No-Knead Bread

I have finally jumped on the no-knead bread wagon and am loving the ride. It's almost like magic how you can use so little yeast, leave the dough on your counter, and then wind up with a loaf of bread that looks like it came from a bakery. Crusty on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside, I guarantee you will fall in love with this bread. My family consumed slice after slice and then proceeded to "order" several more loaves from me. I feel like a bakery already.

No-Knead Bread (from the New York Times)



1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. bread flour
1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 5/8 c. water
cornmeal

In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add the 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.

Dough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 min.

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 an dust with more flour, bran, or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for 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.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 400F. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot or ceramic baking dish in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove it from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is okay. 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 15-30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

This recipe is linked to:
Rook 17
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
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Friday Potluck
Fat Camp Fridays
Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent
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