Making a loaf of bread from scratch takes over 6 hours and involves several steps: mixing yeast, salt, water and flour; letting the dough rise for 2 hours; refrigerating the dough for at least 2 more hours; shaping the dough into balls; letting it rest for 40 minutes; baking for 30 minutes at 450 degrees. While the active preparation time is only around 30 minutes, the multiple rising and resting periods mean the total time from start to finish exceeds 6 hours.