18-Hour Bread
Is there anything better than freshly baked homemade bread? Not in my books.
All you need to make this is 4 ingredients and a little patience. No previous bread-making experience required.
This is truly a miracle of time, a great example of the wonders of chemistry in action. Not only is it so satisfying to make your own bread, you end up with gorgeous loaf, that is free of any weird binders, gums, or preservatives.
People always hold the belief that baking bread is complicated task meant for experienced bakers only. It seems like a luxury for those who can afford to hang around their house all day waiting for bread to rise. While this bread does have a long rise time, it is a very hands off process. There is no kneading or shaping required. All you need is a good pot and a hot oven.
The dough before the rise.
After the 18-hour rise.
I have made this bread many times, and even in my crappy tiny apartment oven it always turns out beautifully every time. It is totally fool-proof.
For those of you who aren't science nerds like me I'll spare you the full chemistry breakdown, but essentially using the pot helps to create a beautiful crisp crust and an airy interior. Perfect for soups, toast, sandwiches, and dunking.
before
after
This method creates a very 'rustic' looking loaf, but I like that it's not fussy. It invites people to tear into it with their hands and has an overall casual vibe, but could also fit right in at a dinner party. It's not trying too hard.
This is an old recipe published in the New York Times that creates artisanal-quality bread without any fancy ingredients or equipment. I like to make mine using a mixture of white and whole wheat flour. My favorite to use is Red Fife flour, a Canadian heritage grain, as Red fife adds a nuttiness that gives the bread a more complex flavor. Plus, the addition of whole wheat increases the fibre and nutrient content. I have also tried using spelt flour and regular whole wheat flour with excellent results. Experiment yourself, and find a combination you like.
Bring this to your next potluck or dinner party and wow your friends by saying "I made it myself!"
18- Hour Bread
makes one 1 1/2 pound loaf
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or more all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
one 6-8 quart heavy covered pot. (cast iron, enamel, or ceramic)
1. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, yeast, and salt. Form a well in the centre and pour in the water. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rest for 18 hours. The ideal temperature is about 70 degrees. I often place mine in the oven (turned off of course), to avoid drafts.
3. After the 18 hours have passed, the dough should have risen and the surface should be bubbly. Flour a worksurface and scrape the dough onto it. Fold the dough over once or twice onto itself then cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
4. Lightly flour a kitchen towel. Shape the dough into a ball, and place seam-side down on top of the floured towel. Dust the top of the dough with more flour, cover with the other towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 2 hours. The dough should double in size.
5. A half hour before the dough is ready preheat the oven to 450 and place the empty pot with the lid on in the oven. When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven and swiftly flip the dough into it, seam-side up. Give the pot a shake to evenly distibute the dough, then put the top back on and return to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the top and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.*
6. Remove the loaf from the pot and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before cutting into it. This is important as the loaf will continue to cook after you have removed it from the oven.
*Notes
I find that my loaf is nicely coloured and cooked through after only 30-35 minutes in the oven, this could be due to the type of pot I use or my oven. Make sure to check your loaf after 30 minutes and adjust the time accordingly.