Classic Boule

Prepare all your ingredients at your workstation. Warm the ceramic bread bowl by filling it with hot water, then, pour out the water and pat dry. Add the flour, yeast, and salt into the bread bowl and affix it to your stand mixer by inserting the dough hook and locking the head in place. Turn the mixer to speed 2 (low speed) to combine dry ingredients. After about 30 seconds, slowly stream in warm water. Allow the mixer to knead the ingredients for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or, until the dough pulls away from the bowl but is still wet. (It’s okay if some bits of flour remain around the edge.) Remove the dough from the hook, then place the dough in the bread bowl and dust the top of the dough with a bit of flour. Use a hand to turn and coat the dough in flour, then cover the bowl with the lid. The dough will be sticky, but there’s no need to form or additionally knead the dough at this point. Let the dough rise for 60 minutes.

Uncover the bowl and gently pull the dough from the bowl onto a generously floured surface. With dough in a rough round in front of you, pinch the top of the dough, stretch it away from you, then fold it into the center of the dough like you are folding an envelope. Give the dough a slight twist and do the same thing to the portion now at the top. Continue turning, stretching and folding the dough into the center for three to four full circles. (You will notice it gets harder to stretch the dough as you work.) After the final stretch and fold, flip the dough over, fold-side down. Gently place both hands on each side of the round and gently curl your right palm around the right edge while using your left hand to rotate the round on the surface. This action will smooth the dough into a round mound.

If needed, wash out the bread bowl and dry thoroughly. Then, generously flour the inside of the bread bowl and the top of the dough. Return the dough, seam side down, to the bread bowl. Cover the bowl with the lid and allow it to rise for 30 more minutes.


While dough is on second rise, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Set your rack as close to the center of the oven as possible while still leaving enough height for the lidded Bread Bowl to fit. When ready to bake, remove the lid from the bread bowl and line the inside of the lid with a round of parchment paper. Carefully invert the round from the bread bowl onto the parchment-covered surface (so the fold side is now facing up) being careful not to deflate it or disturb the shape. Dust out the excess flour from the bread bowl, then cover the dough with the bowl and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the bread bowl with oven mitts to expose the bread and finish baking for 10 more minutes, or until the crust is dark brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool before slicing. Makes 1 loaf of bread.

Recipe courtesy of KitchenAid.