Description
Bake a beautiful, flavorful batard bread at home! This easy-to-follow recipe delivers a crusty exterior and soft interior, perfect for sandwiches, soups, or simply enjoying with butter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (380g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) instant dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon honey (for flavor and yeast activation)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant dry yeast.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Mix: Add the lukewarm water and honey to the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Shaping and Second Rise: Gently turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Shape into an oblong batard. Place on parchment paper, dust with flour, cover, and let it rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Baking Instructions: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C) with a baking stone or Dutch oven inside. Transfer dough to the hot stone/Dutch oven. Score the top. If using a baking stone, add steam. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 425°F (220°C) and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
- Cooling and Slicing: Transfer the baked batard bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements.
- Ensure your yeast is fresh.
- Adding steam helps create a crispy crust.
- Don’t over-knead the dough.
- Experiment with different flours and flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of loaf)
- Calories: 210 Kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: batard bread, homemade bread, artisan bread, easy bread recipe, french bread, baking, bread recipe