Comments on: (almost) no-knead bread

By: bridget

bridget — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:34:14 +0000

Mary – I don’t think it will, at least not to the same degree. I think the long resting time results in that crust because the complex carbohydrate molecules are broken down into simpler sugar molecules, and the sugar then caramelizes to form that beautiful crust. Flour needs to stay hydrated for a long time for that transformation to take place.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:48:16 +0000

I have a question rather than a comment. Will baking a conventional white- or whole-wheat bread dough in a covered Dutch oven create the lovely crust in the no-knead/almost no-knead breads? If not, does anyone know the reason?

By: bridget

bridget — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:26:04 +0000

brian – Did you measure the flour by weight or by volume? If you measured by volume (3 cups), you probably didn’t use enough flour. Cooks Illustrated uses a ratio of 1 cup flour = 5 ounces, but I’ve found this to be pretty high. By contrast, Peter Reinhart (the author of several popular bread baking books) uses a ratio of 1 cup flour = 4.5 ounces. If you bake regularly and don’t have a digital scale, you should consider getting one – they’re cheap, more accurate, and more convenient than measuring with cups. I’m guessing the humidity didn’t help the situation either. I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you!

By: brian

brian — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:41:54 +0000

After the 18hr rest, the dough was way too sticky to handle. Its very humid today? Any suggestions?

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:19:02 +0000

worked great! I added a half cup of fully-cooked wheat berries and used 1/4 tsp of normal bread machine yeast (red star). I also didn’t cook it the full 20 min with the lid off, just stopped when the thermometer reached almost 210. Fantastic!! I’ve made the other no-knead many many times, and the only not-quite satisfying thing about that bread was that the finished product is a little too sticky on the inside. Not so this almost no knead. It was perfection!

By: Kurt

Kurt — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:48:06 +0000

Marymerl, I take the bread out of the oven fifteen minutes at most after removing the dutch oven lid, instead of the “20-30 minutes” stated in the recipe. Thermometer shows it has reached 210 deg or more after that time in my oven. I previously tried reducing both temperatures by 25 deg. That yielded a softer crust, but also a heavier, wetter loaf and the crust lost some flavor.
I use a standard Lodge iron (non-enameled) 7-qt dutch oven.

By: marymerl

marymerl — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:41:56 +0000

I’ve made this bread a dozen times or more and love it – but for one thing. I cannot make a batch without the crust burning. How did you avoid that in the photos above? I’ve used the enameled cast iron pot, a traditional Lodge Dutch oven, parchment paper or not, different temps (start at 500, reduce to 425 to bake vs. the NYT 425). Help! I always have to cut off the bottom.

Thanks!

By: Crap! I missed World Bread Day! « Bake Like A Ninja

Crap! I missed World Bread Day! « Bake Like A Ninja — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:34:35 +0000

[...] Well, water and bygones and split milk and all. Nonetheless, I have a lovely loaf that I made and am posting in honor of World Bread Day 2008. This post was originally titled “True (bread) confessions.” I think it fits nicely in the spirit of World Bread Day, showing the good and the bad of baking your own loaf. The recipe used here is “Cook’s Illustrated Almost No-Knead Bread.” [...]

By: Melinda

Melinda — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:14:50 +0000

I’ve made many no-knead breads and also the almost no-knead breads. I prefer the taste of the almost no knead bread. I do think it actually has improved it. Yours looks lovely, Bridget.
I have the Kitchen Aid mixer and love to whip up some nice loaves using the kneading hook. So quick and easy.
But I also like connecting with the dough. I have starting using a French technique being taught by Richard Bertinet. I have just done a post about his class. Mind you, my featured bread is rather a poor advertisement…my fault, totally, but very funny!
I like this technique as it adds air into the dough, uses no additional flour as in a kneading technique. I also like how the fresh yeast is rubbed into the flour. I have included a web address so you can watch Richard work the dough.
I guess I also like how so many different ways there are to make and bake breads.
Fascinating stuff, bread making.
Apologies for being so wordy.

By: Amber

Amber — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:32:58 +0000

Mmmm bread, I LOVE bread. It is my biggest weakness.

And since you love bread as much as I, I will now bestow upon you the “E for Excellent” rating.

http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/03/catch-up-time.html