Monday, February 2, 2009

No-knead bread?

How about no-rise bread? Why, oh why am I such a failure as a bread baker?

I followed the Bittman recipe, but my no-knead break looks like a brick, not a lofty loaf. Grrr! Should I just give up? Keep practicing until I get it right? Anybody have similar flour phobia? 

4 comments:

mamster said...

Was your yeast old? That's the most likely cause.

David Hinske said...

Oh no - I can't believe this didn't work for you. I've been baking bread for over thirty years and this is the best bread I've ever made. Did one a few days ago with herbs de provence and a handful of parmesan that we're wolfing down with tomato soup one night and beef stew the next.

I think mamster is probably right about the yeast. I use a little under a half teaspoon as my jar has been open a while. Yep, you have to know your yeast.

So, what's going on at the paper? Inquiring minds and all that...

David Hinske said...

I see you are using a slightly different no-knead recipe. This is the one I'm using and has worked without fail. I use the pot that comes out of my crock pot and a metal lid. Also, I let the dough do its thing for about twenty hours. Also, I flour a wooden cutting board instead of flouring up two towels.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

Frank!!! said...

Oh yeah, I don't like the "fast" no knead recipe. I stick to the original (or the one Alton Brown used)

Also like David, I also like to let mine go longer than the original recipe calls for (it might be because I keep my house colder than most)

Other than that unless you have some crazy water or dead yeasts

Also, I guess you could maybe measure by weight instead of volume to ensure the proper ratios.