How To Make Your Very Own Dutch Oven Bread on the Campfire!

Challenge: Name a better smell than fresh bread straight of the fire?

That's right... there isn't one! Bread dates back to around 8000BC [1], so if the folks back then could bake it, there are no excuses not to make your own! This recipe will guide you step by step to show you how easy it is to create your very own loaf of bread straight from the fire.  

Go from this:                              To this:

What you will need:

Step 1: 

Prepare all your ingredients as well as your cooking appliances. You will need a Dutch oven, kiln dried logs (we recommend Flaming Firewood), a firelighter and parchment paper. 

Step 2: 

Start preparing your bread dough. In a large bowl mix together 700g of strong white flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 14g sachet of fast-action yeast. Gradually add water and mix with a spatula. You might need to add more water if your ingredients have not combined fully. You should end up with a sticky dough. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to stand for about 2 hours in a warm room.

Step 3: 

While your bread is rising, carefully light your fire using kiln dried logs and a firelighter- we recommend our new KindleFlamers. You will need a good bed of coals on which you can cook your bread.

Step 4:

Your dough should have doubled in size after 2 hours. With a silicone spatula empty the dough onto baking parchment and then transfer into your Dutch oven.

Step 5:

Prepare a bed of hot wood coals and carefully place your Dutch oven onto it (do not put the Dutch oven directly onto the fire).  With a spade lift some of the coals onto the lid of the Dutch oven, making sure the heat is transferred evenly throughout the oven. Make sure you turn the Dutch oven occasionally if you have a fire on one side to stop the bread from cooking more on one side. Cook for approximately one hour and make sure you keep putting more hot coals around and on top of the Dutch oven. The bread is cooked when it looks golden brown.

Step 6:

Wearing well insulating oven gloves, lift up the lid of your Dutch oven and take out the bread. Tap on it on the top and bottom – if it sounds hollow, it’s cooked! It should be crusty on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.

Step 7:

Cut the bread and enjoy on its own or with your favourite hot dish- we've paired it with our vegan casserole!

Download the recipe here.

 References: 

[1] The Origin of Bread- Lyon Bakery - http://lyonbakery.com/the-origin-of-bread/#:~:text=Basically%2C%20it's%20a%20paste%20of,the%20first%20known%20grinding%20tool.