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Crusty Italian Bread: Bake Perfect Crust Every Time! Recipe

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4.8 from 105 reviews

This Crusty Italian Bread recipe guides you through making a classic, golden-brown loaf with a perfect crunchy crust and soft interior. Using active dry yeast and simple pantry ingredients, the bread is kneaded, allowed to rise twice, then baked on a hot baking stone to develop an ideal crust every time.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Mix Dough: Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir together until a rough dough forms, ensuring all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  3. Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for about 8-10 minutes. Continue until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
  4. First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
  5. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Surface: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Place a baking stone or an inverted baking sheet inside the oven to heat thoroughly while the dough rises.
  6. Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough gently to release air. Shape it into a round loaf and place it on a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer.
  7. Second Rise: Cover the shaped loaf with the kitchen towel and let it rise an additional 30 minutes to puff up further.
  8. Score Loaf and Bake: Using a sharp knife, make several slashes on top of the loaf to allow for oven spring. Carefully transfer the loaf along with the parchment paper onto the hot baking stone or inverted baking sheet.
  9. Bake Bread: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, indicating it is fully baked.
  10. Cool Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, to maintain its structure and texture.

Notes

  • Using a baking stone helps achieve a crispier crust by evenly distributing heat.
  • Make sure your water is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
  • Kneading develops gluten which gives the bread its structure; you can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook.
  • Covering the dough during rising prevents drying out and promotes proper fermentation.
  • Allow the bread to cool fully before slicing to avoid a gummy texture.

Keywords: Italian bread, crusty bread, homemade bread, baking bread, yeast bread, classic bread loaf

Find it online: https://heutigemahlzeiten.com/crusty-italian-bread-bake-perfect-crust-every-time-recipe/