Easy crusty mini bread loaves, the easiest homemade bread recipes you can make with 5 basic ingredients: bread flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt, and nothing else. A rustic loaf with a golden crust, but white and fluffy on the inside, this bread fills the kitchen with a fantastic aroma that reminds me of childhood. A bakery-style bread inspired by artisan bread and baguettes.
This is the very definition of everyday bread that our grandparents used to bake every day in the past, it's bread that doesn't use anything fancy, just simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry.
No milk, no eggs, no cream, just plain bread that everyone can enjoy no matter your lifestyle. It does use regular wheat bread, so I am afraid it's not gluten free though.
Making your own bread might sound complicated, time consuming and pointless. After all, shops do have a large selection of breads on offer, but trust me, there is nothing quite like making your own.
It's incredibly rewarding, fun and guaranteed a success if you follow all the steps, so these mini baguettes are in fact surprisingly easy to make. They aren't quite like the traditional French baguettes, which require a longer fermentation and very specific shaping.
But rather rustic bread that doesn't look perfect, and it doesn't have to actually. It's just an easy crust bread that tastes like heaven and can be enjoyed with pretty much everything, from soups, stews, sandwiches and so on.
I do have a sandwich bread recipe too, if you are looking for a larger loaf that can be sliced, and I also have dinner rolls that are soft and pillowy, potato bread plus a selection of quick breads like soda bread, soda bread rolls or brown soda bread.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- flour - I used strong white bread flour, which works the best to give you the perfect bread. Plain flour can be used too, but with a slight texture difference and a thinner crust
- yeast - I always use dried fast-action yeast rather than fresh yeast, if you use that, you need about 25 g of fresh yeast instead of 2 teaspoons of dried yeast
- salt - regular table salt is what I used, nothing fancy here
- sugar - it helps activate the yeast
- water - make sure it's warm water, cold water won't help the yeast work its magic
Step-by-step photos and instructions
How to make the bread dough
- add the yeast to the warm water together with the sugar and one teaspoon of flour, and give it a good stir
- set it aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy
- in a large bowl, sift the flour, add the salt and yeast mixture, and knead gently to get a smooth, slightly sticky dough - dust some more flour over the dough if it sticks to your hands too badly
- cover the bowl with clingfilm, and leave it to prove for about 2 hours or until the dough is double in size
How to shape the mini loaves
- transfer the dough onto a floured work surface
- divide the dough into 3 equal parts, and shape them into mini baguettes, then transfer them onto a baking tray
- cover them with a kitchen towel and leave to prove again for 30 minutes
- preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (430 degrees Fahrenheit)
- score the baguettes
- add one cup of hot water to the dripping pan in the oven (or another tray you have around), place the bread on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden, and if you turn it over, it sounds hollow when you give it a sharp knock
Expert tips
That perfect crust is due to the fact that the rustic bread is usually lean, which means it uses just water, flour, salt and yeast or starter.
The steam created by the hot water added to pan which goes on the bottom rack also helps getting the crust we love. Plus, the bread is baked at a high temperature, where other type of breads are baked at a much lower temperature.
Use bread flour for the best texture, this has a higher protein content which helps create a better structure.
Don't skip the second proof, this helps the loaves become lighter and airier. Skipping this step might lead to a denser bread.
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Easy Crusty Mini Bread Loaves
Ingredients
- 250 g strong white bread flour ( 2 cups)
- 160 ml warm water (â…” cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried fast-action yeast
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Instructions
- Add the yeast to the warm water together with the sugar and a teaspoon of flour, and give it a good a stir.
- Set aside until the mixture becomes frothy, in a warm place it can take 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the salt and yeast mixture, and knead gently to get a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Dust some more flour over the dough if it sticks to your hands too much
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm, and leave it to prove for 2 hours or until the dough is double in size.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface.
- Divide the dough in 3 equal parts, shape them into mini baguettes, and transfer them onto a baking tray, then cover them with a kitchen towel.
- Leave to prove again for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (430 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Add one cup of hot water to the dripping pan in the oven (or another tray you have around) to create steam.
- Dust some flour on top of the loaves, then use a sharp knife to score the baguettes.
- Place the baking tray onto the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden, and if you turn it over, it sounds hollow when you give it a sharp knock.
Video
Notes
- Use bread flour for the best texture, this has a higher protein content which helps create a better structure.
- Don't skip the second proof, this helps the loaves become lighter and airier. Skipping this step might lead to a denser bread.
- If your kitchen isn't warm enough to prove the bread dough, you can turn the oven on on its lowest temperature for 5-10 minutes, then place the dough in there to prove
Nutrition
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Jeanette says
Would this be a good bread to make homemade croutons
KIMBERLY A MILES says
Great little bread! The crust is perfect! I added bran and parmesan cheese to mine and it was delicious! Thanks for the simple delicious recipe.
Daniela Apostol says
I am glad you liked it, l make it very often.