Is it just me or everyone making bread lately? I’m not usually the bread baker in our house but when I saw this recipe that requires minimal dough touching, I knew I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did because it was by far the best bread I’ve had in a very long time. I love bread that is crusty on the outside and soft in the center. It’s delicious I tell you! We had it for breakfast with butter and raspberry preserves and the fellas had it sliced for sandwiches the next day. I’m planning to make it again very soon.
You’ll need a heavy dutch oven, I used cast iron. You’ll also need parchment paper. Keep in mind that the bread rises for 12-18 hours and then again for two hours. So plan ahead. It’s so worth it!
Crusty No-Knead Bread
Equipment
- dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water, room temperature
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp yeast (instant)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. I used a kitchen aid mixer with the dough hook attachment. Stir until soft and well mixed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
- Flour your hands and a piece of parchment paper.
- Coax dough out of the bowl and onto the floured paper.
- With floured hands, fold the dough over itself about four times to form a round loaf.
- Position it on the floured parchment seam-side down.
- Sprinkle with flour and put a light towel over the loaf. Let rise for another two hours.
- Position the oven rack in the centerof the oven.
- Place a heavy dutch oven in the oven. Do not include the lid. Preheat oven to 500° F.
- Remove dutch oven from oven. Reduce heat to 425° F.
- Lift parchment paper and place dough (parchment paper and all) into dutch oven.
- Place the lid on the pot and place back in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Remove the bread and place it on a rack to cool before slicing.
