Dutch Oven Bread

So, we received a recipe from Grandma Carrie in the mail last week for Dutch Oven Bread...it was SO good! We have since made it twice. It seemed time consuming and complicated at first read, but it was really simple and didn't take too much time on my part, we started the bread the night before we wanted to have it with dinner and it worked out just fine.
Here is a picture of bakery perfect beautiful bread and here is the recipe for anyone who wants to try it out.
(If you don't have a dutch oven on hand, you can always use a large pyrex casserole etc)


Dutch Oven Bread

1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

1-In a large bowl dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 8 hrs, preferably 12 to 18 at warm room temp of about 70 degrees.

2- The dough is ready when it's surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

3- Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape into a ball.

4-Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more four, bran, or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hrs. When it's ready the dough will have doubled in size and will not easily spring back when poked with a finger.

5-20 minutes prior to dough being ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 5-8 qt dutch oven or pyrex covered pot in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the dough and turn the dough into the pot seam side up. The dough may lose it's shape but it is okay it will straighten as it bakes.

5-Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the dutch oven and let it sit for an hour before cutting.