The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (275 page)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

The no-knead method of bread making replaces kneading, the mechanical process that forms the gluten that gives bread structure, with a very high hydration level (85 percent—for every 10 ounces of flour, there are 8.5 ounces of water) and a 12-hour autolyse, or resting period, that allows the flour to hydrate and rest before the dough is briefly kneaded. It is baked in a preheated Dutch oven; the humid environment gives the loaf a dramatic open crumb structure and crisp crust. However, as we baked loaf after loaf, we found two big problems: the dough deflated when carried to the pot, causing misshapen loaves, and it lacked flavor. To give the dough more strength, we lowered the hydration and added the bare minimum of kneading time (under a minute) to compensate. Using a parchment paper sling, we were able to transfer the dough without it deflating. For flavor, we introduced two elements that a starter adds to artisan breads: an acidic tang with vinegar and a shot of yeasty flavor with beer.

See “MAKING ALMOST NO-KNEAD BREAD” illustrations that follow recipe.

MAKES 1 LARGE ROUND LOAF

You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid yields best results, but the recipe also works in a regular cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Take note of the knobs on your Dutch oven lid, as not all are ovensafe at 500 degrees; look for inexpensive replacement knobs from the manufacturer of your Dutch oven (or try using a metal drawer handle from a hardware store).

1.
Whisk flour, salt, and yeast together in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl, until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.

2.
Lay 18 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with vegetable oil spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer loaf, seam side down, to prepared skillet and spray surface of dough with oil spray. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.)

3.
Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using sharp serrated knife or single-edge razor blade, make one 6-inch-long, ¹⁄
₂
-inch-deep slash along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up loaf by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and loaf registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove loaf from pot; transfer to wire rack, discard parchment, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving. (Bread is best eaten on day it is baked but will keep wrapped in double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. To recrisp crust, place unwrapped bread in 450-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.)

If you prefer black olives, substitute them for the green olives, or try a mix of green and black olives.

Add 2 cups fine-grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary to flour mixture in step 1. Add 1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped, with water.

Replace 1³⁄
₈
cups all-purpose flour with 1¹⁄
₈
cups rye flour. Add 2 tablespoons caraway seeds to flour mixture in step 1.

Replace 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour. Stir 2 tablespoons honey into water before adding it to dry ingredients in step 1.

This bread makes especially good toast.

Add ¹⁄
₂
cup dried cranberries and ¹⁄
₂
cup toasted pecans to flour mixture in step 1.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Most recipes for sourdough require weeks of preparation just to make the starter, plus several days to make the bread. We challenged ourselves to develop a faster sourdough bread recipe that would still deliver the taste and chew of real sourdough. We eliminated a homemade starter by buying a ready-made starter (easily available by mail order). We also found that the time for sponge development and fermentation for the dough could be reduced from two nights to just one day without sacrificing flavor. But we still needed to proof the shaped loaves overnight in the refrigerator to achieve the right deep, nutty sourness and wonderfully irregular crumb. We figured out a couple of reliable indicators that the right amount of proofing time had passed: the shaped dough should double in size, and when given a gentle poke, it should sluggishly recover. We baked the bread in a hot oven to promote crust development and a good rise.

MAKES 2 LARGE ROUND LOAVES

If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough by hand following the instructions in
“TEST KITCHEN TIP NO. 119 HAND-MIXING METHOD FOR DOUGH”
. If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the bread on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet set on the lowest oven rack. Once you have a healthy, refreshed starter (see
“24-HOUR SOURDOUGH BREAD”
), the bread will take about 24 hours (over the course of 2 days) before it is ready for baking. It is best to start the recipe in the morning, no more than 12 hours after the last feeding of the starter. For the sponge, use the lower amount of water if you live in a humid climate, the higher amount in an arid climate. During kneading, this dough should not exceed a temperature of 80 degrees. If your kitchen is very warm or very cold, use water a few degrees cooler or warmer, respectively.

SPONGE

DOUGH

1. FOR THE SPONGE:
Stir starter and water together in large bowl until fully combined. Stir in flour until combined (mixture should resemble thick pancake batter). Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.

2. FOR THE DOUGH:
Add water and sponge to bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add flour, ¹⁄
₂
cup at a time. Once all flour has been added, continue kneading until dough forms ball, about 1 minute longer; cover bowl tightly with plastic, and let dough rest for 20 minutes.

3.
Using fingers, create pocket in rested dough, then add salt to pocket. Knead dough on low speed until soft, smooth, and moist (dough should not be sticky), about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to clean counter and knead by hand to form firm ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough in large, lightly greased bowl, and spray surface of dough lightly with vegetable oil spray. Take internal temperature of dough; then cover tightly with plastic. If temperature is below 78 degrees, set container at room temperature (about 70 degrees) in draft-free spot; if warmer than 78 degrees, set container at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees) in draft-free spot. Let rise until dough doubles in size, 3 to 5 hours.

4.
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer dough to clean counter. Gently stretch dough (to redistribute and refresh yeast) as far as possible without tearing, then fold it into thirds like business letter. Divide dough in half crosswise, then loosely shape each piece into ball, cover loosely with plastic, and let rest for 15 minutes. Cup hands stiffly around 1 piece of dough (keep other piece covered), and drag in short half-circular motions toward edge of counter, forming dough into round loaf with smooth, taut surface. Pinch bottom seam closed and set loaf seam side down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second piece of dough. Spray loaves lightly with oil spray, cover loosely with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

5.
Slide parchment and covered loaves onto clean counter, spaced at least 6 inches apart. Loosen plastic to allow loaves to rise; let rise until nearly doubled in size, 3 to 4 hours. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.)

6.
One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Carefully slide parchment and rounds onto pizza peel. Using sharp serrated knife or single-edge razor blade, held at 45-degree angle to work surface, slash surface of loaves ¹⁄
₂
to ³⁄
₄
inch deep. Working quickly, spray loaves with water, slide parchment with loaves onto baking stone, and immediately reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake, spraying loaves with water twice more during first 5 minutes of baking, until crust is deep golden brown and loaves register 210 degrees, about 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire rack, discard parchment, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving. (Bread can be wrapped in double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Wrapped with additional layer of aluminum foil, bread can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

If you do not already have a starter, dried starter packets (sold by mail and in some natural foods stores) or fresh mail-order starters work well. Follow the package directions to get the starter going, then follow our directions for feeding once the starter is going strong. No matter where you get your starter and how carefully you maintain it, you should refresh it according to the instructions below before using it.

1.
Beginning in evening, 2 days before you intend to use starter, stir starter well to recombine. Measure out and reserve 1 cup (9 ounces) of starter; discard remaining starter (or give it to a friend). Stir reserved starter and 1 cup water together in large bowl until combined, then stir in 1¹⁄
₂
cups flour until evenly moistened (mixture will be lumpy). Cover with plastic wrap and let mixture stand at room temperature for 8 hours to 12 hours.

2.
In morning of following day, pour off all but 1 cup starter, stir in 1 cup water, then stir in 1¹⁄
₂
cups flour. Repeat with pouring off starter, stirring in remaining 1 cup water and remaining 1¹⁄
₂
cups flour, letting it stand at room temperature for entire time. Starter will be fully refreshed and ready to use next morning, 8 to 12 hours after last feeding. (Starter can be kept alive over long period of nonuse in refrigerator. It’s best to feed it weekly, according to instructions in step 1; let it stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours after feeding, then return it to refrigerator.)