No Need to Knead Bread!

The simplicity of the recipe will make you giddy. When we were in New York City three weeks ago, we had the most fabulous dinner at our friends’ house. Roberto is a chef and restaurant owner. Nicole is a chef. You know I was REALLY looking forward to seeing them again!

If that was the hard part, I HAD to try to make this bread!And so as soon as we got back, I did. I love this recipe!!!!!

I couldn’t even wait a second to let this bread cool. Instead of pretty, thin slices…I cut chunks!
Breakfast was all I was thinking of the next day. The bread was much easier to slice. It was just perfect with my cherry jam and steaming hot caffe’ latte. I can’t forget to mention the thick pats of butter I spread on it first.

Breakfast was all I was thinking of the next day. The bread was much easier to slice. It was just perfect with my cherry jam and steaming hot caffe’ latte. I can’t forget to mention the thick pats of butter I spread on it first.

Oh! The butter and jam…mmm!

Oh! The butter and jam…mmm!

This was Nicole’s bread. She used whole wheat flour with the bread flour.

This was Nicole’s bread. She used whole wheat flour with the bread flour.



The table was just lovely by their fireplace and the Christmas tree that they left up for us to see. It was a delightful evening spent with old friends.

The table was just lovely by their fireplace and the Christmas tree that they left up for us to see. It was a delightful evening spent with old friends.

This bread has a crunchy crust and soft inside. My husband wasn’t too thrilled that the oven was on such high heat for two hours. We don’t have a gas stove. I won’t make this every day…but definitely once a month because it is a bread I will be craving often.

No Knead Bread

2 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for surface and hands
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (I used AP flour-I ran out of whole wheat)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
one 1/4 ounce envelope yeast -0.8 grams (recipe in Martha Stewart’s magazine says 1/2 tsp-I measure approx 2 tsp)
1 1/3 cups cool water (55-65 degrees F)
wheat bran, coarse cornmeal, or more flour, for dusting

Directions

1. Stir together flours, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. Add water, and mix well using a wooden spoon or your hand until dough is wet and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature until dough doubles in volume and the surface is dotted with bubbles (approximately 12-18 hours).

2. Transfer dough to a floured surface using a rubber spatula or a bowl scraper to scrape dough from bowl.

3. Fold dough using lightly floured hands, lifting edges toward the center. Shape dough into a loose round.

4. Generously dust a clean kitchen towel with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour (I used cornmeal). Gently place dough on towel, seam side down. Dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour.

4. Generously dust a clean kitchen towel with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour (I used cornmeal). Gently place dough on towel, seam side down. Dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour.

5. Loosely fold ends of towel over dough to cover. Let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in volume, 1-2 hours (the dough should not spring back when pressed).

6. After dough has risen for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 475 with rack in lower third of oven. Heat a covered 3 1/2 quart heavy ovenproof Dutch oven (9 inches in diameter) for 30 minutes or until dough is ready. Carefully remove preheated pot from oven, and uncover. Unfold towel, and quickly but carefully invert dough into pot, seam side up.

7. Cover with lid. Bake for 30 minutes.

8. Uncover pot, and bake until bread is dark brown (mine was golden brown)but not burned, 15-20 minutes.

9. Carefully lift bread from pot using metal spatulas, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe: The Tastemakers –Pane Integrale (Whole Wheat Bread)Martha Stewart Living

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