Almost No Knead Bread

This is the go-to bread recipe for us. This is adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Almost No-Knead Bread which is adapted from a New York Times recipe. It’s really too simple and almost always turns out perfectly and if it’s not perfect then it’s at least good. This is a round loaf and we use it mostly for sandwiches and toast. We probably need to move onto more of sandwich loaf but we really like this, it’s very easy and I’ve committed it to memory.

We tag team it. I mix up the ingredients at night, pop it in the cold oven with the light on to sit overnight and Kelly does the morning duty. It does take a bit of planning so that you’re available when it needs you but really there is about 15 minutes of active time in this recipe.

The recipe calls for a mild-flavored lager. I always use bottled Budweiser. It only uses 3 ounces at a time, so since we make this regularly, I just put a wine stopper partly in the bottle to save it because I’m not really interested in drinking it. I have used Sam Adams lager in the past and drink the remainder but the capped Bud just seemed more economical to me.

Recipe recommends enameled cast-iron Dutch oven and that is all that we have ever used. Do check to see if you can put your lid handle in at the high temperatures in the recipe. We unscrew our hard plastic handle and replace with wadded up aluminum foil or just leave it off.

I have never measured the flour in this recipe by volume before but include what they had in the recipe. Also, we usually replace 5 to 8 ounces of all-purpose flour with the same amount of whole wheat flour.

Recipe says water and beer at room temperature, which surprises me because I always add it lukewarm to warm. I haven’t actually read this recipe in a while as it is now part of my head, but apparently not entirely as prescribed by Cooks Illustrated.

Ingredients
3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour , plus add’l for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant/rapid-rise yeast
1 ½ teaspoon table salt
7 ounces water
3 ounces mild-flavored lager
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions
1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer and vinegar. Using rubber spatula (I use metal spoon) fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours. I put in the oven and turn oven light on and leave overnight.

2. Lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven to lowest position (we have found that the next to lowest is best in our oven, otherwise the bottom gets burnt), place 6- to 8- quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and using sharp knife, make one 6-inch long, ½ inch deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge.) Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, about 15 minutes longer. We always go by color and not temperature. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.