Foolproof Artisan No Knead Bread (Printable Version)
Rustic, crusty loaf with chewy interior requiring no kneading and minimal hands-on time.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100°F)
→ For Dusting
05 - Extra flour or cornmeal for work surface
# How-To:
01 - Whisk together bread flour, salt, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Pour lukewarm water into the flour mixture. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Resist the urge to add more flour.
03 - Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 12-18 hours until surface is dotted with bubbles and dough has doubled in size.
04 - Lightly flour work surface. Scrape dough onto surface and, with floured hands, gently fold edges toward center to form a round ball.
05 - Place dough seam side down on parchment paper dusted with flour or cornmeal. Cover with towel and rest 30-60 minutes until puffy.
06 - Position Dutch oven with lid in oven. Preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes to ensure thorough heating.
07 - Carefully remove hot Dutch oven. Lift dough by parchment paper and lower into pot. Cover immediately with lid.
08 - Bake covered for 30 minutes to create steam and develop oven spring.
09 - Remove lid and continue baking 12-15 minutes until deeply golden brown and crust sounds hollow when tapped.
10 - Transfer loaf to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to prevent gummy interior.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It requires zero kneading and almost zero effort but rewards you with the most gorgeous crackly crust that everyone thinks came from a professional bakery
- The timing is forgiving since the long fermentation works around your schedule instead of the other way around
02 -
- The dough will look impossibly wet and sticky, but resist the urge to add more flour or you will lose the desirable open crumb texture
- Getting your Dutch oven hot enough is the single most important step for achieving that dramatic crispy crust everyone loves
03 -
- If you do not have a Dutch oven, a heavy oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid or even a baking sheet with a metal bowl inverted over the dough will work
- The longer fermentation time in the 18-hour range creates a more complex, sourdough-like flavor that I actually prefer now