No-Knead Bread
Serves: 4
Isabella Feil
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
56
Spice
42
Sweetness
31
Sourness
45
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 cups
Bread Flour (400 grams)1.25 tsps
Table Salt (8 grams)1 tsp
Instant (1 gram)1.333333 cups
Water (300 grams cool 55 to 65 degrees f)Directions:
1
This slow rise—fermentation—is the key to flavor
2
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast
3
Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds
4
Make sure it's really sticky to the touch; if it's not, mix in another tablespoon or two of water
5
Cover the bowl with a plate, tea towel, or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (about 72 degrees F), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size
6
This will take a minimum of 12 hours and (my preference) up to 18 hours
7
When the first fermentation is complete, generously dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour
8
Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the board in one piece
9
When you begin to pull the dough away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky—do not add more flour
10
Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center
11
Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round
12
Place a cotton or linen tea towel (not terry cloth, which tends to stick and may leave lint in the dough) or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour
13
Use your hands or a bowl scraper or wooden spatula to gently lift the dough onto the towel, so it is seam side down
14
If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour
15
Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours
16
The dough is ready when it is almost doubled
17
If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about 1/4 inch deep, it should hold the impression
18
If it doesn't, let it rise for another 15 minutes
19
Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F, with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 4 1/2–5 1/2 quart heavy pot in the center of the rack
20
Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it
21
Unfold the tea towel, lightly dust the dough with flour or bran, lift up the dough, either on the towel or in your hand, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up
22
(Use caution—the pot will be very hot
23
) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes
24
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more
25
Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly
26
Don't slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour
27
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast
28
Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds
29
Make sure it's really sticky to the touch; if it's not, mix in another tablespoon or two of water
30
Cover the bowl with a plate, tea towel, or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (about 72 degrees F), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size
31
This will take a minimum of 12 hours and (my preference) up to 18 hours
32
This slow rise—fermentation—is the key to flavor
33
When the first fermentation is complete, generously dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour
34
Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the board in one piece
35
When you begin to pull the dough away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky—do not add more flour
36
Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center
37
Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round
38
Place a cotton or linen tea towel (not terry cloth, which tends to stick and may leave lint in the dough) or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour
39
Use your hands or a bowl scraper or wooden spatula to gently lift the dough onto the towel, so it is seam side down
40
If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour
41
Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours
42
The dough is ready when it is almost doubled
43
If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about 1/4 inch deep, it should hold the impression
44
If it doesn't, let it rise for another 15 minutes
45
Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F, with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 4 1/2–5 1/2 quart heavy pot in the center of the rack
46
Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it
47
Unfold the tea towel, lightly dust the dough with flour or bran, lift up the dough, either on the towel or in your hand, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up
48
(Use caution—the pot will be very hot
49
) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes
50
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more
51
Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly
52
Don't slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour