This no-knead bread produces a crispy, perfectly golden crust and a soft, flavorful, and chewy interior. It is everything you want in an artisanal bakery loaf at home! Plus, there is no need to lug out the stand mixer, get a serious arm workout, or babysit the dough all day. There are even some adjustments that can be made to the recipe so that it can work with any schedule. This bread makes a perfect companion to hearty soups and stews, a great building block to strata, and an ideal ingredient for a classy sandwich.
What is no-knead bread?
The first idea one might have of bread baking is an image of a liberally floured work surface and constant folding and working of a blob of dough. Luckily, the dough-whisperers of the world have figured out a new normal of how to make a crusty, artisanal loaf by mixing flour, salt, and yeast with a higher proportion of water than a hand-kneaded dough. A longer proofing time gives the dough’s gluten molecules a chance to align and create a strong, elastic network, eliminating the need to work the dough.
How do you bake no-knead bread?
A sturdy Dutch oven is the only special equipment needed for a beautiful, crusty loaf of bread. In a similar method used in this artisan sourdough recipe, heating the pot in a ripping hot 500 degree oven for 45 minutes is essential to creating that crust (don’t worry, the bread is baked at a lower temperature). It mimics the commercial steam ovens by trapping the moisture given off by the bread during baking to expand and set it. While some recipes use a steam bath, spray bottle, or even ice cubes (check out Julia Child’s French bread!) to create that steam, a preheated Dutch oven is the easiest, cleanest, and most reliable method to get that perfect oven spring and crisp crust.
Does no-knead bread need to rise all night?
This recipe uses more yeast than usual no-knead breads for a shorter rise time. While other recipes recommend a slow fermentation of 12 to 18 hours, sometimes the need for bread is more urgent! This recipe uses a full packet of active dry yeast so that the bread can rise in just 4 hours total. However, if an overnight proofing time is more convenient for your schedule, only add 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast to the dough. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature, covered, for 12 to 18 hours. Continue the recipe at step 4.
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- Yields:
- 10 - 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 5 hrs
Ingredients
- 1
0.25-oz. packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tsp.
granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 c.
warm water (110°F)
- 3 1/3 c.
all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp.
kosher salt
Directions
- Step 1In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F). Stir to combine and allow to sit until the yeast blooms, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 2Add the flour and salt. Using a sturdy rubber spatula, combine the flour mixture with the water mixture until a shaggy dough forms and all the flour has been incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size and bubbly, 3 to 4 hours. (If you’re not ready to bake bread, place the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.)
- Step 3Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Being careful not to deflate the air bubbles, use floured hands to gently pat the dough into a 5-inch round. Fold all the edges of the round into the center of the dough to form a ball, with the outside coated in flour from the work surface. Using a bench scraper or a spatula, flip the dough so that it is seam-side down. Use floured hands to gently pull the dough towards you into a taut round.
- Step 4Transfer the dough to a large sheet of parchment paper. Dust the surface of the dough with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rest 1 hour until puffed.
- Step 5About 45 minutes before you're ready to bake bread, preheat the oven to 500°F. Place a large Dutch oven with a lid into the oven to heat.
- Step 6Uncover the dough and gently score the dough as desired with a sharp knife or a bread lame (razor). Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid. Using the parchment paper as handles, transfer the dough into the pot and cover it with the lid.
- Step 7Place the Dutch oven into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 450°F. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Step 8Remove the lid and bake until the bread is deeply golden, crusty, and hollow when tapped, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Step 9Remove the pot from the oven and carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Tip: Use bread flour in place of all-purpose flour for a chewier bread. Do not substitute with whole wheat or gluten-free flour blends.
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