How to make the BEST Boule Bread

After months of trying, and testing, and tweaking, I have finally got it!

This is the BEST recipe to make your very own home made boule bread and the most amazing thing about this recipe is that you don’t need to make a starter or feed your dough!

Yup.

You can make this bread within a few hours. Guaranteed.

The result is a beautiful crusty bread that sounds hollow when tapped. There are beautiful pockets of air and just a really deep flavour profile. It’s the sort of thing that makes you feel like a freaking Domestic Goddess and channel all of those Nigella Lawson vibes.

I mean this.

There is nothing better than the smell of fresh bread in the home and the feeling of producing something so simple , yet homey and absolutely delicious. This recipe is one that you will keep with you and will definitely be sharing with your friends.

Plain Flour vs Bread Flour

The age old conversation about bread flour vs plain flour.

Can I use plain flour in this recipe? ABSOLUTELY! And it will still be absolutely amazing.

Bread flour has a higher level of protein in it, which gives you a deeper flavour and crustier result to the bread. Of course, if you are able to source bread flour and use, then by all means go ahead. Bread flour is usually a fair bit pricier, so if this is a factor to you then I suggest sticking to plain flour.

And I do meant it when I say that the result will be amazing regardless.

How to make Boule Bread

This is the part where we discuss using yeast. Remember to make sure your yeast is alive (yes. That is how to describe it). Check the expiry date on your box/sachet to check if your yeast is alive! If you aren’t sure, simply check with a 1/4 tsp of yeast in lukewarm water – if it blooms and generates a frothy layer then you are good to use it. Else, just throw it away and buy a new packet.

In my recipe I have used instant yeast. If you are using active dry yeast, simply half the amount. In terms of the yeast, this does not have to be super precise. Unlike baking cakes and cookies, the measurements for bread are far more dependent on the temperature, humidity and overall ingredients. So by adding 1/4 tsp additional yeast is not going to drastically change anything here.

What the yeast needs however is water at the right temperature. If the water is too hot, the yeast will die and unfortunately won’t form the foamy liquid we need for the bread. If the water is too cold, the yeast won’t have the right environment to foam and froth. To achieve the best foam, you need the water to be roughly 30 degrees Celsius or a touch warmer than lukewarm.

With the water, you need something to feed the yeast. This is sugar! Now you can substitute the sweetener and use white sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, or even agave bearing in mind that the flavour changes with the different ingredients ever so slightly.

Make sure you do not add salt to the yeast mixture! It will immediately kill the yeast.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, and salt. Once the yeast is ready, add all of it into the flour mixture and knead really well. I let the dough knead for about 8 minutes using my dough hook and stand mixer, adding in 1tbsp of flour at a time if the dough looks too wet. If you are kneading by hand this will take about 10-15 minutes. The dough should come together to form a lightly sticky ball.

Let the dough rest for at leas 90 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size. I let the dough rest in the warmest part of the home in winter, or just on the kitchen bench on a warm day. If it is particularly cold, you can set your oven to warm for 20 minutes before switching it off and placing the bowl with the dough in the oven. Make sure the bowl is covered with a lid or damp tea towel to prevent the dough from getting dry. This step is super important.

After the dough has finished it’s first rest, prepare your additions if you are using some. I like adding in some chopped olives, peppers, sundried tomatoes, or garlic into the dough. Make sure you slice them up into thin pieces. When you are ready, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. DO NOT punch out the air!

Instead, dampen your hands and gently pull the sides of the dough to fold and knead it through. Add the additions in between each fold ensuring the additions are all incorporated. Now let the dough rest, covered, for another 30 minutes in a bread lame if you have one, or using a cotton piece of fabric with flour dusted all over. This time you are actually covering the dough itself NOT the bowl. At this point pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees Celcius and place your Dutch oven (with the lid on) on the middle rack.

After the dough is rested, overturn the dough onto a large piece of baking paper – this will make lifting the dough into the Dutch oven significantly easier. If you have a bread razor, now is the time to get your designs in. You could alternatively use a very sharp knife as well.

Now open the oven, and remove the Dutch oven (with your MITTENS!) and place it on a heat proof mat or on your stove. Gently life the dough using the baking paper to assist and carefully lower it directly into the hot Dutch Oven. Return the Dutch Oven with the lid on to the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes. After that, remove the lid and let the bread continue to bake for 15 minutes or until beautifully golden brown.

To remove from the oven, gently remove the Dutch Oven and set onto a heat proof mat or over your stove. Carefully use the edges of the baking paper to remove the bread and transfer it to a cooling rack. I suggest placing the cooling rack right next to the Dutch Oven before doing this. Remove the edges of the baking paper and let the bread cool. Once the bread is cool enough to touch, do a quick knock test by tapping the base of your bread with your knuckles – it should sound hollow!

And that is it!

As always, let me know how you go with my recipe! Be sure to share your photos with me @theminiaturelife on Instagram (make sure you also DM me!). I cannot wait to see all of your bread creations