Sunday, August 25, 2013

Easy No-Knead Bread!

I have been baking up a storm since learning how to make no knead breads at home! It is much faster, easier, and more satisfying than I imagined it to be, and we are baking at least one loaf a week.


Here is what you'll need:

 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
 1/4 tsp instant yeast
 1-1/2 tsp salt
 1-1/2 cups water

 Mixing bowl
 Spoon or spatula for mixing
 Oven-safe pot with lid


Combine your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and slowly add in the water, combining it enough to make for a shaggy dough with few dry bits left over. It should look something like this:


Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or pop the whole works into a grocery bag and tie it up. Let sit at room temperature for 18 hours or so. Note: if you are in a hurry, place the bowl in a warm spot and you can get it down to a 12-hour rise. If you need more time, pop it in the fridge for a few of those hours to slow down the yeast.



When the time is up, the dough should be soft and wet, pulling away from the bowl with these beautiful gluten-y strands! You'll have to flour your hands well, and try to shape the dough into a rough ball and plop it back into the bowl.


At this point, preheat your oven to 450 degrees with a heavy heat proof pot with the lid on. I use a cast iron Le Creuset dutch oven. Let that pot get hot for 15-20 minutes or so, carefully take it out and plop the ball of dough inside. Cover it with the lid and back into the oven for 45 minutes!


I usually try to flour the top of the bread and make some cuts with a serrated knife to make it look nice (it controls the seams where the bread will burst upon baking).


Here's how it looks after 45 minutes. You can then take the lid off and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes, depending on how brown you want the top to be.


Voila! Here's the finished product. Big airy holes, crunchy crust, and I know what all the ingredients are! This is a really good money-saving tip to learn too, as you get delicious fresh artisan breads at home for a small fraction of the price.

I hope you all try this recipe and let me know how it goes. By the way, this easy yeast version is the gateway drug into sourdough bread baking!

14 comments:

  1. Looks yummy and definitely Pin-Worthy! It's already on my Bread & Muffins board. Can't wait to try it.

    Glad you are back!

    ~Erica

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  2. MMM. You're making my mouth water! I haven't made bread is SO long, but I'm inspired now!

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  3. Oooooooooo....you're making this little bread lover drool! I've tried it before but never had a good rise. I'll try again but follow your instructions. Looks soooooo good!

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    Replies
    1. Was your dough too wet? I have had that problem before too, usually because of the weather being warm, and the rise process speeding up on me! Then the yeasts are all eaten up and there's no more oomh left!

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  4. This looks really good! I have also been making a lot of bread this summer and thankfully with good results. Once you get addicted to homemade bread, you will never go back!

    Ranae
    thevintageshelf.blogspot.com

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  5. So glad you all are still reading! Sorry for the long absence!

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  6. I've made this before and it is amazing! I felt so fancy when I was done because it was the most beautiful loaf a bread (and I'm not so talented in the kitchen.)

    So happy you shared!
    Hanna

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  7. You make it sound so easy! I might even try it despite the fact that almost everything I bake ends up looking like a frisbee! Lovely seeing your Butterprint Pyrex in action too :-)

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  8. hey...I read on another blog that you were searching for a Heinz teal baker...I stumbled upon this today and thought you might like to know.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/PYREX-promotional-HEINZ-BAKER-baking-dish-pan-TEAL-GREEN-BLUE-1-1-2-quart-507-B-/181202582913

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  9. OMG looks so tasty I might have to do bread again (been without since June by choice)

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  10. Thanks for sharing your results of this no-knead yeast bread with us. I have heard of this type of bread, but have yet to try it. I love the traditional way of making bread with a lot of kneading, but will have to give this a try, at least to see for myself how it turns out!

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  11. Hi! I just found a little wooden bird similar to your 'mystery bird' at a flea market in Austria today and a quick google search brought up your blog. :) Did you find anything about your mystery bird yet?

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