There are some ridiculously easy recipes out there for no knead bread. You just mix up some flour, water, yeast and salt and let it sit overnight; pull off a chunk when you need it and bake it up! Seriously simple. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to 9 days too!
I’ve been using this recipe for a few months now and I’m pleased. The bread usually turns out just right and who doesn’t love a steamy loaf of freshly baked bread?
I decided to take it up a notch this week and use a recipe from my favorite bakery in Boston. Joanne Chang’s recipe for Country Bread is worth it. Even if you’re not a bread maker, I bet you can make this bread (cause I’m not a bread maker and I just made this bread).
Yes, making good bread takes time. But, you don’t have to sit there and watch the yeast grow or make sure the dough rises. All you have to do is spend about three 20- minute intervals preparing for the best bread of your life. If you make this bread it will totally rock your socks off. Seriously.
I can’t even compare this bread to the no knead bread. It has a very different taste and texture altogether. It may look similar, but don’t let the photo fool you!
I’m going to do three separate posts for this bread because I don’t want you to get overwhelmed. Just do each step as it comes and you will surprise yourself.
First, you need to make a sponge. A sponge makes a big difference here. It only takes a few minutes to make a sponge and you really only have to do it once. After you’ve made the sponge, you just need to “feed” it each day and it will be happy. It will literally last forever. A sponge serves as the base for many great bread recipes and it really adds a ton of flavor to your bread. At Flour bakery it is referred to as “the Mother.”
Here is what my sponge looks like now:
Pretty much looks like a fermented sludge of flour and water.
So, take 10 minutes and make a sponge.
Recipe by: Flour
¾ cup (180 grams) water
1 ¾ cups (175 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon of active dry yeast (SAF red instant yeast works well, I’ve had very consistent results with it! If you buy a big bag of yeast you’ll need to store the extra in the fridge or freezer)
· In a medium bowl, stir together the water, 1 cup (140 grams) of the flour, and the yeast until well mixed and sloshy. Place in a covered container and leave at room temperature for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours.
· Stir in the remaining ¼ cup (35 grams) flour, which will cause the spoge to stiffen up into a loose dough. Re-cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
· Use as directed in individual recipes.
Find a nice breathable container to store the sponge in. I use this container:
My best friend Corrie uses a jar.
1 comment:
I have literally been trying to find someone who has a good starter/bread recipe for a few weeks because all of a sudden I want to make bread... and here you post this BEAUTIFUL bread. So thank you! I WILL be trying this...
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