No-Knead Bread

on

Adapted from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery, this no-knead bread is a foolproof favorite. I’ve adjusted the timing so you can have fresh, homemade bread for a Sunday lunch—just plan ahead for the long rise. It turns out beautifully every time, with a crisp crust and chewy, airy interior that rivals any bakery loaf.

Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising
Yield: one 1 1/2 pound loaf.

Ingredients:

  • 400 g all-purpose or bread flour or a mixture thereof (bread flour makes is chewier and bigger bubbles in the bread)
  • 2 g teaspoon instant yeast
  • 10 g table salt
  • 300 gram water (can substitute some of the water with beer, e.g. 50 g)

Instructions:

For fresh bread for Sunday lunch, start on Saturday at around 8 p.m.

Saturday: In a large bowl combine flower, yeast and salt. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at a draft free, warm place for at least 12 hours.

Sunday: In the bowl, gently turn and fold dough over itself a few times. Cover again and let rise again for 1 – 2 hour or put into Ziplock bag and slow ferment in fridge for up to 5 days.

Flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Fold it over on itself a few times. Gently tuck it together and make seam. Flip over on a sheet of parchment paper, seaside down and cover loosely with a flowered dishtowel. Let rest for the final rise for another 1 – 3 hours.

At least 45 minutes before the 2 hour raising time is up, heat oven and Dutch over to 450°F. On the bottom rack, place your baking sheet/Baking Steel/baking stone. Then, use the rack just above this to hold your Dutch oven when baking.

Slice risen bread on top a few times and dust (optional with corn meal, seeds, etc.). Prepare landing spot for very hot Dutch oven, take it out of the oven, lift off lid and carefully place dough on parchment paper into pot.

Spritz the loaf with a handheld water sprayer. Be sure to center the pot over the pizza stone insulator.

Bake covered for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden. Check the internal temperature—it should read between 200–210°F.

Cool on rack.