pictoral exploration of no knead bread

A few days ago I posted that I was going to make some no knead bread. I finally did so 2 nights ago and here's some pictures of the process:

First off you gather the dry ingredients like so...


then you add some water, in this case 1.5 cups and then stir them together so they look like this


after that you put the dough into a warm place for an overnight incubation. I started this at midnight and it only took about 5 minutes to mix the flour, yeast, salt, and water together and place them in the microwave. No zapping! I only used the microwave because it was an easy place to store the bowl with the dough.


After 18 hours the dough had almost doubled in size. It was on the small size due to the house not being very warm.


I then dumped the dough, which was quite sticky, onto a well floured surface. In this case it was a silicon baking sheet on my cutting board. The silicon sheet worked quite well.


You then fold the edges up onto the middle. You're not supposed to punch it down but I couldn't resist. There's just something about CO2 filled bread dough that just makes me want to punch it. After the folding you leave the dough to rest for 1 - 2 hours, I went for 2 hours due to the cool temperature in my house.


I helped the yeast a little by putting a warm mat under the silicon baking sheet.


After the two hours rest the dough had doubled in size and was ready for baking.


30 minutes before you bake the bread you want to start the oven to preheating. Set the oven at 475f with the baking vessel in the oven. I used the casserole dish from my crock pot.


When the dough has rested long enough to double in size and the oven is preheated you can toss the dough into the dish. Remember, that dish is gonna be VERY HOT. Be careful. After adding the dough cover the dish and put back into the oven. I used the cookie sheet that you can see in the picture above to cover the dish.


Since the oven is so hot the baking time is short. You want to go for 30 minutes with the cover in place, then remove the cover and go for 20 minutes longer. Keep the oven at 475f the entire time. This is what my bread looked like when I removed the cover.


And this is the bread 20 minutes later when I took it out of the oven.


And when I removed it from the casserole dish. It didn't stick at all--just popped right out. After you take the bread out of the oven you need to wait one hour before cutting it open.


And this is what the inside of the bread looked like when the hour was up and I was able to cut it open. It had a nice firm texture with a nice taste. I put together the ingredients for a second loaf of this bread tonight and I'll be baking it when I get home from work on Thursday. This time I think I'll add a little olive oil to the top and some kosher salt.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It looks so yummy!!! You have already send some to Singapore right?
angela marie said…
That looks wonderful. BUT. I can go to the bakery and BUY some alot faster. **smirk**

LOL!
SassyAssy said…
I love the smell of fresh baked bread and slathering it in a golden schmere of butter--ah heaven! I think I must make some this week--do you have to use a crockpot or will a bread pan work as well?
utenzi said…
Anything that can handle 475f is fine to use--but that's a very hot oven so be careful. That much heat will ruin some bakeware.
srp said…
And no eggs right?

I would be more than happy to send Max down for you to groom him... just as long as you don't charge the extra anesthetic fee it takes to get him groomed. He isn't this shaggy right now.... but, he has to be asleep as he becomes hysterical and will bite the hand that grooms him...
I am considering sedating him like I have to do for working on his eyes and ears sometimes and putting the muzzle on and having a go at it myself. I have some good electric clippers and some corticosteroid shampoo that might help his itching, partly from being cocker, partly from his cutaneous lymphoma. I'm still thinking on it but it is too cold right now.
Anonymous said…
What great photos. I don't know anything about making bread, but you make it look easy.
Linda said…
im glad your turned out well. i still have yet to have much luck with no knead bread.
carmilevy said…
I'm not sure if this is magic, art, or a bit of both.

We live and die by our bread machine. You've inspired me to start collecting the ingredients. I think Saturday morning will be a lovely time for a fresh loaf.
Your Mother said…
That looks good. I love homemade bread. I may try this recipe.

Michele sent me today.
Anonymous said…
Great pictorial. Too bad there's no way we could smell the aroma of the freshly baked bread as well.

Cheers from Michele's place.
Anonymous said…
I love the name of your site. I wanted to drop in and say thank you for stopping by. Your photos of bread bring back such wonderful childhood memories for me. My father baked a batch of bread each Sunday afternoon - enough for the week ahead.
kenju said…
I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a loaf of that today!


(Do you remember Wimpy from Popeye?)
Cristin B said…
That bread does look yummy...

To explain the eye, it was just to show the evils of chopping onions! :)
MaR said…
It looks too good to be true so I will have to try this, utenzi. Michele sent me your way, have a nice weekend!
Olyal said…
At the risk of sounding like an ignorant Jew... Does kosher salt taste better than regular salt?... and isn't all salt kosher?

I'm so going to have to try that recipe on my fire in Vanuatu (cos we don't have an oven). I'll let you know how it goes!
Bobkat said…
I love fresh bread mmmmmmm! This seems so simple to make I think I'll have to have a go!
Anonymous said…
very nice! I keep meaning to try this no knead bread but I never get around to it. I love that you posted so many pictures, I almost feel like I got to make it myself. :)

Ari (Baking and Books)
Linda said…
now that looks good....I may have to try it...although sometimes I think kneading is a good stress relief!

I'm glad I "re-found" your blog (thru Michele's, though she didn't "send me") because I had your old link and was missing your blog!
Bunny said…
Don't get me wrong, I do love hte look of your lovely bread. Problem is, I'm a bit lazy.
Plus Super Lisa is on a no carb diet.
Michele sent me
MaR said…
Michele sent me again your way to make sure I get this recipe straight! happy weekend, utenzi!
sage said…
Good looking bread! Michele says hi and I'll take a slice with a tad of butter and some jam.
Unknown said…
Hey Michele says Hi ;)

Just had issues signing in to comment I wish google would sort this out ;)

The bread looks lovely there is a sublime joy to be had in eating food you have cooked ;)

Ill take my toast with marmite please Mmmmm
Does anyone really need "no-knead" bread?

It sounds good, and looks even better but it sounds like a bit of work even without the kneading. Like someone said above me - all of my bread is no-knead - I just buy it post-kneading!!

Michele sent me,

Mike
utenzi said…
It really is easy to make, Mike. The total time you're actually doing something is about 20 minutes. The rest of the time either you're letting the dough "rest" so that the yeast can do their thing or you're baking the bread. Painless!
Anonymous said…
Hi Utenzi,
That really does look like nice bread, I make my own bread about once a month when either the spirit moves me or the kids fuss about missing it too much, I've never tried the no-knead recipies though, You're inspiring me to check them out.
Here from Micheles today & thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.
Tara said…
Oh, I have some great stone bakeware. I should try that. So far I have only used it to make some caramel roll thing using bisquick.
Unknown said…
That bread looks really good. I may give it a try this weekend. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.
Anonymous said…
Looks delicious, Utenzi, but I'm not sure I could resist the urge to knead. Isn't kneading part of the fun of bread? :)

Hello from Michele's!
Anonymous said…
Saying Hello from Michelle's place
The bread looks awesome
Jean-Luc Picard said…
Those pictures really make it look tasty!
Unknown said…
Wow, that looks great. The only bread I am able to make are rolls (with the breadmaker, on the dough cycle, doing all of the work). I have no luck with yeast!

Great blog!

Michele sent me.

Chelle
Janejill said…
oh yum - what else can you make Utenzi
Diane Mandy said…
He bakes bread, too? You certainly are a Renaissance man!

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