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Peasant bread is a simple, rustic bread with essential ingredients like flour, yeast, water, salt, and sugar. This recipe can make anyone a bread baker!
What Is Peasant Bread?
Peasant bread is a simple bread that is easy to make and consists of only a few essential ingredients. This is why I decided to give bread baking a chance. I was intimidated by the thought of baking bread, but this recipe changed my mind. Now I am branching out and trying various loaves of bread that I will eventually post here.
The dough for peasant bread typically includes flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes a small amount of sugar. The inside of the bread is usually soft and chewy and has small air pockets throughout. Form the bread into a round loaf or a bowl and bake at a high temperature until it is golden brown and has a crispy crust.
Peasant bread can be used in many ways. Slice it and use for sandwiches or toast, tear it into pieces to dip in soup, or serve alongside hearty stews and roasts. Its simplicity and versatility make it popular for home bakers who want easy and satisfying bread.
Also, in recent years, “peasant bread” has gained a new meaning, referring to any bread made with a few ingredients and relatively easy to make. There are many recipes and blogs regarding this type of bread. I made this with a few variations and am pleased with how it turned out. It is a very versatile and accommodating bread to begin learning bread baking.
Cold Weather Bread Baking
I always feared how my bread dough would rise if my kitchen were cool. I discovered that allowing bread dough to rise when it is cold weather is a fairly simple process. You can use your oven! However, it is important to ensure that the temperature and humidity in the oven are appropriate for the dough to rise properly.
Preheat your oven to the lowest possible temperature setting, typically around 170°F (77°C). Once the oven reaches the desired temperature, turn it off and wait a few minutes to allow the oven to cool slightly.
While the oven is heating up, prepare your peasant bread dough according to the instructions in the recipe. Once the dough is ready, place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with a clean, damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Next, place the bowl with the dough in the warm oven and leave it to rise. The rising time can vary depending on the recipe and the quality of yeast used. Generally, a good rule of thumb for allowing bread dough to rise is to wait until it has doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Things to Remember
It is important to note that the oven should remain off during the entire rising process. Constant temperature fluctuations can impact the quality and texture of the bread, so it’s best to avoid opening the oven door until the dough has fully risen.
Once the dough has risen, remove it from the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Follow the recipe instructions for baking time and temperature, but note that bread can cook quicker when it has been allowed to rise in a warm oven.
So, basically, you will allow your peasant bread dough to rise in the oven; follow these simple steps: preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature, turn it off when the temperature is reached, place the dough in a covered bowl, let it rise in the oven until doubled in size, and then remove it from the oven and preheat the oven to the desired baking temperature before baking.
Step-by-Step Photo Guide
Peasant Bread - AKA No-Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water
Instructions
- Add the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast into a glass mixing bowl.
- Whisk these ingredients until well blended.
- Once well blended, add two cups of lukewarm water. Stir well until thoroughly mixed.
- Cover this mixture with a cloth or clean towel. Let set in a warm, dry area. Let it rise like this for 1.5 to 2 hours (see below for notes about what to do if you are baking during the cold months).
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it and spit it apart into 2 to 3 pieces (depending upon the size loaf you desire).
- Place each section in a buttered 1-quart glass Pyrex-style dish.
- Let the dough rise another 25-35 minutes or until it has about doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and passes the toothpick test.
Maria says
This was fantastic and super easy to make. I was surprised at the ease. 5 stars!
April's Antics says
Thank you! I am so glad that you enjoyed it. Please check out my other recipes.