Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 ½ cups (570g) white bread or all purpose flour (plus extra for dusting and worktop)
  • 2 tsp instant yeast (rapid rise yeast) (see notes if using dry active yeast)
  • 2 cups (500ml) lukewarm water
  • 2 tbsp runny honey (or sugar)
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary (optional)

Instruction

  • Combine the water and honey in a measuring jug.
  • Mix the flour and instant yeast together in a large bowl.
  • Add the water/honey and mix together with a wooden spoon until you have a sticky dough.
  • Add the salt and mix it in to distribute into the dough.
  • Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1 ½-2 hours, or until almost doubled in size. The rising time will depend on how warm the kitchen is, if it is really cold you might want to prove the dough in a warm (but turned off) oven to speed things up.
  • Dust your worktop with flour. Tip the dough on it and sprinkle with a little flour - it will be sticky (that's how it should be). Line a bowl or banetton basket with baking paper and dust with flour.
  • Use a pastry scraper to fold the edges over towards the centre to create a round loaf.
  • Carefully cup the loaf in your hands and transfer into the prepared bowl seam side down. Loosely cover with a plastic bag.
  • Preheat the oven to 220C (420F) and place a Dutch oven on low shelf to preheat for 30 minutes while the bread is having its second rise.
  • Slice the bread using a sharp knife or lame. Carefully remove the pot from the oven (it will be very hot so use oven mitts or pot holders).
  • Lift the bread out of the bowl using the baking paper and drop into the pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes then take out of the Dutch Oven and bake directly on the oven shelf for 5 minutes for extra crisp crust.
  • Leave the bread to cool before slicing.