Make your own 3 ingredient bread at home
What this is not
This is not a 'grow your own starter, 4 business days of proofing & 5 rounds of stretch and folds' bread. This bread recipe is more for an open faced avocado toast or to enjoy with soup.
With only 3 ingredients and a good night's sleep, you can be an artisan bread maker at home without all the extra ingredients shelf stable bread contains.
What you’ll need
2 large mixing bowls
1 Sheet pan
Parchment paper
1/2 tsp Dry active yeast
1 ½ cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt
3 cups (unpacked) (360g) Flour
Proofing your dough
I’ve tested a few methods and found one I enjoyed best. For a no-knead bread, you can proof your dough for anywhere from 3-12 hours. I know … that's a large time difference, so which time is best?
With a 2-4 hour proof your bread will be ready sooner!
With a 12 hour proof your bread will be ready with some patience waiting.
I like to keep an eye on the dough. When it's doubled in size, it's ready for baking. If a longer proof works better for you due to scheduling/life, that's totally fine. I wouldn't proof longer than 10-12 hours.
Both times worked great for me. Sometimes I make the dough at 7:30PM and then bake it the next day at 7AM! And sometimes I make the dough mid day to enjoy at dinner time. Just depends in when the idea pops in my head.
In summary, the proofing process doesn't need to be something overly stressed. The goal is to put a buttered slice of bread in our face hole ASAP. So, choose your proofing time as you see fit. Remember, dough should be DOUBLED in size!
Prepare your dough for the oven
Dust some flour on a sanitized surface to prevent any sticking. Plop your dough on the floured surface to shape. I like to tuck and roll to create a smooth top. I tuck the edges under the dough blob. The idea is to make a circle.
Once your dough is ready, take a piece of parchment paper the same length/ width as the sheet pan you plan to bake on, dust a little bit of flour, to prevent sticking, on the parchment paper before placing your dough blog in the center.
I cut a long slit on the top of the loaf to help the rise.
Once your dough is happily snug on the sheet pan, it’s ready for the oven.
Baking your bread
Bake for about 70-75 minutes
425 degrees
*You’re looking for a cracked golden crust. Feel for a hollow inside by tapping the top of your loaf.
When to slice your bread
Wait for your loaf to cool before cutting. 45 mins to an hour
How to store your bread
A loaf doesn’t last long in my house. To be safe. Eat within 3-4 days. Or slice and freeze to keep longer.
Reminder
This is supposed to be simple! Make your dough, proof for 3-12 hours, bake for an hour & then EAT!
Enjoy my friends!