A Beginner’s Guide to Fresh-Milled Flour
A few weeks ago, I took the plunge and completely revamped my website. No more WordPress! I’m on a mission to teach you how to use freshly milled flour in your kitchen with real, hands-on recipes. I’m not just here to throw out new recipes for everything I bake—my goal is to teach you something meaningful that’ll help you grow your baking skills.
In my Fresh Milled Flour Methods group (linked below), someone asked for a start-to-finish video on how to make my Italian yeast bread base by hand. They wanted to see the entire process from start to finish, so today, I’m excited to share that video with you. This Italian bread recipe happens to be my youngest son's absolute favorite!
What’s the Difference Between This and My Beginner’s Bread Base?
I have two bread base recipes that I teach: the beginner's base and my Italian bread base. The beginner’s base is designed to get you comfortable with the basics of bread baking—soft, simple dough with manageable hydration. It’s a great place to start if you’re just getting your feet wet.
But my Italian bread base? This one’s the real deal. After months of experimenting and perfecting my recipe, I developed this base to make an incredibly soft bread with an open, airy crumb. This is the bread I want to make, and I believe it’s the starting point for GREAT bread. If you start with the beginner's base, that’s fine—but don’t stop there! The good stuff is waiting for you in the Italian bread base.
Making Italian Bread by Hand (No Mixer Required!)
In the video below, I’ll show you exactly how to make this Italian yeast bread from start to finish—completely by hand. No mixer, just my hands, a Danish dough whisk (which is totally optional), and a basic bread pan. Of course, you can skip the pan and free-form your loaf if that’s more your style!
Ready to bake some amazing Italian bread? Check out the video below, along with a downloadable PDF of the recipe. I’ve also included links to the equipment I used in the video, so you can get the tools I recommend for your own baking adventures.
Recipe PDF (Download or Print):
Italian Bread
Makes: 1 loaf / 16 slices Prep Time: 1 hour 55 minutes (mostly inactive) Bake Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Equipment I Use:
Join our Online Community
Ready to ditch recipes and learn more about baking with fresh milled flour using methods and your imagination? Join my Fresh milled Flour Methods group. You can ask questions, share your wins, and more with an expectation of honesty and friendly interaction. I hear it’s the best place to be on Facebook.