Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water, 110–120 degrees F

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 cups bread flour

• A generous pinch or two of salt

• 1 tablespoons room temperature butter

Makes 1 small boule.

Method

1. In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it stand 5-10 minutes until foamy.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and mix until the flour is absorbed.

3. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. To create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in, you can turn the oven on at 350 degrees F for one minute, then turn it off. You don’t want the oven to get too hot so be sure to turn it off after one minute.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 1.5 quart oven-safe bowl with a tablespoon of butter.

5. Using spatulas, punch down the dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be sticky. Scoop up the sticky dough ball and drop it into the buttered bowl.

6. Let the dough rise again for about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not use the warm-oven trick for the second rise, and do not cover the bowl for the second rise. Simply set your bowls on top of your oven, so that they are in a warm spot.

7. Bake in the preheated oven at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.

8. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake for another 17 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and turn the loaf of bread onto a cooling rack. If you’ve greased the bowl well, the bread should fall right out. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and enjoy!