No knead bread

I've got an addiction....bread baking, well mainly ciabatta for the past few weeks but today I'm venturing into unchartered territory, 5 minute bread or no knead bread. So yesterday I mixed the flour, salt, yeast and water together and today I'm baking it. I brought myself a camp oven to do it in, and even lashed out on some lovely German grainy flour....shame its not calorie free!! There should be a rule that home made shouldn't carry any calories don't you think!! 
This recipe if from a friend but is also the same as 5 minute bread I had read about here It is best to make this dough the afternoon or night before you need it.  I jumped out of bed and couldn't wait to get the oven fired up.

No knead bread
3 cups all purpose flour or grain flour
1/4 tspn dried yeast
1 tspn salt
1 1/2 cups of water

Mix the dry ingredients well with your fingers. I'm using Lauchke German Grain bread mix from Coles which has the salt added so be careful if using a bread mix not to double up the salt.  But I might look online for a good supplier of some organic grainy delights.  Add water, you may need more or less, but the end result should be sticky and moist. Mix with your hand until all ingredients are well incorporated.  This should take less than a minute. Cover the bowl with glad wrap and leave on the bench overnight to prove.  It will puff up and expand.  I kept checking mine, coaxing it along, I didn't want a failure!

This is before proving the dough

The next morning, with much anticipation, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead it until it is smooth and comes together into a tight ball with a smooth top and a folded bottom, should only take 1 minute, no more. Place onto a clean tea towel, just to help you carry it over to the oven. *NB since originally writing this, I no longer use the teatowel. All you really need to do is to flour the surface well and place the dough 'right side up' to go into the campoven once it has had the 15 minute heating up* Let it rest for at least 15 minutes during which time you can turn the oven on to 260c and put the camp oven in with the lid on.  There is no need to grease the camp oven. Once it is very hot, place a disc of baking paper in the bottom (you can re use this disc of baking paper for many more bakes, just leave it in the campoven) and pop your dough on top, smooth side up. Grab some scissors and snip the top into a cross or 5 long slits, or you could use a sharp knife. This will give you a nice rustic look.  Put lid back on and back into the oven for 30 minutes.  After the 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 200c, take the lid off and bake for a further 15-30 minutes, depending on your oven really.  Place onto wire rack and I dare you to leave it for an hour to cool down.  

Sorry this isn't the best quality photo

Nom nom nom

I was so thrilled with this loaf, I'm making a double batch again today. I really can't believe it is this easy and I am well and truly hooked.  This loaf size will feed 4 greedy guests for lunch with soup or as sandwiches. We had it for breakfast and I'm eyeing off another slice as I type.....



Do any of you make bread? I'm curious to know any flours you might use or different techniques you might have for an easy, rewarding loaf.

*One more note, I now make this as a double batch so 6 cups of flour, 1/2 a tspn of yeast and around 3-4 cups of water, depends on the flour and the day.  The main thing to remember when mixing is to incorporate the flour and yeast first, then add the water.  You are after a moist mix where all the flour is well mixed in with the water, double checking down the bottom of the bowl you are mixing in, that all the flour is mixed.  I'm still using the Lauchke bread mix, but have been buying the 5kg multigrain, so no need to add the salt as its already in the mix.  It never fails me and I love the texture and crusty crust.  This larger quantity comes out as a gorgeous much larger loaf that is better suited to making sandwiches and it lasts us for 2 days.

Ciao Jan x

*update - 27/04/15 I now have perfected my recipe and use half plain flour and half Laucke soy and linseed bread mix.  I double the original recipe to create a bigger loaf.  I haven't had one failure with this bread - I'd highly recommend you give it a try if you are new to bread baking.