FABULOUS, FUSS-FREE NO-KNEAD YEAST BREADS
Baking Breakthrough: If You Can Read, Measure and Stir, You Make These Yeast Breads!
Find at Amazon.com
For years, countless home cooks have shied away from baking their own bread because they were intimidated by the expertise required, the mess involved and of course, all the kneading. Now, with Nancy Baggett's revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices (including kids) can bake bread easily, economically and with no kneading or kitchen mess.
The secret is in Baggett's countertop rise approach, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, but without any kneading. (The bread actually kneads itself!) The technique calls for minimal ingredients, often mixed in one bowl with one spoon, eliminating all the mess of traditional bread recipes. She uses the approach to produce all kinds of breads, from Whole Wheat Boules and English Muffin Loaves to Raisin Bread and Caraway Beer Bread. With this innovative new method, anyone who can read, measure, and stir can now make delicious, fine-textured yeast bread. It also builds in great flexibility, so even the busiest home cooks can now fit yeast baking into their schedules.
This book differs from others on the same subject because Nancy Baggett is an experienced food writer who understands home baker's needs. While techniques by other experts may sound similar, they still involve messy dough handling and many require mixers, mixers or food processors. Baggett's technique is the simplest and most foolproof one yet, yields superior breads due to her countertop rise method. (See some of the bread & learn more here.)
From the Inside Flap
Savoring a loaf of fragrant, warm-from-the-oven bread is one of life's great pleasures. Now you too can experience the joys of home-baked bread—without all the hassle and mess of traditional bread recipes. Taking recent advances in slow-rise, no-knead bread making to a whole new level, award-winning cookbook author Nancy Baggett serves up seventy-five of the easiest, tastiest bread recipes ever developed.
Baggett's recipes involve no complicated procedures, no special equipment or baking expertise—and, of course, no kneading. The secret to her method is in the science: During a long, slow rise, the doughs actually knead themselves, and at the same time, develop superior flavor. Many of the recipes require no hand shaping, and all include a "KS (Kneadlessly Simple) Quotient" that explains exactly what's involved. With one bowl, one spoon, a few simple steps, and minimal kitchen clean-up, you'll be on your way, even if you've never baked bread before.
Inside, you'll discover terrific recipes for every taste and occasion. Enjoy loaves with the aromas and textures of today's best artisan breads—crusty Rosemary Focaccia, Ciabatta and Baguettes, plus buttery Brioche and other European classics. Savor all-American favorites like San Francisco–Style Sourdough and Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. Stay healthy with Hearty Multigrain Boule, 100 Percent Whole Wheat–Honey Bread, and Gluten-Free Faux Rye Bread. And indulge with Panettone, Spiced Cranberry Orange Coffeecake, and other sweet breads. You'll even find recipes for bread-making kits you can give as gifts!
To make sure every bread turns out perfect, Baggett provides detailed advice on ingredients and techniques as well as step-by-step instructions for each recipe, including a range of rising times that you can select to suit your schedule. She also gives you in-depth troubleshooting tips and explains how to convert favorite old-fashioned bread recipes into no-knead versions. With a whole chapter of "Easiest Ever Yeast Breads" to get you started, along with sixteen pages of tempting color photographs, Kneadlessly Simple is all you need to create fuss-free, artisan-quality breads in your own kitchen.
Advance Praise for Kneadlessly Simple
"Nancy Baggett has brought all her considerable baking and teaching skills to the table in her newest book, Kneadlessly Simple. Bakers always knew that making bread was fun, but now, with Nancy's help, it can also be surprisingly easy. She really gets the artisan principles of slow-rise bread baking and has created an easy method that will work for home bakers of all skill levels."
—Peter Reinhart, author of Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor
"Nothing beats the flavor and texture of good homemade bread, especially when it's made from a no-knead, no-fuss dough and it rivals the best artisan bread you can buy anywhere. That's just what Nancy Baggett gives you in Kneadlessly Simple—an adaptation of all the most up-to-the-minute methods for producing outstanding bread with little effort—you'll love it!"
—Nick Malgieri, author of The Modern Baker
Fleischmann’s Yeast Gives Kneadlessly Simple a BIG Thumbs Up
The Fleischmann’s Yeast test kitchen has tested some Kneadlessly Simple breads; distributed some of the recipes to their consumers; and followed up with a survey to see how their customers liked the breads and method. Here’s some of the exciting news Fleishmann’s had to say in a recent press release:
“Nancy's latest recipe book, Kneadlessly Simple, is devoted to an extraordinary No Knead bread making technique that allows anyone to become an accomplished bread baker, because the technique is extremely simple and foolproof.”
Keith Dierberg, of Fleischmann's® Yeast Marketing, added:
“For many years, people have been telling us that they would love to make homemade bread but felt they lacked the expertise and found the whole idea of scratch bread baking intimidating.
That's why we're so excited…. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are already using this technique to make homemade bread and 17.5% of those are people that never made homemade bread previously. Our research shows that 98% of the people that have made these recipes will continue to make them, and of those using the technique, over 80% are increasing their total bread baking significantly.
These recipes and new technique appeal to both current bread makers and importantly, overcome the barriers people claim as to why they have never made bread before, making bread baking something that everyone can do with total confidence of success."
Find at Amazon.com
For years, countless home cooks have shied away from baking their own bread because they were intimidated by the expertise required, the mess involved and of course, all the kneading. Now, with Nancy Baggett's revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices (including kids) can bake bread easily, economically and with no kneading or kitchen mess.
The secret is in Baggett's countertop rise approach, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, but without any kneading. (The bread actually kneads itself!) The technique calls for minimal ingredients, often mixed in one bowl with one spoon, eliminating all the mess of traditional bread recipes. She uses the approach to produce all kinds of breads, from Whole Wheat Boules and English Muffin Loaves to Raisin Bread and Caraway Beer Bread. With this innovative new method, anyone who can read, measure, and stir can now make delicious, fine-textured yeast bread. It also builds in great flexibility, so even the busiest home cooks can now fit yeast baking into their schedules.
This book differs from others on the same subject because Nancy Baggett is an experienced food writer who understands home baker's needs. While techniques by other experts may sound similar, they still involve messy dough handling and many require mixers, mixers or food processors. Baggett's technique is the simplest and most foolproof one yet, yields superior breads due to her countertop rise method. (See some of the bread & learn more here.)
From the Inside Flap
Savoring a loaf of fragrant, warm-from-the-oven bread is one of life's great pleasures. Now you too can experience the joys of home-baked bread—without all the hassle and mess of traditional bread recipes. Taking recent advances in slow-rise, no-knead bread making to a whole new level, award-winning cookbook author Nancy Baggett serves up seventy-five of the easiest, tastiest bread recipes ever developed.
Baggett's recipes involve no complicated procedures, no special equipment or baking expertise—and, of course, no kneading. The secret to her method is in the science: During a long, slow rise, the doughs actually knead themselves, and at the same time, develop superior flavor. Many of the recipes require no hand shaping, and all include a "KS (Kneadlessly Simple) Quotient" that explains exactly what's involved. With one bowl, one spoon, a few simple steps, and minimal kitchen clean-up, you'll be on your way, even if you've never baked bread before.
Inside, you'll discover terrific recipes for every taste and occasion. Enjoy loaves with the aromas and textures of today's best artisan breads—crusty Rosemary Focaccia, Ciabatta and Baguettes, plus buttery Brioche and other European classics. Savor all-American favorites like San Francisco–Style Sourdough and Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. Stay healthy with Hearty Multigrain Boule, 100 Percent Whole Wheat–Honey Bread, and Gluten-Free Faux Rye Bread. And indulge with Panettone, Spiced Cranberry Orange Coffeecake, and other sweet breads. You'll even find recipes for bread-making kits you can give as gifts!
To make sure every bread turns out perfect, Baggett provides detailed advice on ingredients and techniques as well as step-by-step instructions for each recipe, including a range of rising times that you can select to suit your schedule. She also gives you in-depth troubleshooting tips and explains how to convert favorite old-fashioned bread recipes into no-knead versions. With a whole chapter of "Easiest Ever Yeast Breads" to get you started, along with sixteen pages of tempting color photographs, Kneadlessly Simple is all you need to create fuss-free, artisan-quality breads in your own kitchen.
Advance Praise for Kneadlessly Simple
"Nancy Baggett has brought all her considerable baking and teaching skills to the table in her newest book, Kneadlessly Simple. Bakers always knew that making bread was fun, but now, with Nancy's help, it can also be surprisingly easy. She really gets the artisan principles of slow-rise bread baking and has created an easy method that will work for home bakers of all skill levels."
—Peter Reinhart, author of Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor
"Nothing beats the flavor and texture of good homemade bread, especially when it's made from a no-knead, no-fuss dough and it rivals the best artisan bread you can buy anywhere. That's just what Nancy Baggett gives you in Kneadlessly Simple—an adaptation of all the most up-to-the-minute methods for producing outstanding bread with little effort—you'll love it!"
—Nick Malgieri, author of The Modern Baker
Fleischmann’s Yeast Gives Kneadlessly Simple a BIG Thumbs Up
The Fleischmann’s Yeast test kitchen has tested some Kneadlessly Simple breads; distributed some of the recipes to their consumers; and followed up with a survey to see how their customers liked the breads and method. Here’s some of the exciting news Fleishmann’s had to say in a recent press release:
“Nancy's latest recipe book, Kneadlessly Simple, is devoted to an extraordinary No Knead bread making technique that allows anyone to become an accomplished bread baker, because the technique is extremely simple and foolproof.”
Keith Dierberg, of Fleischmann's® Yeast Marketing, added:
“For many years, people have been telling us that they would love to make homemade bread but felt they lacked the expertise and found the whole idea of scratch bread baking intimidating.
That's why we're so excited…. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are already using this technique to make homemade bread and 17.5% of those are people that never made homemade bread previously. Our research shows that 98% of the people that have made these recipes will continue to make them, and of those using the technique, over 80% are increasing their total bread baking significantly.
These recipes and new technique appeal to both current bread makers and importantly, overcome the barriers people claim as to why they have never made bread before, making bread baking something that everyone can do with total confidence of success."
31 comments:
I purchased Kneadlessly Simple a week ago and have tried several recipies including Easy Oat Bread, Easy Buttermilk w/coarse salt, pizza dough and more. I have been baking bread all my adult life and for the past 10 yrs using a bread machine. I find the long time frame and flexability makes it as easy as using a bread machine. My family is really enjoying the rich flavor achieved with this simple method. Thank you for keeping my bread making interesting! The only difficulty I am having is whisking honey into ice water, the honey likes to glob, any suggestions Nancy? I have iven used my stick blender to combine.
You are right--whisking in the honey is a little tricky. I didn't talk about this because it sounded too complicated, but you can mix the honey into a smallish amount of room temp water until dissolved, then chill down the mixture with ice cubes. Just have to avoid adding too many cubes!
Glad you are enjoying the book. It really is as easy as using a bread machine, but IMO the breads are tastier.
My neighbor gave me a loaf of Sonoma style multigrain crunch and I was hooked. I also have the book now, and made my own loaves. Yes, the honey was a problem my first time, but she told me to whisk the oil and honey first then add to the ice water.
My other problem was trying to measure 1 1/4 tsps. of yeast, the packet said it contained 2 1/4 tsps. or 7 grams, so I just used 1/2 a package. Then, I read that 1 1/4 tsps. equals about 6 grams so I just used a whole 1/4 oz. packet of yeast in my last batch, i didn't notice much difference.
Is that small difference in the amount of yeast critical?
The recipe doesn't need any more yeast than is called for, but so long as the long slow rise takes place in a cool spot as directed, adding a little extra is okay. One reason I always call for measuring the yeast is that the amount in the packets seems to change from brand to brand and even to some extent from packet to packet. Also, those who make bread often tend to buy the "bread machine" yeast (in a jar), and they, of course, need to measure it out. Tip: If a recipe calls for 1 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, you could add a heaping 1 teaspoon--it would be just fine!
When I recently made the Hearty Multigrain with molasses I mixed the molasses with half the water at room temp then stuck it in the freezer for 30 minutes or more to get it nicely chilled. Then iced the remaining water and added it all to the flour mix. Worked well.. if you have the time. Will have to try Duncan's idea with the oil, especially for the honey.
Stumble upon your book by chance. Kneadless??? I couldn't believe but just had to try. And I did. A pizza for breakfast this morning. Will be busy in the kitchen for a while.
Hello Nancy. Enjoying your book and the recipes. I'm trying the all purpose whole wheat bread and after making the easy white a few weeks ago have the following question for both.
Is there anything detrimental to taking these dough recipes and instead of baking in a bread pan baking them inside a Dutch Oven? Wondering if there were any other mods that I would have to do to make that change.
No reason that you can't bake them in the Dutch oven. You will just have to fiddle with the baking time, as it will likely be different.
I suggest just turning the doughs out into the Dutch oven instead of the loaf pan and letting them rise in it. Spritz the loaf top with water just before baking. Bake in preheated oven covered for maybe 45 minutes, then continue with lid off. This should work fine.
Worked fine. I actually performed the second rise using the "standard" method of setting it on a flowered linen, covered with another for 90 minuts. Preheated the oven and DO to 450 degrees. Removed the lid afte 30 minutes. Let it run for 15 more then measured for 210 internal. Very nice loaf. Crispy crust, nice softer crumb than I expected. perfect for sandwiches. Next time I'll pick a 1.5 lb loaf pan. I only had 8.5 x 4.5 pans and this quantity was too much for a single. This came out great and it's good to know I can toss some of these recipes into the DO, really like loaves baked that way, but sometimes nice to use the standard bread pans for "regular" shaped sandwich making.
Thanks for the speedy response!!
I just ordered Kneadlessly Simple after finding it via the Fleischmann's yeat jar. Several reviewers on Amazon love the book yet wonder just how stiff your "stiff dough" should be, and thought a video clip demo would be extremely helpful. Do you have one here on Kitchen Lane that I just haven't found yet? Thanks! Can't wait til the book arrives!
Hi,
I don't think any of the clips really show what you need to know. If I do another one, I will focus on showing that. The dough should usually be stiff enough that it is hard to stir, but still stirrable. It should sort of hold its shape in a slight mound, then gradually spread out in the bowl. Some recipes do call for a different consistency, and you should follow what they indicate. Before the second rise, it is always okay to stir in more flour if a dough seems batter-like--these aren't batter breads, just ones that are moist enough to stir rather than knead!
Hope you enjoy the book!
I bought this book after hearing Nancy Baggett interviewed on an NPR show. I've made just about every recipe in Kneadlessly Simple with total success and rave reviews. In fact, I've purchased at least five additional copies to give as gifts to friends. I will never go back to buying bread in grocery stores or bakeries for that matter! Thanks, Nancy, for such a great collection.
Thanks Bill, for your fantastic feedback! Great to hear that so many recipes have been a hit. Also thanks for spreading the word and giving your friends copies of the book.
Love your Book! I've been a bread baker for years and am so used to the time needed in the kitchen for all the kneading, rising, shaping, rising again and baking, that going "kneadless" has been a bit of a shock to my system. Easy Oat Bread is amazing! I do have one problem, I think. I live in south Florida and my kitchen is usually 78 degrees with the A/C on. My rising time has been reduced because of this warmth. I came home for lunch and found my first rise all the way up to the top of a very, big bowl in just 10 hours. I was actually afraid to leave it after stirring it down because even while having a half hour lunch, the dough was visibly on its' way up. I stirred it down and put it into 2 pans and by 3PM it was 1/2 in above the rim. I was very careful in all my measurements. Any ideas here. The two loaves were heavenly to eat...
You are right--the room temp is causing rising to go too fast. One thing that will help is to set the dough right by an air conditioning vent--the temp will usually be around 70--at least at my house. If you do chill the dough a few hours before starting the countertop rise, that will slow the rise down some,too.
Thanks for your quick response! I refrigerated the doughs for 6 hours and set them out before going to bed last night. This morning both dough bowls had tripled or more in their rise. Having my tea, I reread the intro in your book and caught how a warmer environment will make that first rise shorter and 15 hours is OK. That's what I am going for today. And, I moved the bowls onto my dining room table to take advantage of the A/C vent there. I am making the Anadama and the Brown Rice & Wild Crunch breads, both recipes doubled. Fingers crossed, I will have 4 beautiful, delicious loaves cooling on racks by 5 PM tonight.
Sounds like you are getting the hang of this! Yes, if the rise is in a warm spot you can shorten the first rise quite a bit--if it is well risen and smells yeasty and is rubbery when you stir it down, it is fine to move to the next step. Good luck!
Thanks for the tip. Now I won't worry about the need for hours and hours of rising to make the bread taste good. All of the loaves baked up beautifully and taste wonderful. Thanks again for your support.
Hi Nancy,
I got your book for Xmas and have been really enjoying trying out your recipes. My favourites so far are the crunchy ones done in the Dutch oven - crusty peasant style bread and the Portuguese cornbread. One thing I've noticed is the bread hasn't been consistent (always tastes great but sometimes a lot better than others), sometimes when I make the crusty peasant style bread the yeast seems to be very active, coming to the top of the bowl, then rising quickly again for the second rise. Other times it only makes it 3/4 of the way up the side of the bowl, and seems to produce a much smaller/less impressive loaf. This is despite being very careful with using the exact proportions. Do you think this is likely to be the measurements not being accurate enough (as I'm using cups rather than scales) or due to different temperatures depending on when I make the bread? I live in New Zealand so it's summer here with highs of around 65-80 degrees F. Should I still be leaving it for 18-24 hours or for a shorter time with these temps? Any help would be much appreciated!
Matt, once you mentioned that you were in New Zealand, I realized the issue. Yes, the temp makes a huge difference in how fast or slow yeast will rise. Even though I had to give times in the book, they are necessarily problematic because I don't really know what the temperature the rising environment will be for each loaf. If you have the flexibility, you can just let the dough rise until it seems very puffy and the yeast seems very active. The only downsides are it will develop a stronger yeasty aroma & flavor (which some people actually like) and if you let the dough stand too long the yeast will eventually become exhausted & lose its rising power. (So long as the dough seems to still be rising, the yeast is fine, just don't let it stand too long once nothing seems to be happening. As for dough height/expansion in the oven--this is called oven spring, & even pro bakers will tell you you just can't control how much you will get with a batch of bread--it's quite variable even in controlled conditions.
Thanks Nancy for the quick reply - it's fantastic to have a recipe book that comes with personal Q&As from the other side of the world!
It sounds like I was leaving the dough to stand too long - will give it another shot. Thanks also for the great recipes - my friends and family are loving my Xmas present :)
Viva the Internet. Now you have your very own cookbook help desk! Happy Baking!
Hi Nancy,
I asked for, and received Kneadlessly Simple for Christmas, what a treat! Today I tried the Focaccia. We fell in love with it in Italy 2 years ago and I've been wanting to make it ever since. So, following your recipe I stirred it up and refrigerated it until bedtime (probably 5 hours). After 8 hours sitting on the counter overnight it tripled! The house is usually 62-65 at night, not warm, so I was surprised. Is this bad? But it rose nicely in the pans, too.
I was a bit concerned that when I poked it with my fingers, just before baking, it deflated a fair amount. When the baking was complete it seemed a little thin. It had a nice texture and my husband really liked it, but we expected it to be thicker. Maybe because that's what we had in Italy. So my question to you is... how thick does it turn out when YOU make it?
Thanks very much for your help!
Carolyn
Sounds like it is coming out right. I like a thinnish bread--has more good crusty-crispness that way. If you want it a little thicker you could use a smaller pan.
I have a son that can have only certain types of oil. Can I use grape seed oil in your recipes?
I've not used that oil, but as long as the flavor is very muted, it shouldn't matter what type you use. Good luck.
I recently purchased Kneadlessly Simple and was excited to try the 100% whole-wheat honey bread recipe as the "mash" technique intrigues me. Unfortunately, my brain doesn't seem to be working ... even though I've read the instructions over several times, the math (for the timing) doesn't add up for me. For example, the end of the "First Rise" paragraph (p. 135) instructs us to set aside the mash at room temp for up to 18 hours. It looks like the mash gets incorporated to the first risen dough for the second rise, but if one follows the refrigeration for 3-10 hours then room temp 12-18 hour rise, the timing won't coincide with the "up to 18 hours" room temp setting aside of the mash. Help! Could you clarify the timing of these steps for me, please? Also, I'm not sure what the "Cup of boiling-hot water in the oven to help keep it warm" is used for in the mash (first paragraph of the "First Rise" section)? Thanks!
The recipe you mention is the only one in the book that is a little complicated in terms of the steps. The mash just gets set aside for however long the bowl of mixed-up dough sits aside--whenever you're ready to start the second rise you just stir the mash into the dough as directed. It doesn't need an absolutely specific time frame.
If you set a cup of boiling hot water in the microwave it will help keep the mash warm--the warmth helps develop enzymes in the mash that make it taste sweet and malty. Gradually as the water cools, the recipe calls for replacing it with more boiling water, which again helps keep the interior of the microwave and the mash warm.
Hello Kneadlessly Simple fans. I wrote way back when I first purchased the book. I have since experimented with several kneadless bread techniques. Kneadlessly Simple is a little more complicated with several more steps than some, like the ice water and timing requirements. However her variety of loaves is wonderful with many healthy grain choices that are well balanced and consistently come out desirable. My favorite is the "Going with the Grain" bread kit. I make this regularly for my family and have most likely sold a few "Kneadlessly Simple" cookbooks as I give away the "kit" on a regular basis and encourage them to purchase the book. I will suggest again that a printable "bread kit directions" be made available on this site since it is cumbersome to copy it out of the book to include with the kit. I find that using 1/4c. to 1/3c. less water than the recipe calls for when mixing the "Going with the Grain" bread consistenly gets better results, plus you really do not want to let this one go more than 1/2" over pan rim on final rise or it is likely to fall in the oven. Happy baking!
Like most people I started with Jim Lahey's recipe for no-knead bread. Sometimes I got good results and sometimes not. Bought Ms. Nancy's Kneadlessly Simple book from Amazon.com and started reading the "troubleshooting" section. I can't tell you the difference it makes to have some understanding of problems............and how to fix them!! Having made yeast breads for many moons, it was sort of a problem for me to acutally let the first rise go for 18-24 hours. I was sure it would overproof and collapse. NOT! This book is the bomb!
That is so wonderful to hear--thanks for taking time to comment. It is absolutely true that the little changes in procedure make a huge difference in results, so even though the Lahey recipe and mine seem similar the results aren't--and both are good. I really did try to provide info to assist newbie bakers--glad to hear that it was helpful to you, too.
Post a Comment