DefinitelyDressage.com

This is the Mark Bittman recipe from the NYT for no-knead bread.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

I have always been unconvinced that any bread recipe will work for me because a) I''m a crap baker and b) altitude - but I was convinced to try this, and it worked - spectacularly!

Notes: while I was making this I was still completely unconvinced - the dough was so wet that it was like working with porridge, or slime mould - so the second rise I put a glug of olive oil in the bowl and swilled the dough around, left it for 10 minutes and then poured it onto a monumentally well dusted worktop where I prodded it into a ball shape a couple of times.... it didn't hold the shape at all.... imagine a balloon half filled with water squishing about..... and unconvinced, edged it back into the bowl to rise for 2 hours. I poured it into the hot casserole dish and again thought that it was a waste of time and energy but in for a penny in for a pound, might as well bake it anyway. Lo and Behold! Amazing bread.

Except for just one thing... it doesn't actually taste of anything. Is this the flour? I just used generic strong white. I can probably up the salt a bit, but I know you can't go too far with the salt or you won't get the rise. What say you, bakers?

You could try adding some herbs...I like to put in some rosemary and thyme. I've also added cheddar cheese and jalapenos as well...yum!!

bascar wrote:Except for just one thing... it doesn't actually taste of anything. Is this the flour? I just used generic strong white. I can probably up the salt a bit, but I know you can't go too far with the salt or you won't get the rise. What say you, bakers?

IMO, and bascar, you don't say your altitude, but it could be that the yeast is rising too fast to really develop that lovely yeasty flavor.

Maybe (and no, I haven't tried this), try the rise in the refrigerator to slow it down and let that yeasty flavor develop. IMO, worth a shot

bascar wrote:
Except for just one thing... it doesn't actually taste of anything. Is this the flour? I just used generic strong white. I can probably up the salt a bit, but I know you can't go too far with the salt or you won't get the rise. What say you, bakers?

The flavor is what I like best about the no-knead bread, so maybe let it rise for longer before baking? I've left the dough in the fridge for days before baking, although if I leave it for too long it does develop an unpleasant sour flavor. But maybe try a double recipe and then leave half of it in the fridge for 24 hours and the other half for longer to see if that helps the flavor?

I know that the longer, slower my bread rises, the better it tastes. With a regular kneaded bread I will punch it down more that once to keep the yeast working longer . When time allows, I put it to rise overnight on the counter for the 1st rise, then in the oven the next morning with only the light on for warmth for the 2nd rise . That makes good bread. The best loaves I ever made were risen in my closed up car on a warm day while I was giving lessons, punched down, then baked that night.

martha sc wrote:I know that the longer, slower my bread rises, the better it tastes. With a regular kneaded bread I will punch it down more that once to keep the yeast working longer . When time allows, I put it to rise overnight on the counter for the 1st rise, then in the oven the next morning with only the light on for warmth for the 2nd rise . That makes good bread. The best loaves I ever made were risen in my closed up car on a warm day while I was giving lessons, punched down, then baked that night.

I've somehow managed to "over-rise" bread and then haven't been able to revive it, so haven't been letting mine rise on the counter overnight But now that I think of it, as long as I didn't start with too much yeast, rising at room temp shouldn't be a problem and would save me trying to find enough space in the fridge.

Does anyone keep a sourdough starter?

I got inspired by all the types of flour available now, and started one today with 50% rye flour. Bought some Einkorn flour as well, but I'm saving that for the actual bake, rather than feeding the starter.

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/7-easy-s ... r-scratch/