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Homemade bread has a charm that no store-bought pastry can match. Not only does it smell wonderful, but you also know exactly what’s in it. Today we’ll introduce two tried-and-true recipes for homemade bread – one quick no-knead, the other traditional sourdough. Both are easy, tasty and the result will surprise you with their quality.
🥖 Recipe no. 1: Quick no-knead bread (baked in a cast-iron pot)
Ingredients:
- 500 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp dried yeast
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 350 ml lukewarm water
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast and salt. Pour in the water and stir with a spoon only – a sticky dough will form.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 12–18 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 230 °C and place an empty cast-iron pot with its lid inside.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, fold it several times toward the center and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to the heated pot, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Then remove the lid and bake for another 10–15 minutes until golden.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
Preparation time:
Rising: 12–18 hours
Baking: 45 minutes
Total: approx. 13–19 hours (only 10 minutes active work)
🍞 Recipe no. 2: Traditional sourdough bread
Ingredients:
- 500 g rye bread flour
- 150 g active sourdough starter
- 300 ml water
- 1.5 tsp salt
- Optional: caraway, sunflower or flax seeds
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients and work into a cohesive dough.
- Cover with a cloth and let rise for 4–6 hours, until the dough doubles in volume.
- Work the dough again, shape into a loaf and place in a banneton or bowl.
- Let rise for another 1–2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 230 °C with a baking sheet or baking stone inside.
- Carefully transfer the loaf to the hot baking sheet, score it and place in the oven.
- Bake the first 10 minutes with steam (a bowl of water), then for another 35–40 minutes without steam.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Preparation time:
Rising: 6–8 hours
Baking: 45–50 minutes
Total: approx. 7–9 hours
Servings:
Both recipes yield 1 loaf – approx. 10–12 slices of bread
Conclusion
Whether you choose the quick no-knead version or the traditional sourdough bread, the result will delight you. Homemade baked goods not only taste better, but also stay moist longer and contain no unnecessary additives. Plus you can customize it to your liking – with herbs, seeds or even garlic.
Bake your own fragrant loaf at home that will please the whole family just with its aroma.
