Bread baking doesn’t get any easier than this no-knead bread! This is the best bread for bakers who are just starting out with bread making. Mix it, forget about it overnight, then wake up to fresh bread in less than an hour! If you’re looking for a basic bread recipe that any home cook can make, look no further!
Why you should make this no knead bread:
Making delicious bread doesn’t have to be intimidating. For this easy no-knead bread you don’t need a sourdough starter, you don’t need a stand mixer, and you definitely don’t need to knead!!! With some simple ingredients, a little patience and time, you can be eating this easy no knead bread before you know it!
Ingredients you’ll need for this homemade bread:
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Active dry yeast
- Lukewarm water around 105 degrees F.
How to make no knead bread:
- Combine the flour, salt, active dry yeast and water to form a sticky dough.
- Cover and leave to let the dough rest for ten hours or overnight.
- Shape into a round and bake.
- Allow to cool before slicing!
FAQ:
Sourdough bread is leavened by wild yeast and ‘regular’ bread is leavened by commercial yeast. Sourdough bread needs to have a starter which is made from yeast and bacteria growing inside a paste made of flour and water. The main thing I really like about sourdough bread are the large holes on the inside. That is hard to get with yeasted breads but this easy bread recipe has tons of holes thanks to the longer resting time!
The crispy crust is what makes this feel like an artisan bread! It’s all connected to the baking method. It’s important that you have a hot oven and a preferably a dutch oven dish because of the lid and size. Using a cast iron dutch oven is very popular for bread baking because it gets super hot and traps in heat well. It’s equally as important to bake the bread covered, then uncovered too.
Warm water will activate the yeast and heat it to a temperature that is best suitable for fermentation. Without the warm water, the yeast won’t eat and multiply as quickly, resulting in a need for a much longer resting time. However, it is important to make sure your water isn’t too hot either, or else you run the risk of killing the yeast completely!
The rule of thumb here is that the longer the dough rests, the more flavor and better texture your bread will have in the end! Don’t leave it for too long though, or else you could end up with a very sour tasting loaf that’s dense in texture! Somewhere between 10 and 12 hours gives the best results.
That’s ok! Expect this dough recipe to be sticky and role with it. That’s why I recommend to use two forks to release the sides of the dough from the bowl. It’s the best way to keep your hands clean and prevents you from overworking the dough and popping all of those air bubbles that developed during the resting time. When shaping it into a round, I recommend either wetting your hands first or using some extra flour to prevent sticking.
Important note:
The bread needs to be covered for the first 40 minutes of baking because it traps the heat and locks in steam allowing the bread to rise and develop that chewy interior and artisan crust. Having a proper fitting lid is necessary.
No Knead Bread
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water around 105 degrees F
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and pour in the warm water.
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon (to prevent sticking) mix to form a sticky bread dough ball.
- Coat the bowl with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Then cover bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let sit in a warm place for 10 hours, or overnight.
- Once the wet dough has risen and is bubbly, take two forks and release it from the sides of the bowl.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little flour the top and bottom and shape it into a round or oval shape. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and lower it into your baking dish.
- Bake covered at 425 degrees F for 40 minutes, then uncovered for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow the loaf of bread to cool on a wire rack for a half hour before slicing and loading up with softened butter!
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