Easy french bread

Step by step

1. Pour the water into the bowl of the KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with Dough Hook. Add yeast and sugar. Turn the stand mixer to speed 1 and mix for 30 seconds to dissolve. Attach the Sifter and Scale to the stand mixer. Turn the stand mixer to speed 1 and gradually sift the flour into the bowl. Add salt. Detach the Sifter and Scale from the stand mixer. Knead the dough on speed 1 for 2 minutes. Remove dough from the hook and place it back in the bowl. Dust the top of the dough with a bit of flour. Use a hand to turn and coat the dough in flour. Cover the bowl with a clean towel. Let the dough rise for 60 minutes.

2. Uncover the bowl and gently pull the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface. To form a ball, pick up one end of the dough and stretch it, then fold it into the center of the dough like you are folding an envelope. Continue until the dough forms a round bread loaf. Flip teh dough and gently place both hands on each side of the round and gently curl your right palm around the right edge while using your left hand to rotate the round on the surface. This action will smooth the dough into a round mound. Place the dough into a proofing basket. Cover with a clean towel and let the dough rise for 30 min.

3. While dough is on second rise, preheat the oven to 240°C. Place an empty Dutch oven in the oven. Once heated, remove from the oven.

4. Flip the dough from the proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the surface of the bread. Gently place the bread inside of the hot Dutch oven. Close the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 10 more minutes till the bread turns brown and crusty. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool before slicing.