Alex is interested in the workings of yeast for all fermented things, so he naturally fell into bread baking. At first he tried many recipes with as many failures as successes. Now, he now bakes a batch of bread twice a week to feed our family.
Alex does not, however, like to get messy. His bread is made either by kneading with the kitchen-aid or with this no-knead method. The rhythm of the overnight no-knead rise fits with our schedules well and this recipe has been his bread of choice for a few months now.
First, mix together the ingredients with a spoon. This recipe uses 1/2 cup of odds and ends grains which can use up leftovers in the fridge or any grain you want to experiment with. For this batch, Alex added cooked white rice to the dough which baked off into the brown bits visible in the first picture. Cover the dough and allow to rise at room temperature 12 - 18 hours.
When little bubbles cover the surface, punch down the dough and form loaves. It's important to stretch the dough over the top and curl it under to form a solid shape. We put our free-form loaves on a sheet pan but you could use a loaf pan instead.
Allow to rise a second time until double in size and bake. Voila! Homemade bread that is cheap, tasty, free from odd additives sometimes found in store bought bread and made without the messiness or work of kneading!
Alex’s No-Knead Slicing Bread makes one large or two small loaves
Ingredients 2 cups water 2.5 cups bread flour 1.5 cups white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup dry oats, corn meal, cooked rice, cooked lentils, or additional flour 1/2 teaspoon yeast 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions 1. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl until a very solid dough forms. Add more flour if necessary until dough is so thick pieces appear stringy when stirred. 2. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let sit at room temperature overnight or for 12 - 18 hours. Rising takes longer at cooler temperatures. 3. When dough has doubled and surface is covered in bubbles, punch down and form into loaves. 4. Allow loaves to rise at room temperature until doubled in size again, about 2 hours. 5. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees F. 6. Lower temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue baking until bread is browned on top and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, approximately 15 minutes. 7. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Alternatives: Substitute 1 tablespoon honey or molasses for sugar Add up to 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal Use ½ to 1 cup sourdough starter in place of equal portion of water Use less flour for a wetter dough to make a ciabatta-like holey bread Can be formed into breadsticks, dinner rolls, or pizza crust
Added to Hearth and Soul BlogHop