No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

This simple, no-knead artisan bread is cooked in a cast iron dutch oven. It is crispy on the outside and perfectly soft, chewy and airy on the inside.

Author: The Craft Patch

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a large plastic or glass bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for about 24 hours.
After 24 hours, place your lidded cast iron pot in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
While the oven is preheating, sprinkle flour on a clean countertop and plop the dough onto the flour. Shape into a nice round loaf shape. Cover with a clean tea towel until the oven is hot.
When the oven is up to temperature, place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven and drop the dough + parchment paper into the pot. Be careful not to touch the sides!
Place the lid back on the pot and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, then bake for 15 more minutes.
Remove the loaf from the dutch oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

Note: The crispy, flaky crust lasts for about 1 hour after it comes out of the oven. After that, the crust softens. It's delicious both ways, but if you want the crispy crust, you'll need to time your meal prep accordingly. I like to start about two hours before dinner.

Note: Adding herbs and spices to the dough is a fun variation. I tried garlic powder, onion powder, basil and oregano and it was amazing!