No-Knead Bread

March 05, 2012

Well my first really foray into baking did not start well. There was no instant yeast to be found and the information I have found on the Internet was not very helpful in making me happy with substituting the rapid rise I planned on trying in its place. Since I saw someone did use the instant successfully in this recipe and I saw someone else say the instant is more potent, and because another post said it didn't rise as high or as fast, and despite the fact I know baking is a science with exacting procedures I decide to double my yeast! Then 20 hours later, my dough was really wet and practically liquid. Well since I was already throwing caution to the wind, we added a liberal dose of flour and worked it in. The result, not bad! Certainly very pretty looking. The crust was a bit tough and chewy, but not unpleasantly so. If you sliced it very thin, it was perfect. Well next time, I will make sure I get instant yeast, but I am now hopeful for future baking projects:) Thank you Elaine!

No-Knead Bread

3 c all-purpose or bread flour more for dusting
1/4 t instant yeast
1 1/4 t salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.
[Note: Via Elaine: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.
com/the_wednesday_chef/2006/11/jim_laheys_nokn.htmln She notes: I use a
deep casserole that I have with a make shift lid and it works fine.
Comes out great everytime! ]
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.