Of course there's hyperbole abounding and it's already a recipe that trended on the net earlier this year when Mark Bittman wrote about it here. (Ok, on double checking my sources -- I'm that kinda writer -- the original article and videos went viral in 2006... but who was on the net then? ;)
I'm not a skilled baker but it's just plain bread. How much can I mess it up?
Almost No-Knead Bread
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen Best Recipes and Reviews 2009
You're gonna knead: (haha, get it?)
- large mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- a skillet, 10-inch
- parchment paper
- a Dutch oven (about 6 quart-size)
- cooling rack
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water, room temperature
- 1/2 cup mild flavour beer, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Veggie oil
- In bowl, whisk flour, yeast, salt. Fold in water, beer, and vinegar with rubber spatula until the dough comes together, looking 'shaggy'. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 8, up to 18 hours.
Here are my notes on this step: I used Kokanee beer which gave it the yeast-y smell and some depth of flavour. No 'beer' comments from my five critics. A rubber spatula is important: dough sticks to wood! - Put a large sheet of parchment in the bottom of the skillet and spray with veggie oil. Turn the (sticky) dough out on a flour-ed surface, kneading by hand to form a ball, 10-15 times. Then shape into a ball and put seam-side down on the lined skillet. Mist dough with veggie oil (a sprayer will do nicely) and let rise at room temperature until doubled and dough barely springs back when poked with a knuckle, about 2 hours.
Special temperature note: I made this at night, expecting to see a size change in the morning. This next morning: Nada! I thought maybe the yeast was dead (it was an old bottle of 'bread machine' (read: rapid-rise) yeast. But I thought I would give it one more try: I warmed up the oven to 150F, turned it off, and let the dough sit in the oven for three hours. That got double the size! So I think the house was too cold for it to sit out. I'll put it in a warm oven next time. Also I will check the liquid measures: this dough was very soft and pliable. Maybe I'll scale it back a tablespoon or two next time. See picture two at right: see the star indent? That's my knuckle! The dough spread to fill 8 inches of my 10 inch skillet. - About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, and place Dutch oven on the rack, heating oven to 500F.
I used a heavy bottom Cuisinart 6-quart stockpot. I don't think I want to put it through that kind of heat again. So I'm planning to buy a Dutch oven soon. ATK recommends Tramontina. - Flour top of dough and score with knife. Carefully remove pot from oven and open lid. Using parchment paper as a sling, carry the dough off the skillet and drop inside Dutch oven (using parchment paper as a pot liner). Cover the pot.
- Place pot in oven, and lower temperature to 425F, bake covered for 30 minutes. Then remove lid and continue to bake until centre of loaf reads 210 degrees on instant-read thermometer and crust is golden-brown, 20-30 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and cool on wire rack, about 2 hours. (Less if you want to dig in with some nice jam!) Keeps for 2 days.
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| Here's me and my bread! What a beaut! |
It was a easy enough recipe. I didn't need to break out any heavy kitchen machinery. The resulting flavour belied that it started with just all-purpose: a good yeast-y scent, a sourdough like tang, a crumb that was moist and full of air bubbles. Another reason I will try a Dutch oven next time: the stock pot transfers heat too well: the bottom crust was very thick and solid. The top crust was crunchy and on this side of soft. The portion is pretty small (for a family of six). It'll make odd looking sandwich bread, but who needs that filler when you can enjoy the sole taste of fresh baked bread!