do not bake. The first time I made the bread it was great. On my second try The bread wasn’t good much too dense with no air pockets at all. At first I though it was the different flour I had used. Amanda’s post just cleared things for me. I weighed the flour the second time which I hadn’t done the first time.Guess I should have put two and two together when I noticed the mixture wasn’t the same as the first time . Thank you Amanda.

  14. Just to let you know there is a typographical error in the weight of the flour - 3.5 cups all-purpose flour is 425 grams, not 525 grams. I thought you may fix that up for us weighers out there :)

  15. Good bread but I measured the flour by weight indicated - I always bake by weight - and the dough was very stiff. I added another 1/4 cup of water and it worked OK. According to my calculations 3.5 cups of flour is 490g not 525g. I will try again with my calculations and I will likely reduce the second baking time by 5-10 minutes to avoid excessive browning of the bottom crust. I enjoyed this recipe.

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Recipes with the "Healthy Pick" stamp have been evaluated by a registered dietitian member of the Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec.