Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven - Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2024)

FAQs

What is the best temperature to bake bread in a Dutch oven? ›

Turning proofed bread dough out right into a preheated Dutch oven instead of on a pizza peel. My method for baking bread dough in a Dutch oven: Preheat your home oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 to 45 minutes.

Shape into 2 loaves or 1 boule.

You can shape the bread into a round loaf (boule) or two longer loaves. I usually make 2 longer loaves side-by-side on a flat baking sheet, about 9×3 inches each. Score with a sharp knife or bread lame. Preheat the oven to a very hot 475°F (246°C).

A Dutch oven is a catch-all term for enclosing your loaf inside a chamber for the first 20 minutes of the bake and then baking without the lid for the next 20 minutes. Enclosing a loaf like this in the initial part of the bake helps the loaf to achieve really good oven spring.

As long as you have a lid to cover it, the bread comes out perfectly every time. I found that using a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven yields the perfect round shape. Fight the urge to grease your Dutch oven. Because of the high temperature, the fat will burn off almost immediately, giving your bread a charred taste.

Any tips for preventing a thick, hard crust on the bottom of my bread done in a Dutch oven? Make sure you are using a heavy gauge Dutch oven and that it isn't too close to the bottom heat element in your oven. If you are still getting a thick, hard crust, you can put a pillow of foil down, like this.

The high heat inside the Dutch oven brings the water inside the dough to evaporate. Because you have the lid on top, the steam is trapped inside and creates a hot and steamy environment. This helps your bread to stay moist and flexible so it can rise and expand easily.

“For crusty artisan bread, one way to determine doneness is by thumping the bottom of the loaf,” says Barb. “Give it a few quick knocks on the bottom of the loaf with your knuckles; if it sounds hollow, that tells you it's fully baked.”

Artisan breads are characterized by their lean formulation (i.e. low sugar and fat level), little to no use of dough conditioners (except for enzymes used for dough strengthening and crumb softening), and high or low hydration levels (depending on shape and spread desired by the baker).

Baking bread at a higher temperature, typically around 400-450°F (200-230°C), is often recommended because it helps create a crisp and well-risen crust while maintaining a soft interior. However, the ideal temperature can vary depending on the type of bread you're making.

Whether you're cooking with a large Dutch oven or a smaller one, you can make life easier with parchment paper. A classic use of parchment paper while cooking with a Dutch oven is when baking bread.

Why is my Dutch oven bread so dense? ›

Usually bread will be dense when there is too much flour. Keep in mind this dough will be sticky and shaggy, do not add any more flour than specified. Other factors that come into play are humidity and age of flour. Little yeast, long rise, sticky dough are keys to a good, light loaf.

A preheated dutch oven will create steam

In bread baking, hot steam reacts with the dough to quickly expand it, leaving behind those signature air holes inside the bread. It also produces a shiny, crisp crust on the exterior. In short, steam makes bread look and taste gorgeous.

Wetting the dough causes the surface to steam. Covering it traps the moisture. This partnership stops the bread from drying out on the surface in the hot air of the oven and forming a premature crust. Your bread rises more and produces a richer colour, becoming glossy on the surface.

Preheat Dutch oven in the oven with the lid off at 500F/260C. Many bakers will continue preheating for 10-20 minutes after the oven reaches target temperature to ensure the Dutch oven is at its hottest. Lower the loaf into the Dutch oven using a sling made of parchment or silicone.

You just need a lid to cover it and the proper heat-conducting cast-iron material, and your bread will come out perfectly every time. Size & Shape: Look for a 6- to 7-quart, round Dutch oven. Anything much bigger will cause the bread to spread out and go flat.

You want a consistent temperature for your bread too. Commercial bread ovens can bake 260°C (500°F) or higher – not generally achievable with a domestic oven.

Score and bake

While the bread is proofing, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a lidded cast-iron pan inside. (Note: your bread will bake better if you have a baking stone on the oven rack below your bread. It will act as a buffer against the heating elements in the bottom of your oven.)

The 190°F loaves are moister and softer; the 205°F loaves, drier. And after a couple of days, the 190°F loaves still retain some moisture — making them seem fresher. Verdict: Pan bread (sandwich loaves) are fully baked, yet still nicely moist and tender, when baked to 190°F.