No Knead Bread

I love making my own bread, whether it's a simple white sandwich loaf or grain and fibre packed artisan rolls, I just love it.  Years ago I used to make it completely by hand, from mixing the ingredients to kneading it until my arms felt like wet noodles, but now, unless I want that upper body workout (which trust me, is never!), I use either the bread machine or stand mixer to do all the hard work.  I have to admit I don't like to bake it in the bread machine very often - my machine produces a fairly uniform 'cube' loaf which gives you big slices, whereas I like the smaller slices that a loaf tin will give you - so I usually mix it in the bread machine and give it that first 'resting' in there and then I'll punch it down and transfer it to a loaf tin to rise and bake in the oven.

When I came across this recipe from Michael Smith (I was actually watching an episode of Chef at Home), I loved the idea of how easy it all seemed to be, with nothing more than the simplest of ingredients, the least amount of effort and a LOT of time.  It may seem a long time to have to wait for that scrumptious loaf of bread that you're craving but take my word for it, it's well worth the wait.

No Knead Bread
makes 1 loaf

4 cups bread flour (I like to do half white, half wholewheat, but use whatever you have)
1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups warm water
splash of vegetable oil

• in a large bowl mix together the flour, yeast and salt.
• add the warm water and mix, using a wooden spoon, until all the flour mixture is incorporated:  1 to 2 minutes.
• cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 18 hours;  the dough will double in size and bubbles will form under the surface.  If you pull the surface slightly using your finger you'll be able to see the long gluten strands that have formed naturally from the long resting period.
• 'punch' the dough down and toss it, in the bowl, with the splash of vegetable oil to coat it.
• transfer it to a 9" x 5" loaf tin, leave uncovered, and let it rest in a warm place for another 2-3 hours to double in size again.
• preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.
• (from the photos below you'll see that I didn't use a normal loaf pan this time.  I used a pan that I think is called a 'milk' loaf pan - correct me if I'm wrong.  I brought it back from England on one of my last visits, and it works great for this recipe).

 No Knead Bread ingredients.

put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together.

pour in the warm water...

...and mix to incorporate all the dry ingredients - it will be very moist.

after 18 hours of being covered in a warm place it will have doubled in size and you'll see bubbles under the surface.

after all that resting time the dough will have created the long gluten strands needed for wonderful bread.

punch the dough down, toss with a splash of vegetable oil and transfer to a loaf pan.

this is my 'milk' loaf pan - when bread is baked the ridges make it really easy to slice.

comes out golden bread and yummy.

airy, light, slightly chewy.....delicious!!!