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No-Knead Kicked Up Delicious Artisan Bread!

I’ve never made bread in the oven before, only in my Williams-Sonoma bread maker.  This sounded like a lot of fun and while the basic recipe would probably be great by itself, I thought I’d go ahead and ‘kick it up” a bit.  Adding a little onion flake and garlic flakes brought out wonderful flavor and smells.

I was amazed how much the dough rose. It really did double in size.  I think the next time I make it I’ll drop the water content just a little.  I think that would give the bread more height.  Not that I’m complaining, it was amazing.

In the video from Mary’s Nest, she said to let it rise 1 hour.  I tried that later, and it didn’t do as well.   Needed more time to rise and for the gluten to develop I think.

Here’s the link to her video…

Mary’s Nest No Knead Bread

and here’s how I went about it.

On to the recipe, Savor!

No-Knead – Kicked Up – Delicious Artisan Bread!

Ingredients:

3 cups bread or all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or active yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups warm water, (around 110°F)

 

Optional Ingredients

Make a blend that will do the “Kicking Up”

1½ tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1½ tbsp dried minced garlic
1½ tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp flaked sea salt or coarse sea salt (optional, since you’ve already put some salt in!)

 

Go do this!

I mixed the flour and yeast in a bowl.  I should have added the salt then, but forgot.  I added it later and incorporated it.

Next I worked about 2 cups water into the flour (and goodies… the garlic and onion) mixture and mixed it well until all the flour was incorporated. It was very sticky or “shaggy” mix.  I was supposed to use 1 1/2 cups water, but that didn’t seem right.

I covered the bowl with Saran wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for several hours. I turned my oven on for just a couple of minutes, then turned it off and set the bowl in there.
The video I watched called for a 1-hour rise, but looking at it I thought it needed longer than that.

Then I put flour on my chopping board (not enough) and then put the dough on it. Using a scraper and my hands coated with flour I “folded” the dough until it was no longer really sticky. The recipe says it takes about 10 folds, but mine took quite a bit more. Next, I shaped the dough into a ball using the technique Mary used in her video.   I then added my “kicked up” seeds and put a few cuts in the bread to create a pattern. You don’t need to, but I just did it anyway.

I put the dough parchment paper-lined bowl and let the dough rest. The recipe called for 15 minutes.  While that was going on I put the Dutch Oven into the stove and turned it on. I set the oven at the temperature suggested, 450°F.    The video I watched also showed how to cook this in a cast iron pan.

After about 5 minutes I took the Dutch Over out of the oven. This is the scary part so be careful.  I used two oven mitts.  I put the Dutch Oven on a heavy-duty cooling rack and set the lid on another rack on the counter.

I lifted the dough using the parchment paper, and set the dough into the Dutch Oven along with the parchment paper and put the lid back on.  I put the super hot Dutch Oven into my electric oven, close the oven door and let the heat do its magic for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I slide the rack out so I could take the lid off of the Dutch Oven, and put it on the top rack.  This was to let the bread top brown a little more.  My preference is for the bread to not be super crusty, so I watched it closely.

After checking that it was not too dark, not too light, but just right… out it came, and it was delicious!

Savor!

 

 

What I used in this video

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