No knead bread's needs are few

This bread may be old news to many, but it's a revelation to me - the recipe was first printed in the New York Times circa 2006 (yeah, a little late on the trend, I know) based on a recipe from Sullivan Street Bakery. What makes it so amazing is not only the fab crust and light spongy interior, but the fact that it is so easy to make - no tricky techniques, no fiddly stretching and massaging, countless knocking backs and folding. It is a dough that needs no kneading! And I can say that it is better than any of the breads I have made - it could easily be passed off as an artisan loaf from a master baker - seriously, it's that good.



It does however blow my white flour abstinence and requires lashings of butter to be slathered on it while still warm - who can resist the alchemy of a steaming loaf and a slab of butter?

My friend and colleague Elaine Ngan made this loaf last week from the back of a truck in between takes on a TV commercial we were food styling on. Being nerdy foodies we squealed with delight at its gorgeousness and instagrammed it immediately. Elaine made the dough the day before - as it needs 12 to 20 hours resting (the only remotely faffy thing about it is that it requires this forethought) - and I brought my Le Creuset along the next day for baking it in. As the catering is always rather dubious on these jobs, we passed on the Pakoras Baked in Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella (seriously!) and had bread and butter for lunch instead.

The loaf pictured was made with 3 cups of strong white breadflour but you can swap 1/2 a cup of the white flour with a 1/2 cup of wholemeal, spelt or seeded flour too.

The recipe goes like this:

No Knead Bread 
(makes 1 loaf)

3 cups bread flour (I like Dove Farms organic or Allinson) 

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 

1 teaspoon fine table salt 

1 1/2 cups warm water 

A casserole style pot with heat proof lid (a large cast iron like Le Cruset is perfect or you can use a Pyrex, ceramic or enamel dish as long as they can go into a 230C/450F oven)

 
Method

The night before you intend to bake the bread you need to make the dough. Combine all the ingredients in a big mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. This should only take a few minutes, it doesn't look pretty, just glumpy. Cover with cling film and let sit 12-20 hours somewhere warmish like near the water heater or in the kitchen.

After resting, the dough should have some bubbles on the surface and be sticky and wet looking. Flour your work surface and plop the dough onto your bench (if your hands are a little wet this is easier). Fold the ends of dough over a few times until it resembles a ball shape.

Place a large sheet of baking paper on counter and lift your dough onto the paper. Lift baking paper up with dough and place into a large bowl. Cover bowl with a towel. Let it sit for 2 hours.

After 1 1/2 hours preheat the oven to 230C and put your empty baking pot with its lid on into the oven.

The dough should have doubled in size after the 2 hours resting and is ready to bake. Remove pot from oven. Using the ends of the baking paper lift the dough out of bowl and tip it, without the paper, into pot. If it lands scruffy side up this only adds to the rustic charm of the finished loaf so don't worry. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes.

Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove and let cool slightly on a wired rack.

...Playlist...

I am 40 in a few days time. The passing of years brings more memories to make me melancholy, in a good way. This song is as soulful as a loaf of bread.

Memories are that way - Bill Withers

I'm making a playlist for my party. I think this will go down a treat later in the night.

Love Story - Layo and Bushwacka

This woman sounds like she is singing in Joni Mitchell's living room being recorded on a tape deck in 1970, but she's not, she's totally 2012.
Night faces - Jessica Pratt