Classic Boule Bread Recipe | Tasting Table
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Servings:
1 boule
Ingredients
  • 6 ½ cups bread flour (preferably from Hayden Flour Mills), plus more for dusting
  • 2 ½ tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 3 ½ cups water
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the bread flour, salt and yeast. Slowly add in the water while mixing with a rubber bench scraper. Continue to mix until the dough becomes elastic, 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a ball, dusting with flour as needed. Place in a floured bowl and let sit at room temperature, covered, for 4 hours.
  3. Punch down the dough and scrape out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball, dusting with flour as needed, and place in a heavily floured bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 500 F with a baking stone on the middle rack.
  5. Gently transfer the dough to a heavily floured pizza peel, reshaping it to make it round.
  6. Make 3 parallel slits across the dough, cutting ⅛ inch deep.
  7. Transfer the dough to the baking stone and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
  8. Let cool completely before slicing.