Speedy No-Knead Bread

In my opinion this makes a perfect weekend loaf. Make this bread on Saturday morning, leave yourself some time because the only hard part about this is waiting for it the dough to rise, and enjoy it all weekend. This bread tastes so good, warm, right out of the oven -- And even better Sunday morning, toasted with butter and  cinnamon-sugar.  While there are notable differences in AP versus Bread Flour, namely gluten development. I have certainly substituted the AP for the Bread flour and while artisan bread makers will probably cringe at this admission, it still tasted good to me. So I say go for it. 

Yield: 1 big loaf.
Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 packet ( 1/4 ounce) instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Oil as needed

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

3. 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 dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

4. 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.

Dough ball on lightly oiled work surface

Bread baking in the oven

Helpful hint: Professional kitchens store their yeast in the walk in, so to keep your yeast alive and vibrant longer, store in the refrigerator. 

Published in the The New York Times, 2008.                                                                               Click here to view the New York Times article.