The Simplest Artisan Bread Ever!
2 days ago I was browsing on internet looking for an idea to make bread and I come accros this No-Knead Bread from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery. I was blown away at how simple his technique is.
Few years ago I have been trying without any success to make artisan with large holes inside, chewy and crusty skin at the outside. I tried using ice cubes to create steam in my oven. I sprayed my dough with water few times during baking. Nothing seems to work.
This recipe is so easy that the creator boasted that a six year old can do it.
You don't believe me, watch...
This is his recipe:
No Knead Bread3 cups of bread flour and more
1 1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of yeast
Wheat bran or cornmeal as needed
1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.
Now, if you take a look at my bread's picture. Will you believe me that this recipe is amazing? Even I can do it too!!! Go try making it now!!!
For Bonus, if you are getting crazy with making tons of this bread because it was so easy ( like I do ) and now you end up with so many great looking and taste breads in your hands, well.... I give you this video clip so that maybe it will give you an idea what to do with those lovely breads in your hands. I also include another video clip but I can put it here so you have to go to this website to see it. Both are Nigella Lawyson's video clips.
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