Slow Rise No Knead Bread - Delicious Artisan Style Homemade Bread Recipe

If you like to make homemade bread, or enjoy the taste of homemade bread but do not have the time for several risings and all that kneading, this bread recipe is for you.

Fresh home baked bread is economical and delicious but can be a nuisance. Sometimes, it seems like you have to plan your whole day around the bread. But with the following recipe, you can whip up the dough quickly the night before. The next day, enjoy this hearty, artisan style bread with soups or stews. If you have a good sharp knife or an electric knife, you can use it for sandwiches.

Unlike a lot of homemade breads, this slow rise, no knead version is quick and easy to make as it needs no kneading. It has a chewy, firm texture like the kind you pay out the nose for at high end bakeries.

This rustic loaf is full of holes. It uses few ingredients and very little yeast.

Unlike many homemade products, this recipe creates a full bodied, firm loaf. Time does the work instead of kneading. And time reduces the amount of yeast that you will need.

While most breads demand the use of sugar to feed the yeast, sugar is not needed in this recipe as, once again, time takes care of that.

While there are two versions offered here, I have found that the all bread flour recipe works best. A loaf made with bread flour offers more protein than all purpose flour. Using whole wheat flour means that you must add the gluten as whole wheat is a bit heavier than regular flour. Spend a bit more time mixing if you use whole wheat flour to yield better results.

The first time I attempted this bread, it did not turn out very well as I could not resist the urge to allow it to rise in a warm spot. But room temperature rising is best as it is time that makes the dough rise.

The dough will be of a very gooey consistency, so do not expect the heavy dough of typical homemade bread.

2 Cups Bread Flour

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Warm Water

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Yeast

Or, you can omit the all purpose flour and use 4 cups of bread flour. Note - the white flour needs no sugar. Neither recipe calls for oil or butter.

Whole Wheat Version

2 Cups Bread Flour

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 Cups Warm Water

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Yeast

1 Tablespoon Gluten

3 Tablespoons Sugar

What is gluten?

Gluten is a form of protein found in flour. Gluten makes bread elastic and helps to maintain its shape. Adding a bit of gluten to whole wheat flour for whole wheat bread helps to create a more elastic dough out of the heavy whole wheat flour.

Wheat gluten can be found at health food stores or in the health food section of your local grocery store.

• Mix yeast with warm water and allow to bloom. (That means, wait 5 minutes until you see the yeast creating bubbles or a light foam in the water)
• Mix dry indgredients
• Add water to the dry ingredients and stir vigorously.
• Dough will be gooey
• Place dough in bowl and cover with a towel
• Set the bowl out of drafts at room temperature and allow to rise for 15 hours. That's right, 15 hours.
• After 15 hours, dump the dough onto a floured surface. It will still be wet and gooey and will spread out.
• Fold 4 times
• Return to bowl. cover and let rise 2 more hours.

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
• Preheat and grease a Dutch Oven
• Dump the dough into Dutch Oven
• Cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes
• Uncover and cook for 20 more minutes
• Remove from Dutch Oven and cool on rack.