No-Knead Double-Rise Bread Loaf
A stirred dough that's left to rise on the counter 6-8 hours or overnight then shaped, left in a loaf pan to rise again, and baked.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oatmeal flakes
- 1 heaping tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2-1/4 cups warm water
- extra flour for work surface
- cooking oil spray
Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir in yeast and salt thoroughly.
Add warm water and stir vigorously with wooden spoon handle until moist ball forms.
Roll and knead slightly to gather any remaining loose flour from the bowl.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 6-8 hours on the counter.
Dough will double in size.
Sprinkle risen dough and work surface with flour.
Remove dough from bowl and dust dough with flour.
Knead just to absorb flour and form into a tight ball.
Shape dough and place into a large 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Moisten dough surface with cooking oil spray.
Let dough rise until doubled again, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. and turn on convection fan.
Bake bread until golden, 45 minutes
Cold-Rise Rustic Rounds Baked on a Pizza Stone
Makes 2 small loaves of crusty bread..
Double the recipe (done below) and keep the unbaked dough (enough for 4 loaves) in the fridge up to ten days to bake a fresh loaf every 2-3 days.
The recipe requires no kneading. The key to great bread isn't a lot of kneading. Stir and let the dough rest enough that the flour and yeast forms an elastic dough and rises into tender, chewy baked bread.
The single recipe can be mixed with a dough hook in a stand mixer. Unless you have a large mixer the doubled recipe, using over 6 cups of flour, should be stirred by hand.
I estimate 1/2 loaf of this bread is about 380 calories.
Single Recipe (Two Small Loaves)
In a large bowl, combine:
- 3-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2-1/4 tsp instant quick-rise dry yeast
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups water warmed to 120 degrees F.
If using the kneading hook, only stir long enough to combine. Dough will be wet.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let rise at room temperature 2 hours.
Then refrigerate the dough until baking, at least 6 to 8 hours or for up to 10 days.
To Bake:
With lightly floured hands, remove half the dough from the fridge and let the dough rest, covered, about 1 hour at room temperature before baking.
Then dust the dough with flour and shape into a round. Cut slashes into the top of the dough.
Sprinkle cornmeal on parchment paper or a pizza peel and place the dough on top.
Put a pizza baking stone on the middle rack of the oven and a baking pan on the rack below.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Fill a 2-cup measure with very hot water.
Transfer dough to the hot baking stone on the parchment paper or using the pizza peel.
Pour the hot water into the baking pan to create steam and quickly shut the oven door.
Bake at 450 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes until golden.
Cool slightly before serving.
Bread will soften if kept in a plastic bag but can be reheated to crisp in the oven again.
Doubled Recipe (Four Small Loaves) of Pizza Stone Bread
- 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 packets instant yeast OR 1-1/2 Tbsp
- 3 tsp. table salt OR 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 3 cups warm water
