Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 350 g bread flour (about 2 3/4 cups)
- 150 g barley flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 360 g warm water, 100–105°F (1 1/2 cups)
- 45 g honey (2 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 10 g fine sea salt (1 3/4 tsp)
- 6 g instant yeast (2 tsp) or 7 g active dry
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
- Rice flour or cornmeal for dusting
Do This
- 1. Mix flours, water, honey, yeast, and salt until shaggy; rest 20 minutes.
- 2. Knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky; add oil if using.
- 3. Rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60–90 minutes, giving 1–2 stretch-and-folds halfway.
- 4. Preheat oven to 475°F with baking stone or Dutch oven; place a cast-iron pan for steam if baking on a stone.
- 5. Shape a tight round or oval; proof seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl 45–60 minutes.
- 6. Score; bake with steam at 450°F for 35–40 minutes (or 20 minutes covered + 15–20 uncovered in Dutch oven) until 205–210°F internal.
- 7. Cool at least 1 hour before slicing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Nutty barley flour brings gentle sweetness and a cozy, country-style aroma.
- Honey rounds out the flavor and helps the crust caramelize to a deep golden brown.
- Chewy interior, crisp crust, and dependable oven spring with simple home techniques.
- Flexible bake: use a baking stone with steam or a Dutch oven—whichever you have.
Grocery List
- Produce: None
- Dairy: None
- Pantry: Bread flour, barley flour, honey, fine sea salt, instant or active dry yeast, extra-virgin olive oil (optional), rice flour or cornmeal
Full Ingredients
Dough
- 350 g bread flour (about 2 3/4 cups)
- 150 g barley flour (about 1 1/3 cups; volume is approximate—use grams for accuracy)
- 360 g warm water, 100–105°F (1 1/2 cups)
- 45 g honey (2 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 6 g instant yeast (2 tsp) or 7 g active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 10 g fine sea salt (1 3/4 tsp)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, for a slightly softer crumb)
For Shaping & Baking
- Rice flour or all-purpose flour, for dusting the basket or towel
- Cornmeal or parchment, for the peel or baking sheet
- 1 cup hot water (for steaming if baking on a stone)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the shaggy dough and rest
In a large bowl, whisk the warm water and honey until dissolved. Sprinkle in the yeast and let sit for 2–3 minutes. Add both flours and the salt. Mix with a sturdy spoon or your hand until no dry bits remain and a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest (autolyse) for 20 minutes to hydrate the barley flour and jump-start gluten development.
Step 2: Knead to develop strength
After the rest, knead the dough on a lightly damp surface or in a mixer with a dough hook. By hand, knead 8–10 minutes; by mixer, 5–7 minutes on medium-low. If using, work in the olive oil during the last minute of kneading. The dough should feel slightly tacky, elastic, and smooth, though barley flour will keep it a touch stickier than a white loaf.
Step 3: First rise with a couple of folds
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until roughly doubled, 60–90 minutes. For extra structure, perform 1–2 quick stretch-and-fold sets during the rise: every 30 minutes, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself; rotate the bowl and repeat 3–4 times. This builds tension without overworking.
Step 4: Preheat the oven and prepare your setup
About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475°F. If baking on a stone, place it on the middle rack and put a cast-iron skillet or heavy metal pan on the bottom rack for steam. If using a Dutch oven, place it (with lid) in the oven to preheat. Line a banneton or medium bowl with a well-floured kitchen towel and dust generously with rice flour to prevent sticking.
Step 5: Preshape, rest, and shape
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Preshape into a loose round, cover, and rest 10–15 minutes. To shape a boule: flip the dough so the smooth side is down, fold edges toward the center to create tension, then flip seam-side down and use your hands to drag the dough across the counter to tighten the skin. For an oval bâtard, roll gently into a log and tuck the ends. Place seam-side up in the prepared basket or towel-lined bowl.
Step 6: Proof until puffy
Cover and proof 45–60 minutes at room temperature, until the dough looks aerated and springs back slowly when gently pressed. While it proofs, if baking on a stone, prep your peel with cornmeal or a sheet of parchment for easy transfer.
Step 7: Score and bake with steam
For baking on a stone: Invert the loaf onto the peel so it’s seam-side down. Dust lightly with flour. Score a 1/2-inch-deep slash (a single long ear or a simple cross) at a 30-degree angle. Slide onto the hot stone. Carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the preheated pan below and close the oven door to trap steam. Bake 20 minutes at 450°F (reduce the heat when the loaf goes in), then vent steam by removing the pan and continue baking 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F.
For baking in a Dutch oven: Place the scored loaf on parchment and lower it into the hot pot. Cover and bake 20 minutes at 450°F, then uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more until deeply browned and 205–210°F internal.
Step 8: Cool completely before slicing
Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and cool at least 1 hour. This sets the crumb and prevents gumminess. Slice with a serrated knife and serve plain, with a swipe of butter, or a drizzle of honey.
Pro Tips
- Weigh ingredients for best results; barley flour packs differently than wheat flour.
- An autolyse (the 20-minute rest) is especially helpful with low-gluten barley, improving softness and flavor.
- If the crust browns too quickly (honey caramelizes fast), tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
- Dust baskets with rice flour—it resists sticking better than wheat flour.
- Doneness check: 205–210°F internal temperature and a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
Variations
- Walnut–raisin barley loaf: Fold in 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup raisins at the end of kneading; add 1–2 tbsp water if the dough feels tight.
- Seeded crust: Brush the shaped loaf lightly with water and roll in sesame, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds before proofing.
- Overnight cold ferment: Use 3 g instant yeast (about 1 tsp), bulk rise 30 minutes at room temp, then refrigerate 12–18 hours. Shape cold and proof 60–75 minutes before baking for deeper flavor.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store the fully cooled loaf in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months; toast straight from frozen. To refresh a day-old loaf, mist lightly with water and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. The dough can be mixed a day ahead and refrigerated after the first 30 minutes of bulk rise; shape and proof the next day.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for 1/12 loaf: 170–180 calories; 33–36 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2–3 g fat; 2–3 g fiber; 300–330 mg sodium. Calculated including 1 tbsp olive oil.
