No-knead bread recipe: one small crusty loaf
This no-knead bread recipe makes one small free-form loaf from 300 g flour. The dough is intentionally sticky: mixing replaces kneading, while time allows it to develop structure. It is a yeast bread, not sourdough.
Plan at least 2 hours at room temperature,2 hours in the refrigerator, about 1 Hour after shaping and roughly 30 minutes in the oven. A cool kitchen can extend the final rise. The short mixing stage is not the total preparation time.
The quantities are one-third of the comparison formula and produce a dough portion near its suggested small-loaf weight. Changing flour type or adding large amounts of seeds changes water needs; keep the first batch simple.
If the dough spreads a little instead of standing tall before baking, do not automatically add a cup of flour. A sticky free-form loaf behaves differently from a firm sandwich-bread dough. Use a scale, allow a full rise and check the oven setting before changing the formula.
Ingredients
Step 1
Stir 300 g flour, water, salt and yeast in a large bowl until no dry patches remain. The rough sticky dough is expected. Cover with room for it to expand.
Step 2
Let stand at room temperature about 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. This cooling stage makes the dough easier to handle.
Step 3
Flour the top lightly and turn onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly oiled hands, gather it into a loose round without kneading in extra flour. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 4
Cover loosely and let warm and expand for about 60 minutes, longer if the room is cool. Heat oven to 450 °F (230 °C). Put an empty shallow metal pan on the lower rack for steam; do not use glass or ceramic.
Step 5
Slash the loaf in two or three places with a sharp blade. Put the sheet on the middle rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the lower metal pan and close the door, keeping face and hands away from the steam.
Step 6
Bake about 25–35 minutes, until deeply golden. Cool on a rack before slicing; cutting a steaming loaf compresses the still-setting crumb.
Comments