Kneadlessly Simple: Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads Read online

  Yield: 1 large loaf, 12 to 14 slices each

  3½ cups (17.5 ounces) unbleached white bread flour, plus more as needed

  1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  1½ teaspoons table salt

  1 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

  2 tablespoons corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil, plus extra for coating dough top and baking pan

  1 2/3 cups ice water, plus more if needed

  8 ounces (3 lightly packed cups) coarsely grated very sharp cheddar cheese, preferably white cheddar

  ½ cup very well-drained and patted dry chopped canned green chiles

  First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk the oil into the water. Thoroughly stir the mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don't over-moisten, as the dough should be stiff. If necessary, stir in enough more flour to stiffen it. Brush or spray the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 15 to 20 hours. If convenient, stir the dough once partway through the rise.

  Second Rise Vigorously stir the dough, gradually sprinkling over and incorporating the cheese and chiles. Fold them in very thoroughly to ensure they are evenly distributed . If necessary, thoroughly stir in enough more flour to yield a very stiff dough. Using a well-oiled rubber spatula, fold the dough in towards the center, working all the way around the bowl. Invert the dough into a well-greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Evenly brush or spray the dough top with oil. Using well-oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, make a ¼-inch-deep slash lengthwise down the center of the loaf. Cover the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic wrap.

  Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough reaches ½ inch above the pan rim.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 425°F.

  Baking Reduce the heat to 400°F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is nicely browned; cover the top with foil as needed. Continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom (or until the center registers 204° to 206°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 minutes more to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out the loaf onto the rack; cool thoroughly.

  Serving and Storing

  Cool thoroughly before slicing or storing. Store airtight in plastic or aluminum foil. The bread will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

  Variation

  Cheddar and Pimiento Bread

  Omit the green chiles and substitute an equal amount of well-drained and patted dry chopped jarred pimientos. Otherwise proceed exactly as directed.

  Farmhouse Potato Bread with Dill and Chives

  KS Quotient

  Easy: Easily mixed ingredients; prepping the herbs takes a little time. No hand-shaping.

  Dill, chives, and yogurt are all wonderful companions for potatoes, and they are absolute dynamite in this homey, savory bread. The herbal aroma given off during baking is so tantalizing that I find myself pacing around the oven, repeatedly checking to see if the loaf is done. It's difficult to slice while hot and tastes better once it's cooled, but I usually saw off an end and scarf it down anyway.

  The exterior of the loaf is nicely crispy; its interior is tender-moist and stays that way, due to the touch of yogurt. (Some older versions of this bread call for cottage cheese instead, but it has to be pureed first and doesn't taste nearly as good.) This bread seems tailor-made for serving along with roast chicken, baked fish, or steaming bowls of tomato soup.

  Yield: 1 large loaf, 12 to 14 slices

  2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached white bread flour, plus 1 cup (5 ounces), plus more as needed

  1½ tablespoons granulated sugar

  1½ teaspoons table salt

  ¾ teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

  2 tablespoons corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil, plus extra for coating dough top and baking pan

  1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

  1/3 cup leftover mashed potatoes, preferably at room temperature

  1/3 cup plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt, drained of any liquid, preferably at room temperature

  ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dillweed

  ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives

  1 teaspoon dill seeds, plus ½ teaspoon for garnish, optional

  First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk the oil into the water. Thoroughly stir the mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides and mixing to form a smooth, well-blended dough; it should be slightly moist and fairly easy to stir. Brush the top with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

  Second Rise In a medium bowl, stir together the mashed potatoes, yogurt, dill, chives, and 1 teaspoon of the dill seeds (if using) until the potato is free of lumps. Vigorously stir the mixture into the dough until completely blended. (If desired, use a dough hook and heavy-duty mixer on low speed.) Scraping down the sides as you work, thoroughly mix in the remaining 1 cup of flour, plus enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir dough.

  Using an oiled rubber spatula, lift and fold the dough in towards the center all the way around the bowl. Invert into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Brush or spray the top with oil. Smooth out the dough top with the spatula or oiled fingertips. If using dill seeds, sprinkle ½ teaspoon over the loaf top, pressing down to imbed. Cover the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic wrap.

  Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 2- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 1½-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. When the dough nears the plastic, remove it and continue the rise until the dough just reaches the pan rim.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F. Using well-oiled kitchen shears, cut a ¼-inch-deep slash lengthwise down the loaf center.

  Baking Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown. Cover the top with foil to prevent over-browning and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom (or until the center registers 208° to 210 °F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 minutes longer to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto the rack; cool thoroughly.

  Tip

  Don't use dried dillweed or chives, as they will contribute nothing but flecks of color. If you lack fresh herbs, make the plain potato bread variation below. And don't use extra herbs, as they can retard rising.

  Serving and Storing

  Serve warm, or cool, or toasted; the bread slices best when cool. Cool thoroughly before storing in plastic or foil. Keeps at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

  Variation

  Fa
rmhouse Potato Bread

  Increase the sugar to 3 tablespoons. Omit the dillweed, chives, and dill seeds from the recipe but otherwise proceed exactly as directed.

  Anadama Bread

  KS Quotient

  Easy: Fuss-free ingredients; two-stage mixing. No hand-shaping.

  Anadama breads have been around since at least the mid-nineteenth century, and most often appear in old-fashioned New England cookbooks. This is not surprising, since cornmeal and molasses often teamed up in dishes in the region in Colonial times; Indian pudding, Boston brown bread, and anadama bread are just several of the many heritage recipes still being prepared that take great advantage of this twosome.

  The combination is particularly pleasant in anadama bread. Both the touch of molasses and the cornmeal add gentle fragrance and flavor. And because the cornmeal absorbs a lot of moisture and becomes mush-like when boiling water is poured over it, it helps keep the loaf very moist. A comfort food of the highest order, this bread goes well with white chowders, mild soups, and other gently seasoned dishes. I also like it for toast.

  Yield: 1 large loaf, about 12 to 15 slices each

  ½ cup boiling water

  ½ cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

  3 tablespoons light or dark molasses

  2¾ cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus ½ cup (2.5 ounces), plus more as needed

  Generous 1½ teaspoons table salt

  ¾ teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

  1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

  Corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil or oil spray for loaf top

  1 large egg, at room temperature and beaten with a fork

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

  First Rise In a medium bowl, gradually stir the boiling water into the cornmeal until smoothly incorporated. Let cool to warm, then stir in the molasses until evenly incorporated. In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together 2¾ cups of the flour, the salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir the ice water into the cooled cornmeal until very smoothly blended. Then vigorously stir the cornmeal mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If too dry to mix completely, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don't over-moisten, as the dough should be fairly stiff. Brush or spray the top with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

  Second Rise Vigorously stir the beaten egg, butter, and remaining ½ cup of flour into the dough. (If desired, use a dough hook and heavy-duty mixer on low speed.) Then vigorously stir in enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir dough. Using an oiled rubber spatula, lift and fold the dough in towards the center all the way around; this organizes the gluten for forming a loaf. Invert the dough into a generously greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Brush or spray the top with oil. Using the spatula, smooth out the surface and press the dough evenly into the pan. Cover the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic.

  Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough extends ½ inch above the pan rim.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F.

  Baking Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering the top with foil for the last few minutes if necessary to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes more or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles on the end (or until the center registers 207° to 209°F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 minutes longer to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto the rack; cool thoroughly.

  Serving and Storing

  Serve warm, or cool, or toasted; the bread slices best when cool. Cool thoroughly before storing in plastic or foil. Keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

  Cronshi's Challah

  KS Quotient

  Easy: Fuss-free ingredients; two-stage mixing. Hand-shaping required.

  My friend Cronshi makes challah regularly, and says she has used the traditional version of this recipe more than 100 times. When she heard about my Kneadlessly Simple method she asked me to rework her recipe to reduce her time spent baking each week. Now, except for the shaping and braiding, her bread takes only a few minutes of effort here and there. She likes to made four-strand loaves, and even if you've never braided bread before, this dough is so easy to handle you can do it, too. (I have also included instructions for a three-strand braid, in case you're more comfortable starting with that instead.)

  This is a nice, middle-of-the-road challah with a pleasant but not overpowering egg and honey taste and a handsome golden crust. Challah originally referred to a sacred bread offering that was given to the priests, but has come to mean an enriched one special enough to serve on the Sabbath. Challah originated in eastern Europe, but is now a staple in many Jewish-American homes.

  Yield: 2 large braided loaves

  5 1/3 cups (26.66 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus 1 1/3 cups (6.66 ounces), plus more as needed

  2¼ teaspoons table salt

  1¼ teaspoons instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

  1/3 cup clover honey or other mild honey

  ¼ cup corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil, plus extra for coating dough top and baking pan

  2¼ cups ice water, plus more if needed

  2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature and beaten with a fork

  1 egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash garnish

  2 to 3 tablespoons poppy seeds or sesame seeds for garnish, optional

  First Rise In a very large bowl, thoroughly stir together 5 1/3 cups of the flour, the salt, and yeast. In another bowl or measuring cup, thoroughly whisk the honey and oil into the water. Then vigorously stir the mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides and mixing until thoroughly blended. If too dry to blend together, add just enough more water to facilitate mixing, but don't over-moisten, as the dough should be stiff. If necessary, stir in enough more flour to stiffen it. Brush or spray the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

  Second Rise A little at a time, vigorously stir the beaten egg-yolk mixture into the dough. (Or use a dough hook and heavy-duty stand mixer on low speed.) Then vigorously stir in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of flour, plus enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir consistency. Let rest for 10 minutes. Spray two 15-inch-long sheets of baking parchment with nonstick spray, then dust each generously with flour. With well-oiled kitchen shears, cut the dough in half; each half will form a loaf. Then divide one of the halves into 3 or 4 equal pieces, placing them separated on a well-floured work surface. One at a time, dust the pieces all over with flour, smoothing it in until the dough is easy to handle. Working on a clean, flour-dusted work surface and using your palms, roll the 3 or 4 pieces into 12-inch-long strands, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Taper the strands so they are 2½ to 3 inches thick in the middle and about 1 inch thick at the ends. Lay the strands side by side on the parchment. Form a braid as follows:

  For a 3-strand braid: Starting in the center of the strands and working to one end, lift the left strand over the center one, so the left one is in the center position. Lift the right strand over the center one, so the right one is in the center position. R
epeat the process, lifting the leftmost strand, then the rightmost, until the end is reached. Then, start in the center again and braid the second half out to the end. Tuck and press the ends underneath.

  For a 4-strand braid: Starting from the center and working outward, lift the far left strand over the next one to its right, then under the next one to its right, then over the far right strand. Working from the strand now at the far left, lift it over the one to its right, then under the next one, then over the far right strand. Repeat the pattern, always working from the left to the right until the end is reached. Then, start in the center of the strands again and braid the second half out to the end, working from left to right as before. Tuck and press the ends underneath.