Almost No Knead Bread

You have to make this bread. This week. You will not be completely happy until you do. America's Test Kitchen has done it again, giving such fantastic results. It's so easy the only problem I have is remembering to start the dough the night before to give it its proper amount of rest time. Next time I make it I will make two loaves -it gets eaten too quickly. My four year old tonight at dinner told me, "Mom, every time you make this bread I say, mmmmm breeeaaaaad". He and my two year old love it. I especially love it for breakfast the next morning. We eat this crusty bread at most family get togethers and I have to thank my Mom for trying the recipe first and sharing her results. 

**Here's a helpful hint: I buy one can of beer and measure 1/4 cup amounts into ziploc bags and freeze them. Then, when I make bread I pull out a bag and add the other wet ingredients to the frozen bag to thaw it, then add it all to the flour mixture. I think one large can gave me 20 portions of lager. That's a lot of bread! 

Almost No Knead Bread

America's Test Kitchen

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp yeast

1-1.5 tsp salt

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs water

1/4 cup mild lager, or water

1 Tbs white vinegar 

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Be sure to incorporate all flour. Knead a few times to form a ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature 12-18hrs. 

Knead a few times and form into a loaf. Line bowl with a parchment paper and place dough on paper. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and rise at room temperature 1-2 hours. 

With 30-40 minutes left of rising time, place a large oven safe pot with lid on the middle rack in the oven and Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let the pot sit in there and heat up 30 minutes. 

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees.

Slice 1 or 2 shallow slashes on top of dough with a serrated knife. 

Pick up parchment paper carrying loaf to the preheated pot. Cover with lid and bake 20 minutes. 

Remove lid and bake 20 minutes more. 

Loaf should be beautiful dark golden brown.

Remove from pot, let it cool on a rack. 

Devour.