The easiest bread you'll ever make

[Cliche Guevara]

It does take a wee bit of time, but you hardly have to work hard making it.

When Zoe first tried it she exclaimed that it was the third best thing that had ever happened to her, it's just that good. (First best thing is "McFlurries" and 2nd best thing is Kebabs - hey, you can't complete with McFlurries or Kebabs, no point in even trying!)

So anyway, here's how it's done:

YouTube - How to Make No-Knead Ciabatta...

How frikkin' easy is that?! (And it's even easier for me, 'cos I just shape it straight in the pan rather than on the water sprayed clingfilm, and leave it for a couple of hours before baking. Deelish!)

[Fencesitter]

Looks great.

How does it taste? I picked up a book on no-knead bread from the library a long while ago. I seem to recall it saying that all the no-knead breads have a sourdough taste to them because of the method. Does this have a sour taste?

[Cliche Guevara]

It does indeed have a sour dough taste, but without all the mucking around you must do for "proper" sourdough. It tastes delicious - has great texture, lovely crust, better than store bought fo'shur.

Despite the time it takes to make from go to whoa, the energy expended in making it adds up to about 1 minute of light fluffing about.

Never again will I believe that good things must be worked hard for, 'cos this proves that point of view is not entirely true.

[LadyShea]

It's the long fermentation that gives it the sourdough taste. Basically this recipe you are fermenting all of it instead of a starter that you add stuff to later. Looks yummeh

[Sophia]

Looks yummy. I'm sure you'll be pleased should I make good use of this info, right, Cliche?

[livius drusus]

No-knead bread is now my default homemade bread because it's just so damn easy. Check out ms_ann_thrope's awesome report on her first attempt in this thread.

[Sonoma Bear]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

No-knead bread is now my default homemade bread because it's just so damn easy. Check out ms_ann_thrope's awesome report on her first attempt in this thread.

OMG that looks good! I do love Ciabatta - looks like a bread baking project is forthcoming here in the Bear Lair™.

[livius drusus]

Which you will extensively document for our vicarious pleasure, right?

[Sonoma Bear]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Which you will extensively document for our vicarious pleasure, right?

You just want to see us up to our elbows in dough.

[livius drusus]

No! Because you won't be kneading! There's no need to knead! Get it? GET IT?!

[Sonoma Bear]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

No! Because you won't be kneading! There's no need to knead! Get it? GET IT?!

Well, at least we won't be considered kneady...

[Cliche Guevara]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

No-knead bread is now my default homemade bread because it's just so damn easy. Check out ms_ann_thrope's awesome report on her first attempt in this thread.

Oooh, I never did make the bread in that thread - no pot!

But yup, pretty much the same delicious, flawless bread. You can't go wrong.

(ms_ann_thrope's turned out beeeewdefull! )

[LadyShea]

Kneading is the best part of bread making, y'all are lazy

[Sonoma Bear]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Kneading is the best part of bread making, y'all are lazy

It's good therapy, but I prefer to have my KitchenAid do my therapy for me.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Sonoma Bear

It's good therapy, but I prefer to have my KitchenAid do my therapy for me.

Odd pet name, but I assume mulebear is OK with it.

[LadyShea]

I have a lot of probably weird ideas about bread baking (being a part of the long chain of humanity and shit like that), and I find it relaxing. I am kind of a stressball, so the kneading is part of it for me.

[Sonoma Bear]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

I have a lot of probably weird ideas about bread baking (being a part of the long chain of humanity and shit like that), and I find it relaxing. I am kind of a stressball, so the kneading is part of it for me.

I do know what you mean - there's something about the velvet consistency when a good pizza dough or biscuit dough comes together that is very satisfying. However, there are a few things I prefer to do via machine, like Naan.

[livius drusus]

I do know what you mean, Shea. I find kneading meditative, and I have great associations because I learned to make bread from my dad when I was 10 or so. The first food I ever made on my own was pizza dough, although my father finished the kneading once it got to that stage of being very solid and heavy but not quite silken.

I love the rhythm of it too. It fulfills my insatiable need to rock back and forth like a metronome when I'm standing.

[Cliche Guevara]

I've never kneaded bread dough. Except maybe once back in middle school or something.

[LadyShea]

You should try it, P. It's all very close to spiritual for me, (yes yes weird). Like my labor is creating nourishing food for my family, and I am doing stuff that people have done since they figured out how to grind grain into flour, and there is a transformation happening right under my hands

It's Zen or something

[Sophia]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Which you will extensively document for our vicarious pleasure, right?

Maybe. Probably a thousand youtube vids based on little or no more than exactly that idea.

I like the meditative aspect you mention.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Cliche Guevara

I've never kneaded bread dough. Except maybe once back in middle school or something.

I second Shea. You should definitely try it. Then just go back to the method in the OP.

[Cliche Guevara]

I'm a bit kitchen lazy - srsly, it's not my fave place to be, most of the time - except for when I'm in a rare domestic goddess mood, then I rock.

Got any good recipes for pizza dough? Is that what I should start with? ...and go easy on me with the level of difficulty, eh. It's summertime here and indoor cooking sucks.

[Sonoma Bear]

This is our basic pizza dough - hope it works well for you. We also have recipes for a freezable, cracker-like pizza dough.

Pizza Dough #4

2/3 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or olive oil
additional flour, as necessary

In 2/3 warm water add a package of active dry yeast and 1tsp sugar. let it sit for about 10 minutes until it gets foamy.

In a food processor or KitchenAid sift 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp of salt add the yeast mixture thorough the feed tube and add 2 tsp of oil let the dough mix until it forms a ball, it should not be too sticky to the touch ...if so add flour until it does not stick to your fingers.
remove and roll in flour and let stand at least an hour before making the pizza, it may rise and need to be pounded down and formed into a ball a couple of times, roll in flour as necessary as it will become sticky again.

When it's time to make the Pizza, form into a greased cookie sheet, pizza pan, or pizza stone (we use a large cast iron griddle)

Add sauce to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown and the cheese bubbles

Bear Notes: We usually do a slight pre-bake (3-4 minutes) before putting on the sauce and toppings, finding that this makes for a loftier crust, which we like. This recipe came from an acquaintance on another forum and is our "go to" recipe for basic pizza dough.

[Cliche Guevara]

Thank you! That is being sent to the printer, as we speak.