Name: Easy Country Bread Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 5 h 25 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 150 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred; 30 g whole wheat flour, organic stone-milled preferred; 1/2 tsp active dry yeast; 230 g water, room temperature; 390 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred; 1 tsp active dry yeast; 1 tbsp cane sugar, organic unrefined preferred; 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt, or sea salt; 230 g water, room temperature; 135 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred

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Easy Country Bread featuring organic all-purpose flour and a splash of organic whole wheat flour is so naturally yummy and healthy. This homemade artisan bread is perfect for breakfast or side dishes.

Country Bread Recipe Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a country bread?

They feature a thick crust and a rustic look, usually in the shape of rounds. A splash of whole wheat flour is often used, which lends French Country Bread a satisfying substantial flavor and taste.

Do I need bread flour to make bread?

The short answer is no, all-purpose flour is all you need as long as you know a few tips and tricks on how to work the flour properly and how to leverage the active dry yeast to its maximum strength.

How to make a thick bread crust?

When there is sufficient steam circulating inside the oven while baking the bread, it will help the bread form a thick crust. I usually just place a small baking pan in the lower rack holding a few ice cubes. It will do the trick.

How to make country bread easy and yummy?

It is super easy to make this nutritiously delicious bread, a straightforward 4-step process.

Step 1 is to make a starter and rest for 2 hours

Add half a teaspoon of active dry yeast to a small glass bowl, along with about 1/2 cup of water, mix & blend until the active dry yeast is all dissolved into a smooth consistent paste.

Dissolving the active dry yeast first is the ultimate key to making fluffy bread or buns, which is the secrete to unleash the maximum strength of the active dry yeast.

Mix all-purpose flour, a splash of whole wheat flour, the yeast paste you just mixed, and water. The starter looks like a thick batter. Cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

After two hours of proofing, the starter has almost doubled its size and is bubbling.

Step 2 is to make a thicker batter and rest for 30 minutes

Add one teaspoon of active dry yeast to a small bowl, add water and make a smooth consistent paste.

Add the yeast paste you made along with flour, sugar, and salt to the starter bowl. Use your hands to pull the dough apart and then knead or press it together. Add water gradually and repeat until you form a thicker batter.

This batter should look thicker than the starter. Cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Making thicker batter for country-style bread recipe

After 30 minutes of rest, the batter looks puffy, and you are ready to proceed to the next step which is to blend it with extra flour and make a sticky dough.

Step 3 is to make the soft bread dough and rest for 2 hours

Add extra flour to the mixing bowl and form a sticky dough. The dough is super stretchy by now already.

Hold the dough in one hand and then slam it against a hard surface, such as a kitchen countertop. As you slam the dough, it stretches out and becomes smooth.

By the way, the more you slam the dough, the smoother and softer the bread will become. If you preper a rough texture, then skip the slaming step.

Divide the dough into two equal portions. For each portion, roughly fold into a ball shape and use two hands to make it round and tall. Place them on a coconut oil greased baking pan. Let them rest for 2 hours, ideally in an enclosed area.

country bread dough before additional proofing

Toward the end of two hours, the dough doubles its size.

Final Step 4 is to bake the bread

Preaheat the oven to 475 F, and then lower to 425 F and bake for 35 minutes. Place about 6 ice cubes in a small pan in the lower rack. Remember to score the bread right before you place them in the oven using a lame or a knife.

Enjoy a yummy homemade artisan country-style bread!

homemade artisan country-style bread recipe

Easy Country Bread Recipe

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

For Starter:

150 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred
30 g whole wheat flour, organic stone-milled preferred
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
230 g water, room temperature

For Forming a Thick Batter:

390 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp cane sugar, organic unrefined preferred
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt, or sea salt
230 g water, room temperature

For Forming Bread:

135 g all-purpose flour, organic preferred

Instructions

Prepare a Starter:

Gather starter ingredients. Measure and place all-purpose and whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl.
Measure the water in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Add the active dry yeast powder to a small bowl along with about 1/2 cup water from the measuring cup. Mix well until the active dry yeast is fully dissolved and blended into a smooth paste.
Add the yeast paste to the large mixing bowl and the rest of the water. Mix well using a pair of cooking chopsticks.
Cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 2 hours.

For Forming a Thick Batter:

Gather additional ingredients to form a thick batter. Measure the water in the 2-cup measuring cup. Add 1 tsp active dry yeast to the small bowl. Use the same process as before to form a smooth paste.
Add the flour into the starter mixing bowl, as well as the yeast paste, sugar, and salt.
Use both hands to pull the dough apart and then knead or press it together. Add water gradually and repeat until you form a thick batter.
Cover it with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

For Forming Country Bread:

Measure 135 g of all-purpose flour and add it to the mixing bowl.
Use both hands to continuously pull the dough apart, and re-knead it together until you form a sticky dough.
The dough is very stretchy already.
Optional Step if you prefer a smooth texture - hold the dough in one hand and then slam it against a hard surface such as a kitchen granite countertop. As you slam the dough, it further stretches out and becomes smooth.
Grease a baking pan with coconut oil in the diagonal areas.
Divide the dough into two equal portions, with each portion about 565 g. For each portion, roughly fold into a ball and then use both hands to make it round and tall. Place both onto the greased area.
Place the baking pan in an enclosed area such as the oven and let it rest for 2 hours. The dough should double its size by the end of the two hours.

Bake the Country Bread:

Preheat the oven to 475 F.
Use a bread lame or knife to score the bread. Place 6 ice cubes in a small baking pan.
Lower the temperature to 425 F, place the baking pan on the middle rack, and the small pan holding ice cubes on the lower rack, and bake for 35 minutes.
All done. Turn off the oven. Remove both baking pans from the oven. Let the bread cool down on the wired rack.
Enjoy a naturally yummy and healthy country bread!

Notes

If you are OK or prefer a rougher texture, then skip the slamming dough step.