Easy Same Day No Knead Bread

Ingredients

• 3 ¾ cups (450 grams) all-purpose or bread flour

• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 standard yeast packet; 7 grams)

• 1 ¾ teaspoons (10 grams) kosher salt

• 1 ½ cups (360 grams) warm water, between 110°F and 120°F

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and yeast. Stir in water until the mixture is very sticky, and no lumps of flour remain.

2. Cover and place in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large Dutch oven with a lid in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

4. Using lightly floured hands, reach down one side of the dough to the bottom of the bowl, pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over the center toward the opposite side. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams together at the center of the dough ball.

5. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.

6. Very carefully place the dough with the parchment paper directly into the preheated pot. Cover the pot with the lid.

7. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until deeply golden brown, about 15 to 17 minutes more.

8. Turn the oven off, carefully remove the bread from the pot using the parchment paper to help. Place the bread directly onto the oven rack. Keep the door slightly ajar and let the bread rest for an hour or so. The steam from the hot oven helps to create a crispier crust.

Notes:

• If you do not have a Dutch oven: you can use a sheet pan, pizza stone, or even a roasting pan. A Dutch oven is ideal as the lid that traps the steam released by the bread as it bakes, giving you a crustier exterior.

• For an overnight rise: Check out my recipe for No Knead Overnight Bread! Refrigerating the dough develops a more robust flavor. After mixing the dough, cover and refrigerate until doubled in size. This will take about 8 hours but will keep in the fridge up to 24 hours total.

• Make sure to check your water temperature before adding it to the dry ingredients. If the water is too hot, you risk killing the yeast. However, if the water is too cold, it won’t activate the yeast. I highly recommend using a thermometer.

• Avoid adding too much flour: Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake leading to dense bread. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.