LewmanNation : Easy Artisan Bread (No knead Bread)

I love making bread and my husband LOVES that I do even more. It has been months and months since I have bought any bread at the store (money saver). At Costco I buy flour, yeast and sugar in bulk.

I have tried a couple artisan bread recipes and this one is my favorite!! I found at Anne's Bread Class online through issuu, no worries it was a free site (here). Note that I have changed many things from the linked recipe because I do not have the baking pan that the lady uses and also my changes are easier for me. I am eating it while I am writing this post and am so happy!

This bread has that chewy firm crust that make that beautiful crunching noise when you squeeze it between your fingers ever so gently. The inside it flavorful, airy, and holey. It can be use for dipping in balsamic/vinegar and soup, making sandwiches, bread bowls, or use for toast.

The Recipe "No-Knead Bread - Basic Formula"

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose Flour or bread flour
2 - 2 1/4 cups unchlorinated Water
2 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp active dry Yeast

Directions:

Into large bowl (preferably one with lid) measure out flour, salt, and yeast.

Stir or whisk the ingredients till well combined.

Add 2 cups of the water and stir a few times (we want to blend but not over mix),
the dough will be moist and shaggy. If the dough is too dry add the extra water.

You want your dough to look like this!

Cover with plastic wrap or put on lid and let it set on countertop for 12 to 16 hours.
(I made mine around 6 pm, so that next the morning I can warm up the house with the baking bread).

The next morning prepare working surface and pan. I use a fabric rolling mat that I found in a thrift store (love because I don't have to wash after every use). I cover it with a generous amount of flour and get out baking pan and parchment paper.

Check on the dough. It should be bubbly and doubled in size.

Then scrape out the dough onto floured surface and sprinkle flour on top of dough, so it is easier to work with. You dont want to handle the dough a lot. Divide dough into two pieces and form into balls.
Optional - I fold the corners in a little to get a better shape. At this point you could make rolls instead (which I have done and turned out wonderfully), just gently shape into smaller balls and place in floured muffin tins.

Allow dough to rise for an hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees at some point during the rising process. With scissors snip some gashes in the dough after it has risen.

Bake for 25-40 ( varies depending on your oven) minutes. Till outside is dark and golden. Or check temp with instant read thermometer, you want it to be around 190-200 in the center of the bread. You could also thump it on the back to see if it sounds hollow.

Other baking method - When oven is preheating to 500 (instead of 450) put oven safe pot in. When dough is ready to be baked lower into pot and cover with lid bake 20 minutes. After 20 minutes lower oven temp to 450 and bake for another 20 minutes with lid off. Done when temp reads 190-200 in center.