Bread baking has a reputation for being finicky. That reputation is mostly unearned. A basic yeasted loaf has four ingredients, two active steps, and requires no special equipment beyond a bowl, a pot, and an oven. The gap between a bad loaf and a great one is usually one of three things: incorrect hydration, skipping the rest time, or not weighing ingredients. Fix those and you get consistent bread.
What changed in 2026
- Bread flour quality improved at commodity price points; most supermarket "bread flour" now has reliably higher protein content (~12–13%) which gives better structure.
- Instant yeast is the default — it's more reliable, stores longer, and doesn't need proofing in warm water first. SAF Instant is the widely available benchmark.
- Cold-proof technique went mainstream thanks to social-media bakers. It's genuinely better: slower fermentation develops more flavor and fits a busy schedule.
- Kitchen scales under $15 are now accurate and reliable; there's no excuse to measure flour by volume anymore.
The ingredients
| Ingredient |
Weight |
Notes |
| Bread flour |
450g |
All-purpose works; slightly less chew |
| Water |
320g (71% hydration) |
Lukewarm (~30°C / 85°F) |
| Salt |
9g |
Fine sea salt |
| Instant yeast |
4g |
(~1¼ tsp) |
This makes one ~700g baked loaf. Scale up or down proportionally.
How to bake bread step by step
1. Mix (5 minutes)
Combine flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add salt to the flour (not directly on yeast). Add water and mix with a fork or your hand until no dry flour remains. It will look shaggy and feel sticky. That is correct.
2. Rest — stretch and fold (30 minutes × 3)
Cover the bowl. Every 30 minutes for the first 90 minutes, do a "stretch and fold": grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, fold it over the center. Rotate 90° and repeat 3 more times. This builds gluten without kneading.
3. Bulk ferment (1–2 hours at room temp, OR overnight in fridge)
Let the dough rise until roughly doubled. Warm room (24°C+): ~1.5–2 hours. Cold fridge method: cover and refrigerate 8–16 hours. Cold-proofed loaves have better flavor and a more open crumb.
4. Shape
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press flat, fold the edges to the center, flip seam-side down, and use your hands to drag it toward you to create surface tension. Place seam-side UP in a floured bowl (banneton or regular bowl lined with a floured tea towel).
5. Final proof (45–60 minutes)
If you cold-proofed overnight, go straight to baking. If you fermented at room temp, rest the shaped loaf 45–60 minutes covered.
6. Preheat oven + Dutch oven (30–45 minutes at 230°C / 450°F)
Put your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven while it preheats. This is the step most beginners skip and regret.
7. Bake
Tip the dough into the screaming-hot Dutch oven (seam-side down), score the top with a sharp knife or blade (one long cut at a 30° angle), put the lid on.
- 20 minutes lidded — steam inside creates the crust
- 20–25 minutes without lid — crust browns and crisps
Internal temperature done = 96°C / 205°F.
8. Cool (minimum 45 minutes)
Do not cut a hot loaf — the crumb is still setting. Cutting early gives a gummy interior.
How to pick your first approach
- No Dutch oven? Use a loaf tin. You lose the artisan crust but get a perfectly edible sandwich bread.
- First time? Use room-temp fermentation — you can watch the dough and judge readiness visually.
- Want better flavor with less effort? Go cold-proof after mixing, bake the next morning.
- Want sourdough? Master yeasted bread first. The technique is the same; only the leavening differs.
Common mistakes
Measuring flour by volume. A cup of flour can weigh 120–180g depending on how you scooped it. Buy a scale.
Killing yeast with hot water. Water above ~43°C kills yeast. Use comfortably warm, not hot.
Under-fermenting. Dough that hasn't doubled will be dense. Be patient; cold kitchens slow fermentation.
Over-flouring on shaping. A little flour is fine; a lot toughens the exterior.
Cutting too soon. A gummy crumb is usually a too-early cut, not an under-baked loaf.
What to skip
- Bread machines for learning — they hide the process and you learn nothing transferable.
- Bread improvers and additives for a home loaf — unnecessary at this scale.
- Recipes that require preferments (poolish, biga) on your first loaf. Get one clean result first.
FAQ
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes. All-purpose flour has ~10–11% protein vs. ~12–13% for bread flour. The loaf will be slightly less chewy but will work fine, especially for beginners.
Why is my bread dense?
The four most common causes: under-fermented (didn't fully rise), too much extra flour added, yeast was killed by hot water, or oven wasn't hot enough.
Do I need to score the bread?
Yes. Without a score, the loaf bursts unpredictably at weak points. One clean slash lets the loaf expand in a controlled direction.
How do I store homemade bread?
Cut-side down on a board for the first day, then in a paper bag or bread box for 2–3 days. Don't refrigerate — it dries the crumb. Slice and freeze what you won't eat in 2 days.
Where to go next