When I look back on my baking adventures, I cannot help but smile. I have been very lucky to be blessed by a husband who is a foodie. Even my friends, love my baked goods. Needless to say it has taken many failed attempts to be where I am today.
I started my baking adventures with a ready to bake cookie mix. Later one of my friends showed me how to bake bread rolls from scratch. I have been baking ever since and have learned quite a few delicious recipes. Be it cookies, cakes, pies or muffins, I love baking them all (and that too right from scratch). I also keep searching and experimenting with different types of bread recipes. I am still a novice but recently I discovered a fool proof recipe which bakes beautiful crusty bread without any labor.
Now usually when we think about Breads, the first thing which comes to our mind is kneading. Kneading helps to develop the gluten which then helps to make the bread firm on the outside but open and light textured on the inside. This kneading part is the most crucial part of bread baking. Without the correct amount of kneading and gluten formation, the bread will not rise properly, neither will it have that chewy texture. Well, what if I tell you that you can bake a beautiful loaf of bread without worrying about the kneading part. I think most people don’t attempt to bake breads at home because of all the time and effort that goes in it. However, any homemade good is free from preservatives and that is one of the reasons I focus on homemade food.
Paul Hollywood says in the British baking show; a slower rise gives more flavor to the bread. Now when we are adding hot/ lukewarm water in the flour, the yeast rushes to work. With the active Yeast and kneading we develop the gluten. But what will happen if we add room temperature water to the flour? Naturally the yeast will take more time to develop which will make the dough more flavorful. You must be thinking what will happen with the gluten? Do we still have to knead the dough before popping it in the oven?
No! That is why this recipe is called No Knead Bread. All you have to do is mix four ingredients – Flour, Salt, Yeast and Water. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for almost 18 hours. Straightaway transfer that mix in the Dutch Oven, bake and voila! Delicious crusty homemade bread. This recipe is so simple yet so flawless that it will win you over. Perfect for the busy ladies or mommies as well as for your date nights. The time you are actually working on the bread is so short that you can easily fit it between your other tasks. After all, who doesn’t like homemade bread baked from scratch?
You know what I realized after reading this recipe? I wasn’t paying any attention to the steaming part of bread baking. Unless the dough gets enough steam it will not form a crust. Yes, we can always spray some water on the bread while it is baking. I have also used other methods (ice/ water in a tray) to create that perfect amount of steam. The breads used to turn out good but honestly, considering all that time and effort, those breads just don’t stand before this crusty bread. Specially after knowing that we don’t have to do any of these steps to create the proper amount of steam. So, what is the secret?
Dutch Oven! When we bake the bread in the Dutch Oven (or Dutch Pot) with the lid on, it creates steam inside the pot. This steam is the water we mixed earlier in the dough. Since the lid seals, the moisture in the dough has nowhere to go but to convert to steam. This keeps the crust softer for a long time and helps to expand the bread in the initial stages of baking. It also creates a nice glossy crust on the bread. Just remember to follow the directions step by step. When preheating the oven, make sure to place the Dutch oven inside. This sort of transforms it into a small version of a professional steam injected oven. The Dutch oven distributes the heat and steam more evenly in the bread thus hardening the crust.
There is just one catch with this bread. You can’t plan it at the last minute. Since the dough has to sit at room temperature for almost 18 hours, you have to plan this ahead. You will feel a bit skeptical the first time, because the mixed dough will look like a sticky mess. Plus, the waiting time will make you question the recipe. But take my word, the resultant bread will be absolutely gorgeous.
Last but not the least, please use fresh ingredients. Yeast will not work if it has expired. So, pay close attention while adding the ingredients. Do not skip the parchment paper because it not only prevents the dough from sticking on the bottom of the pan but also helps to lift it out once the baking is done.
Some of the online recipes may suggest to shape the dough in a ball before baking it but I have never done that and I don’t think there is any need. You don’t even have to touch the sticky dough. Just push it out using a large rubber spatula on the parchment paper. Then transfer the parchment in the Dutch oven and do this carefully because the oven is hot! I have a big 5 quart Dutch Oven and the dough spreads out a bit. So, if you have a smaller one, you may consider using it so that the bread ends up taller.
Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji
I think, this bread checks all the boxes of my expectations –
First, the Salty taste, which is just yum! You can of course add some garlic or cheese for more flavor (like I do sometimes).
Second, the texture. The bread will have a hard crust on the outside and a light, soft middle. You will see the air pockets showing how the yeast worked. Always use a good serrated knife to cut the slices.
Third, the overall method. My god, it cannot get any easier than this and this bread has endless possibilities. You can:
Dunk it in a soup
Spread jam, soft cheese or butter on it
Top it with tomato, basil and olive oil
Make an egg in a hole
French Toast
Make a Sandwich
Or eat it just like that
The best part is, this bread not only tastes store bought but looks as well. This bread has become a staple at our home. I baked this delicious bread on Thanksgiving and we absolutely loved it. We even enjoyed it the next morning with some butter, coffee and my homemade delicious Boozy Fruitcake.
Try this bread, then let me know how it turned out.
Nothing says ‘Home’ like the smell of Baking!
- All Purpose Flour - 3 cups
- Salt - 1 ½ teaspoons
- Dry Active Yeast – 1 ½ teaspoons
- Water – 1 ½ - 2 cups room temperature
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Start adding the water (½ cup at a time), use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix everything together.
- Cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit for 17 ½ hours at room temperature.
- Since we have to wait for almost 18 hours to bake the bread, timing is important. Calculate the hours so that when it is time to bake, it isn’t midnight. I find it best to mix the dough in evening so that I can bake it sometime during next day (around noon).
- Make a Garlic bread by mixing ½ teaspoon Garlic powder in the dough.
Just after mixing
After 17 ½ hours
Directions:
- Place the Dutch pot inside the oven with the lid on.
- Now preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (Switch on the central air/ vent, helps to air out any strong fumes from the oven).
- Once the preheating is done, transfer the dough (it will be sticky) on parchment paper using a big spatula.
See how the yeast has worked! It’s amazing!
Optional: At this point I like to stick a couple pieces of my favorite cheese in the dough. You can also sprinkle some flour on it.
- Take out the Dutch pot from the oven and quickly and carefully, remove the lid and transfer the dough along with the parchment in it. Do not take out the Dutch pot before this step.
- Place the lid back on and slide inside the oven.
- Bake in Dutch pot (with the lid on) for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 450 F, take off the lid and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Switch off the oven and let the Dutch pot sit inside for 10-15 minutes. This will help to cool it off a bit and also bring a better crust on the bread.
The cheesy bread will have a slightly different color.
- Transfer the hot bread on a cooling rack.
- Wait for a minute then cut into slices and enjoy!
Tip: Use a good long serrated knife for cutting the slices.
Dip the bread in herbed oil, spread butter or jam or dunk in soup and enjoy!
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This photo has been featured on LensCulture Portrait Awards 2019. LensCulture reviews competitions and resources for photographers and recommend the best ones.
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