Crusty Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Bread
This bakery-quality artisan bread features sweet roasted garlic and fragrant rosemary baked in a Dutch oven for an incredibly crispy crust and soft, airy interior. No mixer required—just simple ingredients and patience.
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
- 1 head garlic whole head
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- salt pinch for roasting
Bread Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 1¼ cups warm water around 100°F
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped, or 1 tbsp dried
- 8-10 cloves roasted garlic roughly chopped
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for dough
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice off the top quarter inch of the garlic head to expose the cloves.
- Place garlic in a small oven-safe dish, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and add a pinch of salt. Cover tightly with lid or foil.
- Roast for 30-45 minutes until cloves are soft, golden, and sweet-smelling. Let cool completely, then squeeze out the roasted cloves and chop roughly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, honey, and warm water. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly.
- Add kosher salt, chopped rosemary, and roasted garlic cloves to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add flour in three batches, mixing with a wooden spoon after each addition until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry flour visible.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the dough and turn several times to coat all sides. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel.
- Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size and full of air bubbles.
- Generously dust a cutting board with flour. Gently tip risen dough onto the board without punching it down.
- Fold the dough like an envelope, pulling edges toward the center 4-5 times. Flip over and cup hands around dough, rotating gently while pulling toward you to create surface tension. Form into a smooth ball.
- Place dough seam-side down in a flour-dusted bowl or proofing basket. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place empty Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Carefully remove hot Dutch oven using thick oven mitts. Remove lid and gently tip dough into pot seam-side up (this creates rustic cracks).
- Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove lid and continue baking uncovered for 10-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Carefully transfer bread to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing to allow the interior to set.
Notes
No Dutch Oven? Use a deep baking dish covered with a cookie sheet, or bake in a preheated cast iron skillet with a pan of water on the lower rack for steam.
Storage: Store sliced bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Toast slices to refresh. Due to the roasted garlic, don't leave at room temperature overnight.
Make Ahead: Roast garlic 1-2 days in advance and store in the fridge.
Variations: Add ½ cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese when adding flour. Substitute thyme for rosemary. Add black pepper for extra flavor.
Doneness Test: Bread should be deep golden brown, sound hollow when tapped on bottom, and register around 200°F internal temperature.