This Rustic No-Knead Bread is light and airy with a gorgeous crackled crust! And so easy to make!
Hey there folks! How was everyone’s Valentine’s weekend? Hope you all enjoyed yourselves! I had a wonderful weekend, despite the fact that most of it was spent ripping out the BHK! Yes, a new kitchen is in the works! YAY! If you have ever demo’d your own kitchen, you can just imagine how much love we were sharin’….all weekend long! Lots of loud noise, dirt, dust and heavy labor! Perfect romantic weekend, right? Ugh! I’m totally pooped and my back is killing me!
It also happened to be under 20 degrees here at the beach all weekend. It was crazy cold! So before I said my final farewell to my old cabinets, counter tops and appliances I decided I needed to squeeze in one more recipe. I decided on this Rustic No-Knead Bread because when it’s cold outside there’s just something so comforting and warm about the smell of fresh bread baking. I also needed something easy because there was so much going on.
I know, can you believe it? I said easy AND homemade bread in the same sentence! If you follow the blog, you know I am somewhat challenged when it comes to bread making. Frankly, I have had more fails than I have had successes. But this Rustic No-Knead bread is different. The recipe is from Jim Lahey’s book, My Bread. I love his book because his recipes aren’t complicated at all, even for the novice bread baker. The secret to his bread is slow-rise fermentation. Four ingredients, five minutes of labor, no kneading necessary and then 12-18 hours of rising time. I make the dough after dinner and then cover it and let it rise overnight. The next morning I form the dough into a round, cover it with a linen tea towel and let it rise a second time for 1-2 hours, then it’s into the oven to bake.
When you see your finished loaf you won’t believe your eyes! So gorgeous, with so little effort. The bread comes out incredibly airy and light with a beautiful crackling crust. Slice it up, slather it with some butter and you’ll be in heaven! Hope you enjoy it friends! Stay warm and have a great week!
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour plus additional flour for dusting
- 1 1/4 tsp. table salt
- 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
- 1 1/3 cups cool water 55-65 degrees F
Instructions
- Stir together flour, salt and yeast in a medium bowl. Add the water using a wooden spoon and mix for 30 seconds. It should be very sticky to the touch. If it isn't, add another tablespoon or two of water.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature (about 72 degrees) out of the sunlight, until the surface is bubbly and more than doubled in size, at least 12 hours, preferably 18. This is the key to the flavor, so don't rush it.
- After the first fermentation, dust a work surface with flour. Using a rubber spatula scrape the dough onto your prepared board in one piece. It will be very loose and sticky. Do not add more flour. Flour your hands and pull the edges of the dough into the center and make into a round.
- Place a linen tea towel (not terry cloth) dusted with flour on your work surface. Lift the dough, seam side down onto the towel. Lightly dust the top of the round with flour if dough is tacky.
- Loosely cover the dough with another tea towel. Place in warm, draft-free place for second rise, 1-2 hours.
- Dough is ready when size is doubled and holds impression when poked with your finger 1/4 inch deep.
- Place oven rack in lower third position. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees 30 minutes before the end of the second rise with a 4 1/2-5 1/2 quart cast iron pot in the center of the rack.
- Carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven. Remove lid. Unfold tea towel and lightly dust the dough with flour.
- Lift dough up on the towel or in your hand and invert quickly and carefully (the pot is extremely HOT) into the pot seam side up.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and continue to bake for 15 more minutes or until lightly browned.
- Using a heatproof spatula carefully remove bread from pot and place on wire rack to cool, about one hour.
- Use sharp knife to slice.
Adapted from Jim Lahey’s, My Bread, The Basic No-Knead Bread recipe
Wow, I knead a piece of that warm goodness. Looks fantastic!
Ha! You get the whole loaf!
Oh yay to a new kitchen, Mary Ann! That’s so exciting, although I get that the whole process of getting to that fancy, new kitchen ain’t so exciting! LOVE this rustic bread! Nothing better than getting all that carby goodness without the kneading! This bread looks perfect, my dear! It’s been freezing here too, and I can’t think of anything better than stuffing my face with bread on repeat. ;) Cheers, friend!
I know Cheyanne! It’s freezing here too, with some snow expected later! This bread will keep me warm and toasty!
We did a whole bunch of home reno last year so you have my sympathies, Mary Ann! I know the back pain well! It’s so cold here too and now I want to make my house smell all warm and cozy with some homemade bread! I love this no knead recipe!
Awesome Rachelle! I know, I think I need to rest today! I can’t lift a thing!
That’s one of my favorite cookbooks Mary Ann and his recipes and always yield a perfectly chewy rustic loaf and yours looks outrageous! Best of luck with the new kitchen. Challenging for sure but so worth it in the end!
Isn’t it just great Cathy! So easy! And I usually run into issues when I bake bread, but not with this book! Enjoy your week! I can’t wait til its all done! I’m so excited!
This bread is gorgeous! I love the rustic look and the fact that it is no knead!
Thanks so much Jen! It really is sooo easy!
No knead bread is the best kind of bread, and your loaf is absolutely stunning Mary Ann! Reminds me of my bakery days … :)
Thanks Lauren! I worked in a bakery too! So much fun!
Your photos are absolutely spectacular, Mary Ann! I’m thinking about investing in a DSLR, so I was wondering what camera and lens you are currently using…Thanks! Also, it is so hard to believe that only 4 ingredients could make something so tasty, versatile, and beautiful; thanks for sharing! :D
Thanks Kennedy! I was amazed it was only four ingredients too! I use the Canon T3i Rebel and I love it. I also bought the Canon EF 50 mm 1.8 lens which I love. I bought a more expensive one a few months ago, but I really didn’t love it for the price, so I keep using my 1.8! Hope school is going well! Have a great week!
Oh no – no kitchen – that’s going too be tough – but I’m envious because I’m sure it will be beautiful when done. My friend always has no-knead bread in his fridge – ready to go. Thanks for the reminder on how easy this great recipe is. Will be putting it on my to do list. Stay warm, Mary Ann!
Thanks Geraldine! Yes, it is tough! I’m so excited to see it when it’s all done though!
Humm..beautiful homemade bread1!
I’ll try to do.
Thanks for sharing.
Hope you enjoy it Jane!
Yay for a new kitchen! How exciting :) This bread looks perfect for this cold weather. I’ve made it before and it is amazing how simple and delicious it is! Have a great week, my friend.
It’s amazing it’s only four ingredients isn’t it Jessica?! You have a great week too!
Such a perfect loaf of bread. Love no-kneading :) I could live on it!
Me too Jennifer! Have a great week friend!
Thank you for this recipe Mary Ann, I try to bake bread when I am in my cabin in the mountains. I have a bread machine and my last bread was so bad that I had to throw it away.
Good luck with your remodel and the new kitchen.
Sounds like a few of my stories with bread recipes! Thanks so much Gerlinde. Enjoy your week!
Wow, that is one handsome loaf – wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into a slice o’that.
Thanks so much! It was so easy and so delicious!
I love making bread, but have yet to try one like this – it’s gorgeous!
Hope your back’s feeling better :)
Thanks so much Megan! You should try this one. I consider myself a novice bread baker and I thought the recipe was so easy!
We went through the Great Kitchen Renovation a couple of years ago – I know how hard it is, but when you are done it will be your favorite room in the house, I promise!! And baking bread sounds like the perfect, perfect break from renovating – yours looks perfect. There’s nothing like the smell of baking bread, right? Hang in there!!
I can’t wait! Yes, the smell of fresh bread baking is always so heavenly!
This bread. <3 I'm dying. I NEEEEEEED.
Ha! Let’s swap…my bread for your fluffy chocolate chip cookies! Deal?
This bread looks and sounds amazing ♥
summerdaisy.net
Thanks Summer! It’s really an easy recipe and so delicious!
Don’t you wish remodeling the kitchen was as easy as making bread? Oh what a pain! But oh how nice it’ll be when it’s all done! I think the hardest part for me would be to make a decision among the dizzying array of options! OMGeee! How did you do!? This bread looks fabulous, Mary Ann. I don’t know where we got it into our heads that making homemade bread is hard. All we need is a good formula and active yeast (or a good strong starter). So many people shy away from it perhaps because of the stigma that it takes so long to make? Your loaf is gorgeous and there’s nothing like the smell of baking bread, then listening to it crackle and pop as it cools! Delicious my dear!
Yes I do! And you’re right, so many options! Love this bread Traci. So, so easy and that crust!! Tom slathers it in butter! He’s in heaven!
You’re brave renovating your own kitchen! I bet its gonna look fabulous when all is said and done though. Also, good call on baking homemade bread before your left without an oven for a few weeks. The yeasty smell of homemade bread can’t be beat.
You’re right Nicole ! It can’t be beat!
I couldn’t agree more, warm fresh bread is perfect on a cold night! Love this simple recipe, it really does look easy to make!
Thanks so much Katie! It really is so simple!
This looks so great but I don’t have the proper pot. What else can I use? I, too, am bread challenged but this looks almost fool proof.
Sorry Carmen. I have only used my Le Creuset large Dutch oven for this recipe because that’s what Jim recommended.