NYT No-Knead Yeast Bread Recipe

[chipotle]

There's an interesting article in Mark Bittman's Minimalist column in the New York Times about a new technique for making a crusty yeast bread without kneading. Essentially you use only 1/4 tsp yeast, let the dough rise 18 hours, and then toss the dough in a preheated ceramic, cast iron or Pyrex pot to bake. I have started the recipe rising and am looking forward to seeing the results tomorrow.

Here's the article about the technique called The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/di...ng&oref=slogin

Here's the actual recipe.

Recipe: No-Knead Bread

Published: November 8, 2006
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising


3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran 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.

[tea4one]

I hope you let us know how this turns out, ecspecially with only using 1/4 teaspoon of yeast.

[funniegrrl]

I read the article this morning, the explanation makes sense. I trust Mark Bittman, and he also got Harold McGee's seal of approval, so ... I plan to give it a go myself the next time I have some time to bake.

[imloulou]

(insert Twilight Zone music here)

I JUST got a link to this from my FIL. I just (2 seconds ago) replied to his email and asked him for the actual recipe. I cannot get the recipe unless I register. But I got to read the article and I am definately interested.

So I opened a new browser window to Google this recipe (CLBB is my "homepage" for my browser so it automatically pulls up this board when I open a new window) and I the see "No Knead Bread" out of the corner of my eye.

Woohoo!!

Thanks for posting Chipotle!!!!

editing to add: Please post your results...I really want to try this!

[gperls]

I noticed the recipe too. I have the dough doing it's 18 hour resting right now. Should have it baked up tonite. I'll report back. It's way too easy.

[memartha]

Bread bakers,

How important is it to keep the dough in a "warm room temperature, about 70 degrees"?

I don't think we have such a place in our house. I wonder if that's a contributing factor to my failure at bread baking.

I'm also looking forward to hearing how your bread turns out, chipotle.

[Julzer]

memartha, my husband is the breadmaker in our house and for his bread to turn out it is really important to have it in a warm, draft free area. Sometimes if he needs to, he'll turn the oven on a low temp and put the bread on top of the stove and it keeps it warm. I have only made bread/yeast recipes a few times b/c I don't have patience to wait all day.

[HealthyinMN]

Originally Posted by memartha

Bread bakers,

How important is it to keep the dough in a "warm room temperature, about 70 degrees"?

I don't think we have such a place in our house. I wonder if that's a contributing factor to my failure at bread baking.

I'm also looking forward to hearing how your bread turns out, chipotle.

The warmer temperature allows a faster rise - however, more flavor is allowed to develop when you use a slower rise (which is why some recipes call for an overnight in the fridge). While most have sufficiently risen in an hour or so at that temperature, it just may take a little longer for yours to rise if the room is cooler.

One thing I do is turn on the oven light and put it in there - just the heat given off from the light makes the temp in the oven go to 75-80 degrees.

[funniegrrl]

My mother used to put a thick folded towel on top of the television, then put the bowl of bread dough on top of that. Inside an oven, even if you don't turn it on to a warming temp, is also a good option, as is a sunny patch of countertop.

But, as others have said, if you're rising at a lower temp, then you just have to give it more time. The important part in a bread recipe is not the clock time of the rise, but if the dough is "ready." If the recipe says, "rise for 2 hours, or until double in bulk" it's the "double in bulk" portion that's important, not the 2 hours. The timing assumes that warm temperature with no drafts, so if you don't have that, the timing goes out the window.

Since this recipe already takes 12 to 18 hours at 70F, if you can't find a spot like that, it'll take even longer. Doable, you just have to wait more.


P.S. Edited to add ... about the NY Times site: Subscription is EASY -- just your email and a password. Once you've logged in, you won't have to log in again unless you don't use cookies or you clear them out. I've "subscribed" for a good 10 years and have never gotten a single piece of spam or other mail from them. It's really worth it for the food and arts and health sections, even if you're not interested in the hard news.

[newtricks]

Bet the flavor is great with an 18 hour rise. I can't wait to try this!

[chipotle]

My first attempt at this bread is finished and I just have one thing to say:

BEST. CRUST. EVER!

I've tried all sorts of things to get a good flaky crust similar to true French bread -stones, misting the oven, etc., but this is a million times better. I don't think my bread will win any beauty contests - it is puffy and cracked on top with flour spots but it is an excellent rustic loaf. With the best crust ever.

I'm planning on starting my second experiment with 100% white wheat flour because I'm all about the whole grains. I may let it rise longer than 18 hours.

I was a bit skeptical at the texture of the dough after the 18 hour rise. It was bubbly and airy but not so springy. It took mine longer than 2 hours to double in size in the floured towel. Getting the dough from the towel to the heated pot is quite dramatic but fortunately mine plopped in pretty evenly!

I can't wait to hear how this recipe works out for everyone else. I don't think my oven was hot enough - more like 425 than 450 but I found my oven thermometer to get it right next time. Mine took 45 minutes in the oven - 30 minutes covered and 15 uncovered.

[funniegrrl]

That's exciting!

[ADM]

Originally Posted by chipotle

My first attempt at this bread is finished

What type and size pan did you use? I may need to get another pan since mine all seem they might be a bit large for a 1 1/2 lb loaf of bread.

[funniegrrl]

This recipe does not use a regular loaf pan. As Step #4 says, it calls for a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic).

[Donna P]

And, you didn't have to grease the pan???? I would also like to know what size and type of pan you used. This may be a good excuse to go and buy a new LeCruesat (sp?) in a smaller size.

[chipotle]

It looks like they were using Le Creuset in the photos that accompanied the article. I used a 2 quart ceramic casserole dish with lid. If this recipe also works as well with whole grains (in the article Mark Bittman said he's also tried it with rye and whole wheat) I may buy a cast iron Dutch oven just for this bread. Bittman said he uses plain old cast iron.

I was worried about not greasing the pan as well. When I plopped it into the hot pan, I heard all these bubbling and cracking noises. Anyway, it didn't stick at all and it browned really nicely on the bottom.

Now I'm off to make some soup for dinner to go with the bread!

[ADM]

Originally Posted by funniegrrl

This recipe does not use a regular loaf pan. As Step #4 says, it calls for a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic).

I didn't ask chipotle what the recipe said, I asked what type and size of pan she had used. I do have 6-8 quart ceramic pans, but I thought those would result in a very thin loaf, which is not what I want.

[chipotle]

Oops - my casserole was 3 quart, not two.

My loaf was more horizontal than vertical because of the dish I used. Also, Bittman recommends bread flour and I only used all-purpose flour so I suspect it could have risen more. I'm going to add some gluten to the white wheat flour version.

[dgeevanson]

Originally Posted by chipotle

My first attempt at this bread is finished and I just have one thing to say:

BEST. CRUST. EVER!

I've tried all sorts of things to get a good flaky crust similar to true French bread -stones, misting the oven, etc., but this is a million times better. I don't think my bread will win any beauty contests - it is puffy and cracked on top with flour spots but it is an excellent rustic loaf. With the best crust ever.

I'm planning on starting my second experiment with 100% white wheat flour because I'm all about the whole grains. I may let it rise longer than 18 hours.

I was a bit skeptical at the texture of the dough after the 18 hour rise. It was bubbly and airy but not so springy. It took mine longer than 2 hours to double in size in the floured towel. Getting the dough from the towel to the heated pot is quite dramatic but fortunately mine plopped in pretty evenly!

I can't wait to hear how this recipe works out for everyone else. I don't think my oven was hot enough - more like 425 than 450 but I found my oven thermometer to get it right next time. Mine took 45 minutes in the oven - 30 minutes covered and 15 uncovered.

Ok this review did it. My dough is in the bowl raising. I'm also interested in how yours works out if you try it with white whole wheat. I'm trying white flour first. Thanks for the recipe and reviews. Darla

[charley]

A few people tried this recipe on another forum. Link contains pics.

No Knead Bread

[chipotle]

Charley, my bread looked exactly the same as the bread in those photos. I also agree with the posters that some people might want more salt.

I read through the New York Times cooking forum (link next to the article I posted) and some people were saying it was the best bread they ever made. I don't think it was the best bread I ever made but it definitely was the best crust I've ever made. I'm not even sure it was the best rustic loaf I've ever made - there was a Carol Field recipe in the Italian Baker covered with bran that might win that category.

My white wheat whole grain version is taking a lot longer to get as bubbly as the first dough so I'm going to add 12-24 hours onto the rising time.

[dgeevanson]

I just finished eating my first slice of this yummy bread. What a great recipe! I particularly love the crust but also the texture of the bread. I have tried misting the walls of the oven etc etc to get that perfect crust and those methods don't create a crust anything like this one. Mine also looked just like the photos posted on the Garden Web forum. I used cornmeal to coat instead of flour or bran and I would do that again as others on the other forum were complaining that their kitchen was covered in flour. I didn't have that problem at all. The cornmeal made for easy cleanup. Others also complained that their dough stuck to and/or ruined their dishtowels. The cornmeal made it so the dough came off of the towel easily . Definate keeper. I'll try with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour, but also want to try a white loaf with roasted garlic and fresh rosemary added. Hmmmm Many many thanks for posting. Darla


P.S. Chipotle - could I bother you for the Carol Field recipe? pretty please?

[Stephanie-Oh]

Just want to add my yeah vote for this bread. I agree and pretty much did what Darla did-used cornmeal. I used a 6 1/2 qt. oval LC . The dough rested in my MW for 16 1/2 hrs. Will extend the time next batch to 20 hrs. Crunchy, crusty crust with inside having good chew. Will definitely make again. So easy!

[chipotle]

dgeevanson, unfortunately currently I can't seem to find the Carol Field recipe I used in my overburdened recipe notebook but I really should buy the book used. I'll find a copy at the library and type it up in a week or two.

I did do the NYT no-knead bread with 100% whole wheat and it obviously needed to rise even longer than the 20 hours mine rose. Mine didn't rise as much as the 100% white and I tried using a different pan (a Cuisinart stainless steel stock pot) this time.

My next experiment will be half whole wheat, half white.

[dgeevanson]

Originally Posted by chipotle

dgeevanson, unfortunately currently I can't seem to find the Carol Field recipe I used in my overburdened recipe notebook but I really should buy the book used. I'll find a copy at the library and type it up in a week or two.

I did do the NYT no-knead bread with 100% whole wheat and it obviously needed to rise even longer than the 20 hours mine rose. Mine didn't rise as much as the 100% white and I tried using a different pan (a Cuisinart stainless steel stock pot) this time.

My next experiment will be half whole wheat, half white.

Please don't make a special trip to the library just for me, only if you're there anyway and it's convenient. Maybe I'll start a thread looking for that recipe. I have my second batch of the no knead bread raising at this moment. I'll bake it tomorrow. Thanks Darla

[pschambers]

I made this over the weekend and it was great! Other than sticking to my hands and the cotton towel that is

I was afraid it was not going to turn out very good after it stuck to the towel when I tried to put it in my LC, but it had a great crust and and holey, chewy interior. Loved it!

Patti

[testkitchen45]

Originally Posted by chipotle

Charley, my bread looked exactly the same as the bread in those photos. I also agree with the posters that some people might want more salt.

Do you think added salt would kill the yeast?

Am so interested in trying this recipe! Thanks to all who posted info on it.

[MissFood]

I checked out the couple of other forums mentioned, and one complaint that I noticed several times was that the interior of the bread was too moist and gummy. Has anyone else had that problem? Any suggested solutions out there?

[sfarler]

Originally Posted by MissFood

I checked out the couple of other forums mentioned, and one complaint that I noticed several times was that the interior of the bread was too moist and gummy. Has anyone else had that problem? Any suggested solutions out there?

I made this bread this weekend also. I cut the loaf right out of the oven to see what it looked like. When it was so hot, I thought that I hadn't let it bake long enough (30 minutes w/lid and 15 w/o) because mine also seemed too moist and gummy. But after the loaf cooled more, I was very pleased with it. I probably will let it bake a little longer next time, because the crust wasn't really golden. I had so much cornmeal on it I couldn't tell if it was brown when it was in the pan.

I did think that it needed more salt also and had decided to add a little more the next time I make it. Then DH tried it and said that he thought it was too salty!

[Donna P]

Here is my experience with this bread:

I used 1-1/2 cups water instead of 1-5/8
I doubled the salt and added a tsp. of sugar
I let the dough rise for 18+ hours; when I poured it out of the pan there were pockets of liquid, like the dough had not been mixed thoroughly.
I used my small crockpot insert as the baking vessel since I wanted a taller loaf.

Results: I cooked at 480 degrees w/cover for 30 minutes and then removed lid. The bread was barely starting to brown, so next time I will cover for a longer period. I started taking it's internal temperature after 15 minutes, and I don't remember how much longer I cooked it to get the temperature up. I took the bread out at 202 degrees, and I should have kept it in the oven until the temp reached 210. The bread did not stick to the pan at all!

As for the dough, I did add extra flour to compensate for those pockets of water. It did not stick to my towel because I really used a lot of flour.

The results were still delicious. Next time I will cook it for a longer period of time.