My bread bakers have been busy! These are loaves they baked from my previous post for No-Knead…
Easiest Ever No-Knead Artisan Bread
I’ve been baking country-style breads to rave reviews from family and friends for a long time. This ‘no-knead’ recipe is fashioned from the famed recipe by Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC, whose no-knead formula was published in the NYTimes in 2008. It’s the recipe that started my journey.
There are many ways to ‘slice bread’, and many recipes to choose from. I hope my tips add to your best method that works for you! Send me pictures of your bread or ask me questions along the way. I love to talk bread!
TIP #1: For a speedy version using active dry yeast, you can reduce the proof time to 3-4 hours vs 18-24hrs. There will be less flavor development but it will still be a satisfying fresh loaf. Use hot water (115-120F) and add 1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar, per directions in video by Mark Bittman. See my speedy version HERE.
TIP #2: To adapt recipe to Yeast Water, see this post
TIP #3: For bread making step-by-step and two recipe variations Click HERE or in Kitchen Essentials
*I am not paid to mention this pan by Amazon Basics but it is my favorite pan for baking bread.
Easiest Ever No Knead Bread
Combine, stir, let rise for 18-24 hours. Then dough is ready to bake! Remember, the warmer the room the quicker the rise.I recommend measuring in grams as cup measurements vary greatly. To replace dry yeast with yeast water, see instructions for making yeast water: Homemade Yeast Makes Homemade Bread! – Rosemary Mark
Servings: 1 appx 1.5lb loaf
Equipment
- cast iron Dutch Oven, 3.5-5 quart size
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 420 grams all-purpose or bread flour (about 3cups) All-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached), produces a softer crumb bread. I like King Arthur or Bob's Redmill
- 90 grams whole wheat flour (about 3/4cup)
- 10 grams kosher salt (1Tbsp) or table salt (2tsp)
- 1/4 tsp. rapid rise yeast NOTE: can omit yeast and reduce tap water to 300gr and add 100g yeast water for total of 400gr water.
- 400 grams/ml tap water (about 1-3/4c)
For lemon-rosemary bread
- 1 tbsp lemon zest, appx zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp. very finely minced fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add lemon zest and rosemary if using.
- Stir in water (and yeast water if using) with a wooden spoon. Switch to a plastic scraper if you have one, and continue mixing and turning just until dough is evenly moistened and pulls away from sides of the bowl. It’s not necessary to stir vigorously, just enough so the flour is mixed in.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap (a plastic shower cap works great!) and let stand 15-30 minutes. Now give the dough a slap and fold about 12 times until the dough gets smooth and feels a little taught. If you skip this step you'll still get a great loaf of bread. Folding helps stretch the gluten and improves the holes, or 'crumb'.
- Cover bowl with plastic and let stand at room temperature 18-24 hours. The dough will rise and be very bubbly.
- The dough will look like this at 1 hour. It needs time which will vary by room temp. For a warm space, try the oven with the light on –do not accidentally turn on the oven! My oven reached 70F in about 2 hours. I do not leave the light on longer than 3 hours as it can reach over 90F which is too warm.
- Keep the faith! Even at 6 hours it will have only risen slightly.
- When you wake up in the morning!
- Leave dough in the bowl. Now gently stir dough down with scraper or spatula and fold over in 90 degree turns several times. Using hands or scraper, firmly push and tuck edges under to shape dough into a ball. Cover the bowl and rest dough for 30-60 minutes. Look for small bubbles forming just beneath the dough surface which should feel soft to the touch and slightly risen.
- To turn into baking dish: Cut angles into a piece of parchment paper to the circumference of the Dutch oven. Place the parchment paper over the bowl and a plate or rimless tray over the parchment. Flip over so the dough is now on top of the parchment on the tray or plate. Now slide the dough into the Dutch oven. NOTE: parchment is critical to preventing sticking if using the cold bake method. If preheating the Dutch oven, dusting the dough with flour or rice flour should prevent sticking.
- PREHEAT BAKE METHOD: While dough is resting, preheat a heavy Dutch oven to 500°F. NOTE: The pan must be a glazed pan that can withstand 500°F or a cast iron Dutch oven or skillet. Do not place empty pan in preheated oven as it can craze enamel surface. Allow at least 30 minutes for pan and oven to super-heat.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, leaving a hot pad on the lid so as not to accidently grab with bare hand. Unwrap dough, quickly slide dough top side down into the preheated pan. Cover with lid or loosely cover container with foil. (This step can also be done by leaving pan on oven rack and pulling out.)
- Reduce oven to 450°F. Cover pan with lid or foil. Bake 25 minutes. Dough will rise and start to brown.Remove lid or foil and continue to bake until very dark brown; additional 15-20 minutes. Immediately remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.
- COLD BAKE METHOD: These directions are from Elaine Boddy https://foodbodsourdough.com/ to bake from cold start oven. Transfer dough on parchment paper to unheated Dutch oven. Place in cold oven. Set oven to 450F (425F convection). Bake bread covered for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 10 minutes or until well browned. Turn out immediately onto cooling rack. I prefer a well-browned crust so sometimes I place the loaf on the oven rack to bake additional 5-7 minutes. With cold bake I get minimal reduction in the bread's oven spring (rise) compared to the pre-heated method.
Notes
*Wild Yeast Water can be produced in about 5 days with raisins or dates and water. Instructions here: Homemade Yeast Makes Homemade Bread! – Rosemary Mark
Information about Wild Yeast Water can be found in this Facebook group.
Recipe adaption and photo by Rosemary Mark
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