I love bread. Not the wussy bread you find in most grocery stores, but good hearty, artisan bread. Bread with a crunchy crust. Bread with big air pockets inside. Bread that smells like yeast.
Bread that I cannot buy in Vernon...
Well, that's not completely true, I can buy crunchy, crusty bread at the Farmers Market (May thru Oct) but since there is nothing growing here, there is no market. So I stand by my original statement.
But! When the Farmer's Market is here, each loaf costs $4.50!
Imagine my delight when Colin decided HE wanted to make some bread! And... he found a recipe that requires no kneading! I say bring it on! His first loaf was such a success that I stepped up to the oven to see just how simple. And it's ridiculously simple...
Here is the video from the New York Times journalist, Mark Bittman and his foray into "No Knead Breads".
Now, not being one to leave well enough alone, I experimented a bit, thanks to some of the comments listed there and at another bread making site. Along with following the recipe, I tried only one 12 - 14 hour rise; using 1/2 beer, 1/2 water with two rises; and half and half with one rise. And you know what? They are all great! The only things you absolutely need: 1.) time and 2). a cast iron dutch oven. (I had to jury rig mine with a nut and bolt since the knob is only heat resistant to 375F.) The steam is what does the work! Good luck.
Here's the basic recipe:
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.
1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it 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.
3. 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 coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) 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 is O.K. 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 beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.
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