There are certain recipes that I’ve had in my arsenal for years that make me feel like I’m really kicking ass in the kitchen. They’re the tried and true recipes that turn out perfect pretty much every time and make you seem far more skilled than you actually are. This no-knead bread is one of those recipes.
I made it for the first time back in 2012 on my old blog, and since then I make it at least once a month if not more. My sister swears by it, and she’s never been a baker by any stretch of the imagination (sorry Court). The loaves come out beautifully as long as you follow the recipe, and give the dough enough time to work it’s magic.
I’ve used this before as a host gift, a brunch add-on, and more often than not, a shameless vehicle for butter. It’s easily my favorite way to make bread because it involves so little effort and ends in such a beautiful finished product.
You just mix the ingredients together the night before, let it sit for 12-18 hours (18 hours is my preferred time because it really lets the flavors develop and creates bigger air pockets), and bake it! Sure, there are a few more steps in that whole process, but overall it’s one of the easiest bread recipes I’ve come across.
If you’ve got a few hours of free time, it’s a perfect weekend baking project! I usually mix the ingredients when I get home from work on Friday and by Saturday afternoon I’ve got a beautiful loaf of freshly baked bread crackling on the countertop as it cools.
So, what are you waiting for? All you have to do is mix four ingredients in a bowl, shape it a little in the morning, let it rise, and bake it!
Here’s what you need (original recipe here):
3 cups (425 g) All-Purpose Flour
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 5/8 cups water
Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add water and mix with hand until combined. The dough will be sticky and somewhat “shaggy” as Bittman describes it. The dough shouldn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl, and if it does you’ve added too much water.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 12-18 hours. The longer you let the dough rise the more flavors will develop and the tastier your bread will end up.
Once the dough has risen (you’ll be able to tell because there will be tiny holes throughout the dough) flour a work surface and turn the dough onto the work surface.
Sprinkle with more flour and turn the dough on itself once or twice. At this point the dough will look like a cohesive rounded ball. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for fifteen minutes.
If the dough needs it, coat lightly with more flour, and quickly (but gently!) shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (I actually used a pillowcase) with flour and place the dough seam-side down and sprinkle with more flour. Place another towel (or fold the pillow case over itself) and allow the dough to rise for another two hours or so.
The dough is ready to be baked when it has doubled in size and when it is poked it indents instead of springing back.
About thirty minutes before the dough is done rising preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a Dutch oven (or any baking dish that can hold 6-8 quarts) in the oven to heat up. When the dough has finished rising carefully take the Dutch oven out of the oven and turn the dough into the pan so that the seam side is facing up. If the dough is not distributed evenly you can shake the pan gently, but as it bakes it will even out. Cover the pan, place it back in the oven, and bake it for thirty minutes.
After thirty minutes remove the cover and continue to bake until the crust of the bread turns golden. This only took me fifteen minutes, but the original recipe said it would take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.
Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add water and mix with hand until combined. The dough will be sticky and somewhat “shaggy” as Bittman describes it. The dough shouldn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl, and if it does you’ve added too much water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 12-18 hours. The longer you let the dough rise the more flavors will develop and the tastier your bread will end up.
Once the dough has risen (you’ll be able to tell because there will be tiny holes throughout the dough) flour a work surface and turn the dough onto the work surface. Sprinkle with more flour and turn the dough on itself once or twice. At this point the dough will look like a cohesive rounded ball. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for fifteen minutes.
If the dough needs it, coat lightly with more flour, and quickly (but gently!) shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (I actually used a pillowcase) with flour and place the dough seam-side down and sprinkle with more flour. Place another towel (or fold the pillow case over itself) and allow the dough to rise for another two hours or so. The dough is ready to be baked when it has doubled in size and when it is poked it indents instead of springing back.
About thirty minutes before the dough is done rising preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a Dutch oven (or any baking dish that can hold 6-8 quarts) in the oven to heat up. When the dough has finished rising carefully take the Dutch oven out of the oven and turn the dough into the pan so that the seam side is facing up. If the dough is not distributed evenly you can shake the pan gently, but as it bakes it will even out. Cover the pan, place it back in the oven, and bake it for thirty minutes. After thirty minutes remove the cover and continue to bake until the crust of the bread turns golden. This only took me fifteen minutes, but the original recipe said it would take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.