No-knead artisan bread is a simple and popular bread-making method that requires minimal effort and produces delicious results. Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) lukewarm water
Instructions:
- Mixing the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast.
- Add the lukewarm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Make sure all the flour is hydrated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. During this time, the dough will rise and develop flavor.
- Shaping the Dough:
- After the initial rise, the dough will be wet and sticky. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface and scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface.
- With floured hands, gently shape the dough into a ball by folding the edges of the dough towards the center. You can use a bench scraper to help with this process.
- Place the dough seam side down on a piece of parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can also use a well-floured tea towel for the next step.
- Second Rise:
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 1 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat the Oven:
- About 30 minutes before the dough is done with its second rise, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a Dutch oven or a heavy oven-safe pot with a lid in the oven while it preheats.
- Baking:
- Once the oven is preheated and the dough has finished its second rise, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven.
- Lift the parchment paper with the dough and carefully place it into the hot pot. Be cautious as the pot will be very hot.
- Cover the pot with the lid and bake the bread for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cooling:
- Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows the bread to finish cooking internally and prevents it from being gummy.
Enjoy your freshly baked no-knead artisan bread with butter, olive oil, or your favorite toppings! You can also customize this recipe by adding herbs, spices, or even nuts and dried fruits to the dough before the initial rise.
