No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.

This loaf asks for almost no effort. You stir flour, water, salt and a pinch of yeast, leave it overnight, then bake it in a hot covered pot. The trapped steam gives a crackling crust and an open, chewy crumb.

A kitchen scale makes this recipe far more reliable. Weigh the flour and water if you can.

Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe.

Photo credits: Photo 1: Maria Orlova on Unsplash; Photo 2: Lucian Anton on Pexels; Photo 3: Skyler Ewing on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.

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No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Author: KP Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: French Courses: Side Dish Recipe Keys: E Entertaining Vegan

Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 45 mins Rest Time 900 mins Total Time 15 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 10

Description

Crusty, bakery-style bread with four ingredients and no kneading. Mix in 5 minutes, rest overnight, bake in a Dutch oven.

Ingredients

Servings

• 400 g bread flour (about 3 cups; all-purpose also works)
• 8 g salt (about 1¼ tsp)
• ¼ tsp instant yeast
• 300 g lukewarm water (about 1⅓ cups)

Instructions

1. Stir the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and mix into a shaggy, sticky dough. Cover.
2. Rest at room temperature for 12-18 hours until bubbly and doubled.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, fold the edges in a few times and shape into a ball. Rest seam-side down on parchment for 30-60 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F with a covered Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
5. Carefully lower the dough, on the parchment, into the hot pot. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 12-15 minutes until deep golden.
6. Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Note

The pot is extremely hot, so use oven mitts. No Dutch oven? Use a heavy oven-safe pot with a lid. A sticky dough is normal. Keeps 2 days cut-side down; slice and freeze for longer.