No Knead Bread

This is not a low carb recipe... big surprise there. Actually after I get the hang of this with real flour, I plan on try a low carb flour substitute. But that's for another day.

This recipe or variations of it has apparently been making the rounds on blogs and internet sites for years. The originator of the technique is Jim Lahey, a New York baker. An article in The New York Times in November of 2006 apparently set off a rage through blogs and internet sites which is still going on. We first saw a post on Savory Reviews (see my blog list) this month and in-spite of our low-carbing, we must try it.

Since I first saw it, I have done some research and found lots of variations. Admittedly they all are only minor variations but I decide to give the inventor credit and some of my money. I bought his book. I will follow his recipe but many sites commented on the need for a little more salt.

A note about the Dutch Oven that is recommended. Many have knobs that will melt if heated above 400 degrees. This recipe was so popular that it was blamed for an epidemic of knob stealing to replace the melted knobs. I bought a Lodge Dutch Oven and this is my first project with it but then I found the knob melts at 400. So before my first use, I replaced the knob with a Le Creuset stainless steel knob from Amazon for $10


(printable recipe)
Tools: supped up dutch oven

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
2 T salt
1/4 tsp yeast (either regular or rapid)
1 1/2 C water Room temp.

Instructions:

1) Mix dry ingredients well

2) Mix in water well with spoon - it will look too wet
3) Cover and set aside for 12-18 hours until double in size
4) Flour a large surface

5) Roll the dough out of the bowl onto the surface.

6) flatten slightly and fold right third into the center third. Repeat with left third. Now fold the top half onto the bottom half.
7) Flour a towel.
8) Seal the seams on the ball of dough by pinching the dough together.

9) Place on the floured towel and dust with flour.
10) Fold the towel over the dough and let rise again for 1 1/2 to 3 hours until double in size again.
11) While dough is rising the second time, preheat oven to 450 (not convection) for at least 30 minutes with top on the Dutch Oven.

12) After dough is doubled, place in the dutch over and cut a relief cut across the top just deep enough to get through the crust. Now  replace the lid. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
 13) Remove top and bake another 15-30 minutes. Top should be very brown. You can check internal temp to be over 200 degrees.

14) Remove from the oven and place on cooling rack and let cool for at least 60 minutes before cutting in.

Notes: It was very cold in West Michigan last night and I believe that effected me. I stopped the first rise after 19 hours when I hadn't seen any change in 4 hours. I also stopped the second rise after 2 1/2 hours when it was almost double. Still the results were excellent.
I used standard yeast and the original recipe was for 1 1/3 cup of cool water. I'm repeating this tonight with rapid rise yeast a heaping 1/4 tsp and increased the water to 1 1/2 cup at slightly warm. The dough just didn't look as wet or sticky as described

Note 2: The second loaf is done. The dough raised much better and the wetness seem to be what has been described. I also put the dough to rise in the warmest room in the house and it wasn't so cold last night. I think the amount of water was the most important change. Temperature of the water, the pinch more yeast, the change to rapid rise and the room temp all also had some effect. The results: a slightly bigger loaf and still excellent taste.
I have changed the water to 1 1/2 cups in the ingredients. The other changes are up to you. Just try it.