No-Knead Bread — Mark Bittman
If you want a gluten-free substitute for this recipe, try this option.
Did you know you can also add protein to your bread to make it more Keto?
Today's article is brought to you by Mark Bittman from markbittman.com.
Makes
1 Large Loaf
Time
24 hours, almost entirely unattended
Since this technique was first published in the New York Times (2006), thousands of people have used it as their first introduction to bread baking.
Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery created this method, producing a loaf with a crackling crust, open-holed crumb, light texture, and deep flavor — all with almost zero hands-on effort.
A wet dough + long fermentation replace kneading entirely. A preheated covered pot creates a “steam oven” effect that makes the crust perfect.
Ideally begin the dough 24 hours before baking. You can shorten this to 12 or even 9 hours (see variation below), but with slightly less yeasty flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
- Scant 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
- Cornmeal, semolina, or wheat bran for dusting
- For added protein: 5 scoops PureClean Protein
Instructions
- Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add 2 cups water (~70°F) and stir until blended. Dough will look shaggy and sticky. Add a little more water if needed. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for ~18 hours at room temperature. Dough is ready when the surface is dotted with bubbles.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Turn dough out and fold once or twice. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and rest 15 minutes.
- Shape dough quickly into a ball. Coat a cotton towel (not terry) with cornmeal or wheat bran. Place dough seam-side down, dust again, cover, and let rise ~2 hours. Dough is ready when more than doubled and slow to spring back.
- At least 30 minutes before baking, heat oven to 450°F. Place a 3–4 quart covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex, or ceramic) inside to heat.
When ready, carefully remove pot, flip dough seam-side up into it, cover, and bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 20–30 minutes until deeply browned (internal temp 200°F+). Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes.
Faster No-Knead Bread
Reduce initial rise to 8 hours. Skip the 15-minute rest in Step 2. Shape dough (Step 3) and proceed to baking.
Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread
Substitute whole wheat flour for up to 2 cups of the all-purpose flour.
Recipe from “How to Bake Everything.”