One of the first bread-baking cookbooks I owned was “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes”. I was really intrigued by the title and the claim that so little effort could possibly produce a good loaf of bread. Ten years later, and with several more cookbooks on bread baking in the kitchen bookcase, I still make this easy no-knead bread from that book and it never disappoints.
The great thing about this bread is that it requires no special ingredients, equipment or a certain technique to make. And yes, it requires no kneading. Once the ingredients are mixed all this dough needs is some patience for the long, but unattended, slow fermentation that a wet dough like this requires in order to get its beautiful crust and light and airy texture.
There are of course several versions of this recipe, some with lower yeast content, some with even longer fermentation. I find this version the easiest of all and the one that produces beautiful loaves of bread every time. It is perfect for those who would like to try their hand at yeast bread baking for the first time, but I think that even the experienced baker will love its simplicity.
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 1½ TBSP. instant or active dry yeast
- 6½ cups Bread flour, or unbleached All-purpose flour
- 1½ TBSP. salt
- In a large, 5-quart bowl or food-safe plastic bucket, mix the yeast with 3 cups of lukewarm water (water should feel just a little warmer than body temperature - about 105°F). Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour and the salt, little by little, without kneading. You will need to use very wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. (Alternatively, you can use a heavy-duty stand mixer equipped with a dough hook.) Mix until uniformly moist. The dough will be very sticky and wet – do not add more flour.
- Cover loosely and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises, about 2 hours. At this point, it may be used right away or it can be refrigerated for later use (tip - cold dough is less sticky and easier to handle). To store in the refrigerator, place the dough in a lidded, but not airtight, container and use over the next week or so. The longer you keep it, the tangier it will get.
- On baking day, lightly grease an 8x4x3 non-stick loaf pan with olive oil, or line a round baking tin with parchment paper. Alternatively, flour generously a round Brotform bread basket (like the one shown in the photo). Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and pull off about 1-pound piece (about the size of a large grapefruit). Dust the dough with more flour and place it on a floured work surface. Quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom and all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. If using a loaf pan, form the dough into a long log and place it in the prepared loaf pan. If using a round baking tin or a round Brorform, round the dough into a ball instead and place it in the parchment lined tin or in the well-floured Brotform basket. Do not worry about the shape of your loaf! Allow the dough to rest for about 1 hour and 40 minutes if your dough was cold, or just 40 minutes if you are using fresh, unrefrigerated dough.
- Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 400 °F. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.
- Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour. Using a serrated knife, slash ¼” deep cross, diagonal lines, or tic-tac-toe pattern on top of the loaf. If using a Brotform basket, gently tip it out of the basket and into a round baking tin, lined with parchment paper. Place the loaf onto the middle rack of the oven. Carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It'll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly. (The steam will prevent the bread from forming a crust immediately, allowing it to continue to rise more as it bakes.)
- Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Cool on a rack before slicing.
You can also use half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour for this recipe. You will need to make a small adjustment to the water amount by adding an additional 2 teaspoons water per cup of whole wheat flour to prevent the dough from being too dry.
Would you want to proof active dry yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes before adding flour and salt?
Hi Julie,
As long as you dissolve well the yeast in the lukewarm water, you don’t have to wait for 4 minutes before adding flour and salt. The long rising time (2 hours) will take care of the rest!