baking on a hot day

leave it to me to decide to bake more bread on the first official day of summer, a balmy 80 degrees here in somerville. it’s gorgeous out, so i figured i could throw this quick no-knead bread dough together, take my puppy for a looong walk outside while it rose, then pop it in the oven when i got back. in spite of the heat, i’m so glad i opted to do this – the bread is perfection.

if you read here regularly, you may remember that a few weeks ago i tried the original no-knead bread recipe that this is based off of…only to leave it to rise for an extra day and effectively ruin it. i still went through the motions and baked it, though it didn’t rise, but my husband loved it for it’s dense, salty, chewy texture.

i vowed that i wanted to try this recipe again, this time following the instructions properly to experience the bread in its full glory.

let me tell you, this bread was worth the trouble.

the recipe is remarkably easy, and i found a simplified version that makes it nearly impossible to justify not making this bread. throw all the ingredients into your stand mixer, stir well, throw a towel over it while it rises, bake in a dutch oven or a big pot, and voilà: gorgeous, crusty, tangy bread, perfect for sandwiches, soup, crostini, or for smothering with jelly while you relax on your porch with a big glass of iced tea and a book (i don’t have a porch, but if i did, that what i would’ve been doing all day).

i know, i know – it’s hot, and who wants to turn on the oven? trust me, you have to try this bread. my version has a little less salt and a little more garlic scapes, but it’s basically the same thing.

no-knead bread

6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp table salt
2 tsp fast rise yeast, mixed into 1/2 cup warm water
3 cups warm water
1-2 garlic scapes, finely chopped 

mix all ingredients together in a stand mixer, or large bowl with a wooden spoon. the dough will be sticky and springy when combined. cover with towel or plate and allow to rise until bubbles appear on surface and dough has almost doubled, around 2 hours.

set over to 500 degrees, and put a large dutch oven or stock pot instead to heat for about 30 minutes. carefully take pot out of oven and place dough into it – don’t worry about the shape of the dough inside, because the heat will even it out. cover with oven-safe lid or cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. if the dough isn’t browned enough for you, pop it back in uncovered for another 3-4 minutes until it looks the way you like.

the bread should come right out of the pot, but if it doesn’t, allow to cool completely and it will pull away from the bottom and come out easily.