Description
Bake bakery-style Rustic Yeast Ciabatta Bread right in your kitchen! This easy yeast ciabatta bread turns out light, airy, and perfectly crusty, no mixer needed, just simple ingredients and a warm oven.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 1/2 cups cake flour (or bread flour, if you prefer a chewier texture)
- 1 x 10 g sachet instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 500 ml lukewarm water
- 1/2 cup chopped pitted black olives (optional - for one loaf if you’d like a twist)
Instructions
- In a jug, mix 500 ml lukewarm water, 3 tsp sugar, and 1 x 10 g sachet of instant yeast.
- Give it a good stir, then let it sit for about 5 minutes until it’s nice and frothy.
- In a large bowl, sift together 3½ cups cake flour and ½ tsp salt.
- Make a little well in the center, pour in ¼ cup of oil, and then add your frothy yeast mixture.
- Mix it up with a wooden spoon until the flour’s all worked in. Don’t panic, it’ll be sticky and messy, that’s exactly what you want!
- Cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap and set it somewhere warm for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size and looks alive and bubbly.
- Lightly flour your counter and tip the dough out.
- Knock it back to release some air and knead for about 4 minutes.
- If it’s super sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons more flour, but keep it on the soft side.
- Divide the dough in half (or leave it whole for one big loaf).
- If you’re adding olives, knead ½ cup chopped pitted black olives into one piece.
- Shape into rustic loaves and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray dusted with flour.
- Lightly sprinkle the tops with flour.
- Loosely cover with a big plastic bag or clean towel and let rise again for 30 minutes until puffed.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Just before baking, make three quick slashes on top of each loaf using a sharp knife.
- Pop a small ovenproof bowl of water on the bottom rack to create steam (this helps get that amazing crust).
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped underneath and the crust is beautifully golden.
- Let them cool on a wire rack.
- Slice once they’re just warm, and enjoy that crisp crackle when you cut through!
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
