From My New Book
Kneadlessly Simple:
Fabulous, Fuss-free, No-knead Breads
Oats always seem to have a comforting, low-key flavor, and this bread does, too. The straightforward, easy recipe can be made with either honey or molasses and produces two homey, nice-to-have-on-hand loaves. (I always stash one in the freezer for later use.) Attractively flecked with bits of oats, the loaves are slightly soft and make excellent toast and sandwich bread. Dajana, who recently made this bread and said it helped her yeast baking fear, posted some great step-by-step pics of it on her Baker's Corner website here. Or see videos of Kneadlessly Simple bread making here or here. Or take a look at a whole gallery of breads in the book--from sticky buns, to seeded breads, to rustic whole grain breads here.
If you're looking for my Crusty White Pot Boule (it's my own improved version of the one first published in the NY Times), click here. Or try another crusty, artisan-style loaf from Kneadlessly Simple, my rustic Crusty Seeded Pale Ale Boule here .
5 1/2 cups (27.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour or white bread flour, plus more as needed
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick cooking (not instant) oats, plus 4 tablespoons for garnish
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Scant 2 3/4 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
1/4 cup clover honey or light (mild) molasses
1/4 cup corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil, plus extra for coating dough tops and baking pans
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
First rise: In a very large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and yeast. In a large measuring cup, thoroughly whisk the honey and oil into the water. Thoroughly stir the mixture into the bowl, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, stir in just enough more water to blend the ingredients; don’t over-moisten, as the dough should be slightly stiff. Brush or spray the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3-10 hours; this is optional. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12-18 hours.
Second rise: Vigorously stir the dough. If necessary, stir in enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir consistency. Generously oil two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle a tablespoon of oats in each; tip the pans back and forth to spread the oats over the bottom and sides. Use well oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife to cut the dough into 2 equal portions. Put the portions in the pans. Brush or spray the tops with oil. Press and smooth the dough evenly into the pans with an oiled rubber spatula or fingertips. Sprinkle a tablespoon of oats over each loaf; press down to imbed. Make a 1/2-inch deep slash lengthwise down the center of each loaf using oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife. Tightly cover the pans with nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.
Let rise using any of these methods: for a 2- to 3-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 45-minute to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough extends 1/2 inch above the pan rims.
Baking: 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375 degree F.Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 60 minutes, until the tops are well-browned. Cover the tops with foil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom portion (or until the center registers 208 to 210 degree F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 minutes longer to be sure the centers are done. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out the loaves onto racks and cool thoroughly.
Yield: 2 medium loaves, about 12 slices each
17 comments:
Most no-knead breads I've seen are boules. I like that this is a loaf pan. And I love the chewy texture oats give to bread. I will have to try this. Have you ever used white whole wheat flour for this particular recipe?
You're right--many of the no-knead bread recipes in circulation are made into boules, but the no-knead method also works great with loaf pans. I have many such recipes in my Kneadlessly Simple book. In fact, many of my recipe go straight from the rising bowl into the loaf pan. They are just stirred down, then plopped into the pan and smoothed out a little on top. Yet they look very nice (and due to the long, cold rise taste exceptionally good!).
I have substituted 1 cup of white whole wheat for part of the white flour in the recipe. I think the loaf might be overly dense if all whole wheat were used, so don't recommend that, though
Thanks for the tip on the whole wheat flour. I'm not a big fan of dense bread. Guess who's making a stop at the library today to pick up Kneadlessly Simple? :o)
I've recently learned that you can add fiber to bread easily, without making it heavy and dense, by using wheat bran. I like wheat bran; it's much more light-weight than whole wheat flour. Have you ever played with that?
Another good way to add whole grain and fiber is to partially chop some bulgur wheat, or cracked wheat or flax seed in a processor. Soften by letting it stand a while in some boiling water, then let drain and cool well and add in when the water is added.
Great idea, Nancy. I have used flax seeds in bread before but never thought of using bulgur or cracked wheat that way. Thanks!
Nancy, this looks great. i must give it a try. thanks for posting.
I just made this bread! I thought it was really easy, and it tasted great, too. I am a new baker (and new to blogging). I've never baked bread before and thought your book could make it easy. It has! My husband and I enjoyed this bread very much. I will be making it again. Thanks for the Kneadlessly Simple method. For a beginning baker like me, it has been easy and fun.
Great to hear you like the bread and the method--appreciate your taking time to tell me. Don't forget to spread the word all your friends! And don't forget to try the crusty bread from the book, too. It's totally different, yet also quite easy and gratifying.
I've just baked this bread. The smell while it was baking was fantastic, it's soft and fragrant. It just took me much less to bake (after 35 minutes the skewer came out completely clean, and I just proceeded baking it for 10 min. covered).
I'd love to blog about it too, with your permission, linking to your recipe, of course, because I really think others should find out about it. I'd also love to buy your book.
Thanks for your feedback. Delighted that the recipe turned out so well. It is always interesting to hear how different ovens perform--some seem to bake things faster than normal, others, slower. Which is why I always suggest other ways to check for doneness.
Please feel free to blog about the recipe and to link to it. And of course I'd be thrilled for you to buy the book. You'll notice a link right on my home page that takes you to the ordering page on Amazon.com. I have found their service to be very good.
I bought your book on a recommendation from a friend. I had decided to work my way through all the recipes. I made the basic white loaf, and then this oat bread... and stopped. Oh wow, this is the best bread I have ever eaten, let alone made!! But then I ran out of oats and I have the caraway beer bread in the fridge, now. Yea for no knead!!
Heather thanks for stopping by and posting. Always delighted to hear when folks are happy with my recipes. Happy Baking!
Do you have nutritional info to go with your recipes? Just made the oat bread and loved it, so did my four kids!
Have you ever made these into rolls? If so do I just put them in muffin tins?
No, I haven't made them into rolls. I would think that would work just fine though. Do let me know if you try it--others might like to know, too.
I made them into rolls. I put them in my cast iron skillet and made pull apart rolls. It worked great!
Thanks for this Nancy, I really thought it had great texture and the flavor really good for a no-knead bread. It was not gummy like most of the no-kneads I have tried. Have you tried to retard it longer than 10 hours in the fridge? I like my bread on the sour side. I will make this regularly because it makes great toast(me)and is a nice sandwich bread (my Husband)and it works great with my schedule. Mine was ready at around 45 mins.
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