No-Knead Bread from the NY Times

[sallysunshine]

This recipe seems to be taking the world, or at least the web, by storm. I started mine last night, and it's 13 and a half hours into its first rise. I'm very excited about it: so far, it has been super, super easy. Has anyone tried it? Did you have success? Any interesting additions or changes?

I didn't have a proper pot, and I couldn't afford to go out and buy a fancy cast-iron one, so I spent $5 on a big, oven-proof Pyrex bowl with a flat bottom. I'll be curious to see how that works.

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[xuli]

Wow, I'd never heard of that before. It's interesting. I guess I do have to say that to me it looks a lot more complicated than a recipe for kneaded bread, so I'm wondering if the idea is to reduce labor or if it's because the lack of kneading imparts a different flavor or texture.

(Or maybe I just find kneaded bread less complicated because I've been doing it for so long?)

Let us know how it tastes!

[sallysunshine]

Ok, it's out of the oven. On the plus side, it's making the entire apartment smell yummy, and it looks very bread-like. However, it didn't really rise very much. Here's a picture:

Bread!

I'm waiting for it to cool a bit before trying it.

I think that the point of it is supposed to be that it's easy, but it's also supposed to be very good. I've never made bread before, so the non-intimidating factor was a big plus for me.

[xuli]

Wow, for a very first bread loaf that looks fantastic! Indeed, for a four hundredth bread loaf that would still be fantastic -- the color looks great, and it looks like it rose quite well. Congratulations!

[sallysunshine]

The bread has been tasted, and my roommate and I agree that it's totally yummy. I'll increase the salt next time, but this recipe is a keeper.

[anthrogirl]

Congratulations! That looks like great bread. You can also add things to bread dough like rosemary and other herbs. You can also sprinkle the top with salt, onion bits, poppy seeds or sesame seeds.

[Nancy Flynn]

i tried it too and found that both times it came out pretty and delicious. i found it incredibly simple! you can see a pic of mine here

apparently (from what i've read online) the secret to getting it to rise is using instant yeast (or Fleishman's Rapid Rise) and warm water, or using regular yeast and upping the proportions.

it is silly easy since all you have to do is stir, and then be patient.

[sallysunshine]

I used rapid raise yeast and warmish water. I was kind of irked that the recipe didn't specify the water temperature, since I take it that's important. Anyway, I agree that it's ridiculously easy. I think the only hard part is getting the timing right so that you're actually home and awake 18 hours after you start.

[purpledoor]

I've made this bread several times and it's delicious. It's also much less work than kneading bread (I think). It does require some advance planning because of the long rise time, but then, so does regular bread. The crust is to DIE for.

[sweetpea]

Ooh, I'll have to try this. I usually just make wheat bread in my mixer, but this would be just as easy.

Speaking of making regular bread, yesterday my loaves over-rose a leeeetle bit and ending up not doming when they baked--instead they were kind of flat and had striations across the top. Anyone else ever have that happen? They still taste fine! Just less pretty.

jen