Artisan Peppered Caraway Bread: You’ll Wonder Why You Never Made It Before!
How else can I tell you about this wonderful crusty, round loaf of bread that will delight caraway seed lovers?
Your home will smell so good when you bake artisan peppered caraway bread.
Also, as with all of my bread recipes, this is prepared with simple ingredients that are readily available in grocery stores.
At the same time, you can make this wonderful round loaf of bread in just 2 hours!
How is that for fantastic?
Now, just so you know, I consider this ‘artisan’ bread as the top of the round loaf presents as such, and for no other reason.
In short, this is fabulous bread for any day of the week, as you can make it and bake it fast.
Additionally, I see a dip-filled bread in your future!
Yep, this peppered caraway bread is easily styled into a dip-mobile for your dunking pleasure!
Grab your measuring cups, mixing bowl, and flour sack towels, it’s time to bake bread!
Artisan Peppered Caraway Bread
I’d be remiss if I did not have you at least look at the bread baking essentials you could have in your kitchen, but won’t necessarily need for this recipe.
However, I will tell you this, I have many of the ‘baking essentials’ but I also sub out what I don’t.
For instance, I love my kitchen shears and when I am making artisan bread, often they are the ‘tool’ I use most frequently to score or ‘rip’ the top of the bread.
You could use a sharp knife as well.
Additionally, a good cotton towel will be the magic you need to drape over the bread while it’s waiting for the oven to come to temperature.
Let’s Talk Oven Temperature
Straight up 450° F without exception.
Preheat that oven.
Make sure it is at that temperature.
If it is not, do not put the prepared loaf into the oven.
Don’t skimp on prep.
Mixing Procedures You Need To Use
When you mix the flour, salt, and yeast, you must keep the SALT separate from the yeast before stirring.
Incorporate the yeast with the flour.
Then and only then mix in the salt.
In other words, they will be in the bowl together, but NOT until you have mixed yeast and flour together.
Or your yeast will be ‘dead’ because salt dumped atop yeast will kill your yeast viability.
Also, tap water, Not about 130°F.
Generally speaking (but also temp it) running your water until it’s hot will provide the perfect temperature.
Again, as bread making is a process, temp your water before adding to the mixture.
Attention To Baking
In the recipe below, I will share the exact times that you want to work with your bread while it’s in the oven.
Keep in mind that you need to work quickly in order to not lose the preheated oven!
Additionally, timing is everything.
All ovens are different, adjust accordingly as there is no ‘one size fits all’!
Let’s Bake Artisan Peppered Caraway Bread!
Artisan Peppered Caraway Bread
Ingredients
- 3 Cups of Flour AP or Bread (+ 1/4 c for bread prep and fingertips)
- 1 Teaspoons Yeast rapid rise or bread machine
- A teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 C of 130°F Water (this is the temperature of water run from the faucet.
- A 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 -2 Tablespoon of Caraway Seed just as much as you prefer with a minimum of 1 Tbsp
- 2 Tablespoons of Freshly Milled Ground Pepper you can add more or less as you prefer
- Water Mist bottle or a few teaspoons of water with a basting brush
- Parchment paper optional
- Dutch Oven or Large Pyrex Glass Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
- Oven Mitts
Instructions
- Start by pulling all of your ingredients onto your countertop.
- I always sift my flour ahead (I should show you on the video and I often forget, sorry), so sift your flour and set it aside.
- Next, In a large mixing bowl, place flour, yeast, and then salt very opposite the yeast (you don't want them touching.
- Now, mix the dry ingredients mixture.
- First mix the area with yeast and flour.
- Then combine that with the rest of the flour and the salt portion.
- Next, add in the water, and the olive oil.
- Mix, until then it all comes together and the dough is pulled from the sides and form a ball.
- At this point, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest on the countertop (not in the heated area) for 1 hour.
- At the One Hour Interval, It is TIME to PREHEAT your oven to 450° F.
- While the oven is preheating you will prep your bread for baking and allow it to rest once done, as this should take only a minute or 2.
- Please note: at this point, if you choose to use a Dutch Oven you can use it 'cold', and follow each step here as though it is being prepared under a glass bowl.
- Alternatively, follow the notes below to heat the dutch oven and use it differently. *****
- Once the dough has sat for that hour plastic-wrapped in the bowl, at the end of 1 hour, you will begin to work with it.
- Before removing the dough from the bowl, incorporate your freshly milled pepper and caraway seeds into the bread.
- Now, using a spatula, your hand, or a spoon, fold those ingredients into the dough before placing it on your countertop.
- Next, once incorporated, it's time to form an official ball of dough.
- Place the dough (that you just incorporated caraway and pepper in) onto a floured workspace (using some of that additional flour that you have from the recipe above)
- If any of the freshly added pepper or caraway comes out, just roll the 'sticky portions' of the dough right back over them and pick it up back up. Alternatively, you can pick it up and spray the top with water before baking to ensure it's all used.
- Pulling it up and pulling it over itself (either your hands or a dough scraper) tuck and pull to stretch that dough and work it into a nice ball.
- TIP: IF the dough is sticking to your hands keep the tips covered in flour.
- Continue to pull the dough from below to the top and when you get the good size ball, place it on a piece of parchment paper if you are using a glass oven-proof bowl as I did (4 qt pyrex bowl)
- Then atop the dough, cover it with an inverted glass, oven-proof bowl, like a pyrex glass bowl.
- ALTERNATIVE Prep METHOD - Dutch Oven See Notes below.
- Now it's time to preheat the oven to 450° F
- Once the oven has fully come to temperature, remove the pyrex dome, RIP your bread, (I used kitchen shears and made six cuts).
- Then, spray a mist of water atop.
- HINT: If you want to also toss the remnants of caraway seed, milled pepper, or even some garlic salt, now is the time).
- Place the bowl dome back atop the bread. (or lid onto cold dutch oven)
- Place the Domed Bowl or cold dutch oven into the oven and bake for 20 Minutes Covered at 450°F.
- Then at 20 minutes, open the oven and remove the domed cover, or if you used a dutch oven, remove the lid. (use oven mitts, this will be HOT)
- Decrease the heat to 400°F and allow the bread to bake for an additional 25 minutes (until the top presents as golden brown as in my photo.
- Remove, rest for at least 15 minutes, then serve warm!
- Enjoy! ~ Dana XO