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The Need to Knead
Mon, October 26, 2009
from Alison
My friend Jackie called me the other morning to tell me about the dough she had made for some “No Knead” bread. She couldn’t contain her excitement! As her cooking friend, I was one of the first people she shared her culinary pleasure with, the one who got to hear how easy it was to stir together the flour, water, salt and yeast.
From the moment I got off the phone with her, I had the bread making itch. I’ll admit I was a bit envious and couldn’t stop thinking about a crunchy, warm delight to share with my family. But, with a particularly busy week, I couldn’t spare even two minutes.
Until . . . Jackie stopped by the next day to report her bread baking success. We sat in my kitchen sipping a quick coffee, while she tantalized me with a description of her freshly baked baguette. As she boasted about the ease, satisfaction and pleasure in her accomplishment, I found myself heading to my own cabinets, looking for the ingredients she just mentioned.
Before I knew it, Jackie guided me in making my own “No Knead” dough. As the flour, water, salt and yeast spun round and round in my KitchenAid mixer, in my mind I was spreading strawberry jam on my freshly baked bread. Her gentle nudge was just what I needed to find my two minutes.
The next day, I took the dough out of the refrigerator to rise. I folded it a few times and molded it into the shape of a baguette. After it sat for two hours, I popped it into the oven. When Jackie and another friend came over for a playgroup lunch, my bread was just about finished. As I sliced the warm and crusty loaf, Jackie remarked how it looked better than hers. I gave her a pat on the shoulder, smiled and thanked her for her inspiration.
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Lovely photo. I enjoy your blog.
from Penny on October 26, 2009
I have made a similar recipe and love it. It is
much like ciabatta.
from on October 26, 2009
Where are the directions??? I am a bread-a-holic and this would be perfect w/ some soup for tomorrow nights trick or treating:)
from on October 30, 2009
3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 T. Granulated Yeast
1 1/2 T. kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (no need to sift)
In a 5 quart bowl mix the water, yeast and salt.
Add flour, using a wooden spoon to mix all ingredients until unformly moist.This will produce a loose and very wet dough. Cover with
plastic wrap with holes poked in it. Allow mix
to rise ‘til it begins to collapse, at least 2
hours, bur not more than 5. After rising, the
bread can be baked immediately or refrigerated
up to 14 days. It will be easier to work with 3
hours refrigeration.
To bake, using a pizza peel or a baking sheet
turned upsidedown, sprinkle with corn meal.
Cut a piece of dough about the size of a grape-
fruit, (1 #), and shape with additional flour
stretching and pulling the dough into a round.
Place the dough on the prepared sheet and let
rest fir 40 minutes, it will not rise much.
Place a broiler pan on the floor of the oven,
preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dust the top with
flour and score with a serrated knife, 1/4’.
Carefully pour 1 cup boiling water in the broiler
pan..Bake for about 30 min. until browned. Allow
the bread to cool completly. Makes 4 1 # loaves.
Hope this is not too much information, but it is
simpler than it reads.
from on October 30, 2009
Thanks so much. Will try it tonight:P
from on October 30, 2009
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