No-knead bread facts for kids
Bread baked using the no-knead method
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No-knead bread is a super easy way to bake bread. This method uses a very long time for the dough to rise, instead of kneading it. Kneading usually helps create the gluten that makes bread chewy. But with no-knead bread, the long rise and wet dough do all the work!
This type of bread often has very little yeast. The dough is also very wet. Baking it in a Dutch oven or a pot with a lid can make the crust extra crispy and delicious.
Contents
How to Make No-Knead Bread
Making no-knead bread is simpler than you might think. A popular recipe by baker Jim Lahey shows how easy it is.
Simple Steps to Bake Bread
First, you mix just a few ingredients. You need bread flour, salt, and a tiny bit of instant yeast. Then, you add cool water. This creates a very wet dough.
After mixing, you cover the dough. It then sits for a long time, usually 12 to 18 hours. During this time, the dough will grow much bigger. It will also be covered in tiny bubbles.
Once it has risen, you gently scrape the dough onto a floured surface. You fold it a few times, then shape it. The shaped dough then rests for another hour or two.
Baking Your Loaf
The next step is to heat a pot, like a Dutch oven, in a very hot oven. When the pot is hot, you carefully drop the dough into it.
The bread bakes in the covered pot for about 30 minutes. Then, you take the lid off. It bakes for another 15 to 30 minutes. This helps the crust get a beautiful deep brown color. Finally, you take the bread out of the pot. Let it cool for about an hour before slicing.
Why This Method Works
The secret to no-knead bread is the long rising time. Instead of you kneading the dough, the gluten molecules in the wet dough move around freely. Over many hours, they naturally connect and form a strong, stretchy network. This gives the bread its great texture.
Because the dough is so wet, it needs a bit more salt than regular bread dough. This helps balance the flavors.
History of No-Knead Bread
The idea of no-knead bread is actually very old. People have been making bread this way for a long time.
Early Recipes and Popularity
One of the earliest written recipes appeared in a book called The Compleat Housewife in 1739. Later, during World War II, a British food writer named Doris Grant helped make wholemeal no-knead bread popular. She wrote about it in her 1944 book, "Your Daily Bread."
In 1972, Albert E. Brumley shared a no-knead bread recipe in his cookbook. Another baker, Suzanne Dunaway, also helped popularize it with her 1999 cookbook, No Need to Knead.
Modern Revival of No-Knead Bread
In recent years, no-knead bread has become very popular again. In 2007, authors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe François published Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Their book uses a no-knead method where you store dough in the fridge. This means you can bake fresh bread whenever you want, for up to two weeks!
In 2006, food writer Mark Bittman wrote about Jim Lahey's no-knead method in The New York Times. Bittman praised the bread for its amazing taste and crispy crust. His article made the recipe incredibly popular around the world. Many people started talking about it online.
See also
In Spanish: Pan sin amasado para niños
