Crusty French Country Bread

Easy dutch oven bread ready in just a few hours – no overnight rise needed! •Ingredients•
• 4 tsp. active dry yeast.
• 2 tsp. sugar. .
• 1 1/2 cups warm water . .
• 1.5 tsp. Sea salt .
• 8 cups ( 1 kg ) Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for dusting.
•Instructions:
1~ Combine yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup of warm water in a small bowl .
2~ Let the yeast proof for about 10 minutes, until the mixture looks nice and foamy.
3~ In a large Bowl place the flour and the salt on the side (see stories) Add the yeast mixture in the center and stir until well combined. Add a little more of warm water as needed, mixing well after each addition.
4~ When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hour.
5~ When dough has risen, Tip the dough out of the bowl and onto the cutting board. DO NOT PUNCH THE DOUGH DOWN – you want to keep all those nice air bubbles intact so you have an airy, delicious loaf of bread.
6~ Separate your dough into 2 pieces then begin shaping it into a two round loaf.
7~ Flour 2 proofing basket or a small mixing bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so.
8~ While bread proofs, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 460 degrees F.(opt)
9~ Tip your bread dough gently out of the proofing basket and place it – seam side UP into the hot dutch oven.
10~ Brush the top with butter or olive oil and sprinkle some Sea Salt.
Put the dutch oven lid back on the pot, and slide the whole thing back into your hot oven.

11~ After 12 to 15 minutes, remove the lid from your dutch oven. The bread should be crusty and lightly browned. Continue cooking, uncovered, for the next 20- 25 minutes more until the bread has deepened in color and you have a beautiful brown crust.
12~ Let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it.