Same-Day Dutch Oven Bread
High-hydration artisan loaf made with fresh yeast, bulk fermented, shaped, and baked in a Dutch oven.
Ingredients
- 560 g bread flour
- 370 g water
- 11 g fine sea salt
- 12 g fresh yeast
- 10 g vegetable oil or olive oil
- 5 g sugar/honey (optional, for fermentation and browning support)
Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Bench scraper (optional)
- Baking parchment
- Dutch oven with lid
- Oven
- Sharp blade or bread lame
- Cooling rack
Directions
Mix the dough
In a large bowl, combine water, fresh yeast, and sugar/honey (if using). Stir to dissolve.
Add bread flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Let rest for 5–10 minutes.
Add salt and oil, then mix until fully incorporated and a shaggy dough forms.
Bulk fermentation
Cover and rest at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C) for 1½–2 hours.
During the first hour, perform two sets of folds:
- Fold #1 at 20 minutes
- Fold #2 at 40 minutes
To fold:
- Wet your hand
- Lift one side of the dough and stretch upward
- Fold it over itself
- Rotate bowl 90°
- Repeat for a full round
After folding, let the dough rest undisturbed until it increases in volume by about 75%.
Check bulk fermentation is complete
The dough is ready when:
- It looks smoother and slightly domed
- Small bubbles appear under the surface
- It jiggles when gently shaken
Turn out and handle
Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out. If large surface bubbles appear, carefully pop them without fully deflating the dough.
Pre-shape
Shape the dough loosely into a round (boule) or log (batard). Create light tension without overworking the dough.
Rest uncovered for 15 minutes so it relaxes.
Final shape
Shape into final loaf:
- Pull edges inward
- Build surface tension
- Seal seam underneath
Handle gently to preserve gas.
Final proof
Place seam-side down on parchment paper and cover lightly. Proof for 45–75 minutes.
Ready to bake when:
- Dough looks visibly puffy
- A finger dent springs back slowly
- Surface shows small bubbles
Preheat oven
Place Dutch oven inside oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 30–40 minutes.
Score and bake
Lightly flour the surface and score immediately before baking.
Bake:
- 20–22 minutes covered at 475°F
- 20–25 minutes uncovered at 425°F
Cool
Remove loaf and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Slight underproofing is better than overproofing.
- Strong surface tension improves oven spring.
- Fully preheating the Dutch oven is essential for a crisp crust.