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

  Transfer the braid to a well-oiled baking sheet. Spray or brush the dough top with oil. Tent the pan with nonstick spray—coated foil. Repeat the preparations for the second 3- or 4-strand loaf.

  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 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 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. Let rise until the loaves double from their original size, removing the foil as the dough reaches it.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F. Brush each loaf evenly with the egg wash; be sure to reach the nooks and crannies of the braid, wiping up any egg from the baking sheet. Immediately evenly sprinkle the loaves with poppy (or sesame) seeds, if desired.

  Baking Bake on the lower rack for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the tops are well browned. Then cover with foil and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes longer, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles on the end (or until the center registers 201° to 203°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 to 10 minutes more to make sure the centers are done. Cool on the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Set the loaves on 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 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

  Easy Cinnamon Sticky Buns

  KS Quotient

  Easy: Fuss-free ingredients, added all at once. No hand-shaping required.

  Most sticky buns are formed by rolling dough around a cinnamon-sugar mixture and fashioning pinwheel rolls, but these deliver the same luscious taste while skipping the fussy shaping. The dough is simply studded with little pockets and swirls of a buttery, cinnamon-sugar streusel and bathed in a gooey brown sugar sauce that forms on the bottom during baking. The buns are simultaneously shaped and baked in jumbo-size muffin cups (ones with a volume of about 1 cup each), then served inverted. So, the "tops" stay soft and the succulent sauce flows down the bun sides—yummy!

  These are best eaten right out of the oven, so the refrigerator rise option, which lets you hold the buns for up to two days until ready for them, is particularly convenient. About 2½ to 3 hours before baking, allow them to warm up and finish rising on the counter, then pop them into the oven, bake, sample, and swoon!

  The following buns are made from a half batch of the Easy White Bread Loaves . Use the other half to prepare a loaf of bread as directed in the original recipe.

  Yield: 12 large buns

  ½ batch dough for Easy White Bread Loaves, stirred and ready for the second rise

  ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

  2/3 cup (3.33 ounces) unbleached white bread flour or all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed

  1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  ½ cup (1 stick) cool, firm unsalted butter, cut into 1/3-inch pieces, plus 1/3 cup more, melted, for muffin cups

  ½ cup dark raisins, rinsed under hot water, thoroughly drained, and patted dry, or ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional

  18 tablespoons (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) dark corn syrup

  Second Rise Have on hand half a batch of Easy White Bread dough, ready for the second rise. Prepare the sticky bun streusel by briefly processing together the brown sugar, 2/3 cup flour, and cinnamon in a food processor. Add the butter pieces. Pulse the processor on and off until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. (Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut in the butter using forks or a pastry blender.)

  Vigorously stir ½ cup of crumb mixture and the raisins or nuts (if using) into the dough until fairly evenly distributed; it's all right if some patches of crumbs remain. Evenly coat 12 jumbo-size muffin cups with melted butter. Put 1 teaspoon melted butter, 1½ tablespoons corn syrup, then 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture in each cup. Cut the dough in half with well-oiled kitchen shears, then divide each half equally among 6 cups; dust the dough with a little flour for ease of handling, if desired. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the dough portions, dividing it equally among them. Press down firmly on each with well-greased fingertips to imbed the crumbs. Drizzle any remaining butter over the tops. Tent the muffin tins with nonstick spray—coated foil.

  Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 45-minute 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 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. When the dough nears the foil, remove it and continue the rise until the dough doubles from the original size or extends about two-thirds of the way up the cup sides.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Set the muffin tins on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any boil-overs of the sauce).

  Baking Bake on the lower rack until nicely browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with only a few particles at the bottom (or the centers register 200° to 202°F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove to a wire rack and immediately run a knife around the buns to loosen. Place a heat-proof cutting board flat against the muffin tin, then invert the tin and shake to remove the buns; the bottoms will become the tops. Transfer the buns to a serving plate. Scrape any sauce clinging to the cups out onto the buns; serve immediately.

  Serving and Storing

  These are best served hot and fresh. They will keep at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze, airtight, for longer storage. Reheat, wrapped in foil, in a low oven (or under a plastic cover at low power in the microwave for about 20 seconds) before serving.

  Good and Easy Pecan Sticky Buns (or Saucy Maple-Butter Sticky Buns)

  KS Quotient

  Easy: Fuss-free ingredients, added all at once. No hand-shaping required.

  Though remarkably easy, these, as the Keebler elf might say, are uncommonly good. You may never want to bother with the fussier traditional versions of this all-American favorite again.

  Unlike most sticky buns, these require no hand-shaping, so they are perfect for people lacking the time or expertise to fiddle with that task. The dough—half a batch of the Easy White Bread recipe—is quickly divided up and shaped as it bakes in muffin pans. The sticky bun sauce can be readied well ahead (as can the dough), making the preparations before the second rise very simple. For convenience, the second rise can take place in the refrigerator, so you can hold the rolls up to 48 hours before baking.

  The following buns require only a half-batch of the dough recipe; use the other half to ready a loaf of bread as directed in the original recipe. For the dozen buns, you'll need two 6-cup muffin tins with "jumbo," or "Texas-size" cups—that is, cups measuring 3½ to 3¾ inches across and with a volume of about 1 cup each.

  Yield: 12 large sticky buns

  ½ batch dough for Easy White Bread Loaves, stirred and ready for the second rise

  ½ cup dark raisins, rinsed under hot water, thoroughly drained, and patted dry, optional

  6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

  1½ cups chopped pecans

  1 recipe Caramel Sticky Bun Sauce or Maple-Butter Sticky Bun Sauce, at room temperature

  Unbleached white bread flour or all-purpose white flour if needed for dusting

  Second Rise Have on hand half a batch of Easy White Bread dough, ready for the second rise. Vigorously stir the raisins into the dough until evenly distributed, if using.

  Brush the 12 muffin cups generously with butter, then add a scant ½ tablespoon butter to each cup. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon nuts in each cup, followed by 1 tablespoon sticky bun sauce. Divide the dough in half, dusting w
ith a little flour if needed for easier handling. Using well-oiled kitchen shears and fingertips, cut each half into 6 equal portions, placing them in the muffin cups as you work. Drizzle the dough tops with another ½ tablespoon sauce, then sprinkle each with ½ tablespoon more nuts. Sprinkle any remaining nuts over the dough tops. Drizzle the cups with the remaining butter. Press down firmly on each top to imbed the nuts. Tent the muffin tins with nonstick spray—coated foil. Set the remaining sauce aside to brush the dough during baking.

  Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 45-minute 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 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. When the dough nears the foil, remove it and continue the rise until the dough doubles in bulk or extends two-thirds of the way up the cup sides.

  Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F. Set the muffin tins on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any boil-overs of the sauce).

  Baking Bake on the lower rack until nicely browned on top, 18 to 22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with only a few particles at the bottom end (or the centers register to 200° to 203 °F on an instant-read thermometer). Brush each top with the remaining sticky bun sauce, dividing it equally among them. Return to the oven and bake until the sauce begins to bubble, about 3 minutes longer. Remove the pans to a wire rack for 5 minutes. Immediately run a knife around the buns to loosen. Place a heat-proof cutting board flat against the muffin tin, then invert the tin and shake to remove the buns; the bottoms will become the tops. Transfer to a serving plate. Scrape any sauce and nuts clinging to the cups out onto the buns; serve immediately.

  Serving and Storing

  These are best served warm. They will keep at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze, airtight, for longer storage. Reheat, wrapped in foil, in a low oven (or under a microwave-safe cover on low power in the microwave) before serving.

  Chapter 5: Old-World Classics

  A number of today's favorite artisan-style breads—from the French fougasse and baguette to the Italian flatbread trio: ciabatta, focaccia, and pizza—are in this chapter. Considering the enormous appeal of all of these, it's amazing how few ingredients they require. The secret is in the slow rising, which deepens the yeasty flavor and aroma. It's also in the details like dough consistency, shaping, and oven temperature, which yield the characteristic crackly, chewy, or crunchy-crisp texture desired.

  Of course, not all European breads are of the crusty sort. For example, pain d'epice and pain aux noix (spice bread and walnut bread) and brioche are all soft-textured French breads, suitable for spreading with cream cheese or butter. And both Swedish limpa (a rye loaf with a subtle, intriguing taste) and Scottish oatmeal bread are superior toasting and snacking breads.

  Pain Ordinaire (Everyday French Baguettes or Batards)

  KS Quotient

  Fairly Easy: Fuss-free ingredients, added all at once. Hand-shaping required.

  It seems ironic that the most magnificent of French breads, the baguette, is called pain ordinaire, meaning ordinary, or everyday, bread. True, the ingredients are few in number and completely ordinary, but good baguettes are a thing of beauty, combining a shatteringly, breathtakingly crisp crust; soft, moist, yeasty interior; and a simple, balanced shape brilliantly designed for breaking, not sawing, a loaf into portions.

  The Kneadlessly Simple method is well-suited to making fine-tasting baguettes because the long, slow, retarded rise coaxes out as much flavor as possible from the flour and yeast, which are, of course, all you've got to work with besides the salt. (Some bakers feel that using sea salt and spring water can add a flavor dimension, but in my blind tastings, almost nobody—including me—noticed any difference.) The "micro-kneading" that naturally occurs during the lengthy rise also ensures thorough gluten development, an essential for the good loaf structure. And, the more fully hydrated Kneadlessly Simple dough keeps the interior of the loaves soft longer than is normal for French bread—for up to three or four days!

  The only "gotcha" is the shaping, which is really just a matter of practice. Plus, the loaves will taste wonderful and seem impressive even if they don't look quite as perfect as those from a French bakery. Moreover, you've also got a convenient fallback position: If your baguettes come out looking a little stubby, just say you were aiming for the slightly shorter loaves called bâtards! (Or that longer loaves wouldn't fit in your oven!)

  This recipe requires a two-loaf baguette tray, but not to worry—if you don't have one on hand it's easy to fashion homemade trays from heavy-duty aluminum foil; see To Make a Baguette Tray for instructions. This dough can also be used to make another attractively shaped loaf called a fougasse (see Fougasse (or Black Olive Fougasse) for instructions).

  Yield: Two 14-inch baguettes (or 10-inch bâtards)

  3¼ cups (16.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour or white bread flour, plus more as needed

  1½ teaspoons table salt

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

  1½ cups ice water, plus more if needed

  Corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil for coating dough and pan

  First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir the water into the bowl, scraping down the sides and mixing 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 water to blend the ingredients. The dough should be very stiff; if necessary, add in enough more flour to stiffen it. Brush or spray the top with oil. Tightly 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 20 to 24 hours. If convenient, vigorously stir the dough partway through the rise.

  Second Rise If the dough is sticky, working in the bowl, lift and turn it while dusting with and smoothing in more flour until stiffened and easy to handle; don't worry if it is not completely deflated. Divide the dough in half (preferably with oiled kitchen shears), placing each portion on a flour-dusted work surface. Let rest for 10 minutes.

  Dusting with flour as needed to facilitate handling, shape one portion into a rough log, then press out the dough into a 7 x 11-inch evenly thick rectangle. Working from a 7-inch side, lift up and fold the rectangle into thirds as if folding a business letter. Again press out into a rectangle; then working from an 11-inch side, roll up tightly into a log. Carefully press and pinch the seam tightly closed all along the length of the log. Dusting with flour as needed, roll the log back and forth on the surface, stretching and smoothing it out from the center until evenly thick and about 13½ to 14½ inches long. (For a bâtard, roll and stretch out until about 10 inches.) Transfer to an oiled metal baguette tray (or to a well-oiled, homemade foil tray set on a baking sheet—see To Make a Baguette Tray). Repeat the shaping with the second portion. Using a single-edged razor blade if possible, or well-oiled serrated knife or kitchen shears, make four or five 3-inch-long, ¼-inch-deep, evenly spaced slashes on a slight diagonally along each loaf. Brush or spray the tops with oil. Tent the pan (or homemade tray) with nonstick spray—coated foil.

  Let Rise Using Either of These Methods The extended rise will produce the absolute best flavor: for a 45- to 75-minute regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough doubles from the deflated size, removing the foil if the dough nears it.

  Baking Preliminaries 20 minutes before baking time, put a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 500°F. Place a broiler pan on the oven bottom. Have ready a large rimless or low-rimmed baking sheet lined with baking parchment.

  Baking Reduce the temperature to 4
75°F. Immediately add a cup of ice water to the broiler pan, being careful of splattering and steam. Generously spritz or brush the loaves with water. Bake on the lower rack for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the loaves are just firm enough to hold their shape. Roll them out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once or twice for all-over browning, until the loaves are well browned and their crusts very crisp. Test with a skewer inserted in the thickest part until it comes out with just slightly moist particles clinging to the bottom portion (or until the center registers 210° to 212°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 minutes more to be sure the centers are done. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool thoroughly.

  To Make a Baguette Tray

  Tear off two 20-inch-long sheets from a large (18-inch-wide) roll of heavy-duty foil. Lay one sheet on top of the other, shiny sides facing. (The dull side promotes browning better than the shiny side.) Working from an 18-inch side, fold the two layers in half, producing a long, sturdy 10-inch-wide strip. Still working from the 18-inch side, fold the strip in half, then pinch and press together along the fold line to produce a sturdy 2-inch-high center pleat. Next, working just below the pleat, open the two foil layers out away from the pleat on each side and bend them to create two parallel, connected U-shaped troughs. Lay the tray on a large rimmed baking sheet.