Easy No Knead Bread
I first saw this recipe on Christinas Cucina, it looked amazing and she had me at no knead. Christina said that this recipe is from Jim Lahey who owns Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. I love their bread, its nothing short of amazing. I bought his cookbook and tried one of the recipes and was less than successful (Milk Bread) but his recipe for no knead bread is absolutely fool proof. Christina tweaked the recipe so that she could produce a larger loaf, I chose to follow Mr. Lahey’s recipe which created a slightly smaller loaf. My most recent purchase from the Food52 shop is a Staub Cocotte, a beautiful dutch oven, I chose the 4 quart size (got an excellent deal it was on sale) it was just the right size for this recipe and the bread is outstanding. I thought baking this bread would be an excellent way to christen my new pot.
There are only 4 ingredients, you don’t knead or have to use a stand mixer or bread machine. This bread is brilliant in its simplicity and I absolutely love it. Mr. Lahey uses white all purpose flour, I chose to add some spelt as well, Christina mixed in some whole wheat flour. The basic directions are dump ingredients in a bowl, stir with your hands or a spoon, cover and let sit for 12-18 hours (overnight) dump dough onto floured tea towel, cover and let rise 2 hours, transfer to your covered pot and bake on high heat. Simple, easy and delicious. This recipe is a keeper and would be a great bread for the novice bread baker.
I am bringing this bread to Fiesta Friday #257, I am a co host with Kat@Kats 9 lives
No Knead Bread
Recipe by Jim Lahey
3 cups flour (I used 2 cups all purpose flour and 1 cup spelt flour)
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup warm water
Place all ingredients in mixing bowl, mix with your hands a spoon or a dough whisk, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let sit overnight 12-18 hours. It will double in bulk and have some bubbles. The dough is quite wet. Using your hand or a spatula (watch Christines video) bring the dough into the middle, lifting and pulling all the way around the bowl. Now you can use a tea towel or even a banneton for the 2 hour prove. If using a tea towel, generously flour the towel (I used flour and semolina flour) dump the dough on the towel, sprinkle the top with flour, bran or semolina, cover and let sit for 2 hours.
Pre heat your oven about 30 minutes before the dough is ready to bake. If using conventional oven heat to 500+ as high as it goes and if using a convection oven 495 degrees. Transfer the dough to the pot, cover and bake for 30 minutes, decrease temperature to 465 degree’s, remove the lid and continue baking another 10-15 minutes or until it is browned.
I”ve never had any luck with bread but this recipe looks so easy I’m going to give it a try. Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday. 🙂
This recipe is so simple and produces a fantastic loaf of bread. Let me know if you try. Less is best here, very little handling of the dough. Happy holidays to you as well!
Will actually be starting it tonight. Just need to buy some yeast as the one in my pantry was from 2011! lol
Lol, yes I’m sure it’s lost it’s oomph!!
-blush- Yeah. I hadn’t been that far back in the pantry for some time…
Hi Suzanne! The crust you got on that bread looks divine. Great job 🙂
Thank you it really turned out beautifully! I love the recipe. Happy Holidays Jess🎄🎄❤️
hi! It has been a while since I have read a post from you. Timing is everything. This looks like a fun bread recipe.
Thank you working my way back!! It’s an awesome recipe.
Good to see u again.🤓
Thank you!!! ❤️❤️
😁
Love how easy this sounds. My kind of bread! Yours looks delicious.
Thanks Mary, it’s a really fantastic recipe and a lovely loaf of bread.
Hi, Suzanne that is beautiful bread!
Hi Dyanna, it is a really great recipe. So happy to see you and thank you!
That bread looks nice and crusty, Suzanne!
It is really a wonderful crust in this bread!! Thanks Angie!
Sometimes I think there is nothing more satisfying than baking bread.
Hi Gerlinde, totally agree!! This was my first time using a no knead recipe and I was so pleased with the results. Thank you!!
Your house must smell incredibly like a French Bakery! 😋
It did, thank you so much!!!
That crust looks great, and it’s the main reason for baking bread in a Dutch oven. The dough has a lot of water, which provides a great texture but also makes it difficult to handle. Looks in the photo like you had some help from parchment paper to transfer the dough into the Dutch oven? I haven’t tried baking in a Dutch oven yet because I don’t own one and because the recipe I have calls for preheating it. I don’t feel comfortable trying to transfer a wet dough into a hot Dutch oven. What was your bottom crust like?
Thank you Stefan! It is a very wet dough and it does make it difficult to handle: I actually did not use the parchment to transfer the dough, just plopped it in the pot. Jim Lahey heats his Dutch oven beforehand, that makes me nervous and I don’t do that. it’s different with a pizza stone since you can use s peel.
I wondered if I could do the 2 hour rise in the parchment lined Dutch oven, it would be easier. Thanks again it is a wonderful bread with a fantastic crust!!
You can certainly do the 2 hour rise in the Dutch oven if you are not preheating the Dutch oven anyway. No parchment lining required. By using a Dutch oven without preheating you have the advantages of the high humidity (because of the cover) but the disadvantage of a heavy Dutch oven that will heat up slowly. This will mean a thicker crust and less oven spring. The idea of preheating a Dutch oven makes me nervous, too, that is why I use an alternative approach. This will also work with your no knead bread, so give it a try! https://stefangourmet.com/2018/07/01/high-hydration-bread/
It will be so much easier to do the 2 hr rise in the Dutch oven. Because the dough is so soft it spreads and it a bit difficult to transfer to the pot, not impossible but a little difficult. Would you flour the bottom of the pot to keep from sticking or will it not stick?
Flour is a good idea, and to cover while proofing.
Thank you!
Reblogged this on Campbells World.
It looks great
Thank you!
I am SO thrilled to have won!! 😀 His work is simply stunning – thanks for running the contest Suzanne! ❤ And this bread looks fantastic – I always think it's too complex for me as I'm NOT a baker, but I think I can do this! Yay! Thanks again doll!
This is a beautiful bread. I’m not sure if I could make it this way, though. I’m too old and traditional! Plus I enjoy all the kneading and everything that goes into a loaf! I hope you have a fabulous Christmas Suzanne!
I’m also a traditional baker but this bread is so easy and the results outstanding I am going to make it over and over. I love how crisp the crust is and my other breads don’t produce that lovely crust. Merry Christmas Mimi❤️❤️🎄🎄❤️❤️
I love this bread and make it several times a week. Yours’ looks beautiful!
Hey, Suzanne, I thought I’d give you a reminder that you’ll be cohosting tomorrow with Kat @ Kat’s 9 Lives. You didn’t think it’d be this soon, did you? 😀 I hope it didn’t come as a shock, lol. Time does fly!!
Hi Angie; yes remembered and heard we are on board!!
Great! See you soon at the fiesta!
I didn’t realize you were back! I have felt like I’ve lost an old friend. What a gorge casserole (trying not to be a little jealous, lol!) and beautiful bread. I think I have that book, too. Obv, I have too many if I can’t remember them all!! What a great way to break in your casserole! Happy New Year!
Mollie
I love how easy this bread is! Thanks for co-hosting with me this week! I hope you are having a great weekend.
I’m no good at making bread, but this sounds super easy and so doable! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this.
What a beautiful bread! And how awesome is your Pug Life tea towel? haha. Love it!
This loaf looks gorgeous, I never knew you could make bread in a pot!
Such gorgeous looking bread!
Looks like a wonderful loaf!
Looks amazing!
It was Liz, I think it was the best bread I’ve made in a while. Thank you so much!!
Hi Suzanne! I’ve just been seeing your posts on IG as I’ve just not had time to do anything but try to keep afloat the past couple of years as I’ve just been traveling almost nonstop! I thought I’d pop in to tell you that my daughter moved to Manhattan in October, and saw that you mentioned me with the no knead bread recipe! That’s so sweet, but I don’t know why I didn’t see the pingback! So sorry, hate not to acknowledge a kind gesture! Thank you!
Anyway, my daughter is now living and working in NYC! I will only see her for 3 days at Christmastime. I’ve lost both of my kids to the East Coast now! Hope you are doing well! CC
Hi Christina; thank you for a wonderful recipe! I love it it’s so easy and produces such a delicious loaf of bread. That’s awesome your daughter is here in NYC!! One day we should meet when you are visiting. Merry Christmas to all!!