Mark Bittman No Knead Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups/345 grams 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 OK. 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.

Steps:

• Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1-1/2 cups water and stir until blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
• 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.
• 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.
• Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake an other 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• Mix together the dry ingredients in large non-metalic bowl.
• In measuring cup mix together water and sourdough starter.
• Mix in liquid until the flour is incorporated. The consistency should be firm and shaggy.
• Cover with plastic and let sit on the counter for 16-18 hours at room temperature, about 70°F (Note: At 70-75 degrees the bread leavens well and has the distinct sourness and flavor of sourdough. At more than 75 degrees the dough becomes too acidic which inhibits the wild yeast and leavens poorly. At much less than 70 degrees the dough leavens well but has a mild flavor. ).
• With plastic scraper remove dough from bowl and gently place on floured surface.
• Gently flatten dough into rectangle and fold the ends inward (like a letter).
• Fold the sides inward and form a dough ball.
• Place dough, seam side down, on parchment paper bowl or frying pan (helps to hold shape and cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• If using proofing basket,spray the basket with non-stick oil and dust with flour or wheat brand and place dough directly in the basket.
• Cover with towel and let rise about 1 1/2 hours.
• Dough is ready when it will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
• Thirty minutes before baking, place cast-iron Dutch Oven or La Cloche (with lids) in oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
• With serrated knife place slits in top of loaf.
• Remove pot or La Cloche from oven and carefully lift dough with parchment from bowl and transfer to La Cloche or Dutch Oven.
• Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
• Replace lid and return to oven.
• Turn oven to 475 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove cover; reduce heat to 450 degrees and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown; interior temperature should be 200 degrees and the bottom sounds hollow when thumped.
• Remove from pan and cool completely on rack before cutting.