No-knead artisan type bread

[Apple]

It's been a while since I made this, but it's awesome. Tracked down the recipe tonight so DS can help make it this weekend and thought I'd share. I originally found it in the Oregonian--they had a big write up about it. Once you have it down, you can play with it. I actually found a glass bowl the right size to make it in (don't want it too big or too small), but this weekend we'll try my enameled cast iron pan (not quite as large as a dutch oven, but deep). I LOVE good bread, and this is perfect and easy--just takes a lot of time to rise so you need to start it the day before.

**tepid water can be set up with 2 parts cold water to 1 part boiling water, basically, slightly below body temperature--it should not feel warm or cold.

No-Knead Bread
Published January 1, 2008

Makes one 1 1/2-pound loaf

Once mastered in its basic form, this bread recipe, originally published in fall 2006 in The New York Times, is ripe for adaptation. You can try different flours, though for best results substitute whole-grain flour for no more than half of the white (and use even less rye flour, which tastes great but is heavy). Fold fresh herbs or olives into the dough as desired, or enjoy it as it is. -- Leslie Cole

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour), plus more for shaping dough
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (such as Fleischmann's Rapid Rise brand)
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons tepid water
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Instructions

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18 hours, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Turn dough out on a lightly floured work surface; sprinkle dough with a little more flour, and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously dust a cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another kitchen towel and let rise for 2 to 3 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least 30 minutes before dough is ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic; anywhere from 3½ quarts to 6 or 8 quarts) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that's OK. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is nicely browned. Cool on a rack.

The bread doesn't actually shape to the bowl (unless it's really wet, super light, or the base of the bowl is small). I can't remember exactly what the article said about selecting a dish, but they did say not to make it too big. I found my 3 Qt pyrex dish at Salvation Army and it works perfect.

[mmhmm]

Here's another recipe for bread that doesn't need to be kneaded:

Sally Lunn Bread

2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
Blackberry Butter (optional)


Combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in a 1-cup measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.
Heat milk and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Cool to 100° to 110°.

Beat yeast mixture, milk mixture, and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating at lowest speed until blended. (Mixture will be a very sticky, soft dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk. Stir dough down; cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Stir dough down, and spoon into a well-greased, 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Remove from pan immediately.

Serve bread with Blackberry Butter, honey, molasses, or jelly, if desired.
(Blackberry Butter: Stir 2 to 3 tablespoons seedless blackberry jam into 1/2 cup softened butter.)

This is wonderful served warm. It's the invention of a woman (after whom it was named) in 18th century Bath, England. Smart gal!

[Apple]

thanks, mmhmm, we'll have to try that soon (hopefully next weekend now that I have a jar of yeast again )

Here are pics of the two loaves of the no-knead bread DS made this weekend. I think the wider one got just a little too much water, but it still looks good. DS nearly threw the other one into the glass pan, so it ended up with a lot more flour left on it They're cooling on the rack now--can't wait to eat them!

The "wet" one cooked in enameled cast iron


The regular one cooked in glass


cooling on the rack (the "wet" one is the wider, flatter one)


I wanted to test the difference between pans and needed two loaves. The only difference I've noticed just by looks is that the one in the enamel got darker on the bottom. Not burnt really, just a few spots where it was close. That may have been the difference in moisture and amount of flour too though.

[mmhmm]

Here's what Sally Lunn bread looks like when done:



It's really all but foolproof and soooo delicious!

[mmhmm]

Those look scrumptious, candy. I don't know if I'd be able to wait until they cooled! ;D