Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread (Printable Version)

Aromatic bread with crisp crust, soft interior infused with garlic and rosemary

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour
02 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

→ For Dusting & Baking

08 - Extra flour or cornmeal for dusting

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, salt, and yeast until thoroughly combined.
02 - Pour in lukewarm water and olive oil. Stir vigorously until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary to the dough. Mix gently with your hands or a spatula until evenly distributed throughout.
04 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
05 - Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, gently fold the edges toward the center and shape into a round ball without overworking.
06 - Place the dough seam-side down on a piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes while the oven preheats.
07 - Position a Dutch oven with its lid on the center rack of your oven. Preheat to 450°F and let it heat for at least 30 minutes to ensure the pot is thoroughly hot.
08 - Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough and lower it into the hot pot.
09 - Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. The covered environment creates steam for a crispy, crackly crust.
10 - Remove the lid and continue baking for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust achieves a deep golden brown color.
11 - Lift the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The Dutch oven creates bakery style steam at home giving you that impossibly crisp crackly crust without any fancy equipment
  • Fresh garlic and rosemary transform humble ingredients into something that feels like it came from a European village bakery
  • Most of the time is hands off rise time so you can go about your day while the magic happens
02 -
  • The Dutch oven must be fully preheated or you will not get that dramatic oven spring and crispy crust
  • Resist the urge to add more flour during shaping. Sticky dough creates better bread and the parchment paper handles the mess
  • Letting the bread cool completely before slicing seems impossible but cutting it warm ruins the texture you have worked so hard to achieve
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale if you have one because flour measurements vary dramatically by how you scoop
  • The parchment paper makes transferring the dough effortless and prevents sticking

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