Easy No Knead Sourdough Bread Recipes

EASY NO-KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, 537g water, and sourdough starter and mix with wet hands until no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes in autolyse.
• (9:30 a.m.)Add the salt to the top of the dough and pour on the remaining 43g of water to help dissolve. Mix by hand until the salt is incorporated and the dough comes together in a single mass. Transfer to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
• (9:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.)At a warm room temperature, around 74-76°F (23-24°C), bulk should take about 3 1/2 hours. Give the dough four sets of stretches and folds during this time. The first two sets are at 15-minute intervals (10:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.) and the last two at 30-minute intervals (10:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.). Perform vigorous stretches and folds, as seen below, for the first 3 sets, then a gentle set for the last set. After the last set, let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation, covered.
• (1:15 p.m.)Gently scrape the dough out of the bulk fermentation container and divide it into two pieces. Using wet hands, preshape each piece into a loose round and let rest for 30 minutes, uncovered.
• (1:45 p.m.)Shape each piece of dough into a round (boule), then place the dough in proofing baskets.
• (2:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., the next day)Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic and seal shut. Then, place both baskets into the refrigerator and proof overnight.
• (9:00 a.m., the next day)Preheat your oven with a baking surface or combo cooker/Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C).

SIMPLE NO-KNEAD SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Before making the dough, be sure to feed your sourdough starter (perhaps twice) and allow it to reach peak activity level.
• Make an autolyse by combining the flour and almost all of the water in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let it sit covered at room temperature (70-75 degrees is optimal) for about an hour.
• After the autolyse has rested, mix in the called-for active sourdough starter, salt, and remaining water until thoroughly combined. Mixing with your hands is normal and acceptable.
• Optional: Lift the dough ball (which may be quite loose) out of bowl and on a clean counter use the "slap and fold" technique to tighten the dough.
• Once finished, put the dough back in the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or similar. This begins the "bulk fermentation" time.
• After 30 minutes, start the first round of "stretch and fold" - gently lifting up on one side of the dough and folding it back over itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and continue to stretch and fold the dough until it is taught and resists pulling. Avoid tearing the dough. Use wet hands to prevent sticking. Cover the bowl again, and let sit.
• Repeat the stretch and fold process every 30 minutes for a total of 3 or 4 rounds.
• After about 4 hours of bulk fermentation at room temperature, stretch and fold the dough one final time to help it tighten up.
• Next, set the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape the loaf into a similar shape as your banneton (proofing basket - e.g. a round loaf, or long oval loaf). Let the dough "bench rest" for a final 10 minutes.
• After the final bench rest, place the dough in a flour-dusted (and potentially cloth-lined) banneton proofing basket of choice. Cover with a breathable towel, and place in the refrigerator to proof for 8 to 16 hours. We usually do this overnight.
• After cold-proofing in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 475 to 500 degrees F. (Experiment to see what temperature works best for your oven). If you're using a dutch oven or combo cooker, place it in the oven to preheat for one hour.
• After an hour of preheating, quickly and carefully transfer the cold dough (straight from the fridge) out of the banneton and into the hot combo cooker or dutch oven. Line the combo cooker or dutch oven with parchment paper first. Score the top of the loaf with a bread lame if desired. (See Note 1 below)
• Bake the loaf covered for 35 minutes, and then remove the lid and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes uncovered. (See Note 2 and Note 3 below)
• Once done, immediately remove the finished sourdough loaf from the oven and combo cooker and place the loaf on a wire rack to cool.
• Let the sourdough bread loaf sit at room temperature for several hours before cutting. The steam trapped inside is important moisture to retain!
• Enjoy!

SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE (DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS)

Steps:

• Twelve hours before mixing your dough, feed your sourdough starter, leaving it out on the counter making sure it doubles in size within 6 hours. (See notes for extra sour). OR, if you keep your starter in the fridge and fed it in the last 7 days- it is OK to use it straight from the jar, cold, without feeding. Best to use starter after it peaks, when it is "hungry".
• PLEASE use a kitchen scale if this is your first loaf. Weigh the flour in a medium bowl (***zero-ing out the weight of the bowl). Then add salt, spices, seeds. Mix starter and water in a small bowl until cloudy and well mixed. Pour the starter-water into flour incorporating all the flour using a fork or wood spoon. It should be a thick, shaggy, heavy, sticky dough. See video. Mix for about 1-2 minutes using the wood spoon- it will be hard to mix. Don't worry about tidy dough here, just get the flour all mixed in and cover with a wet kitchen towel and let rest 15 minutes. It will loosen up as it rests. (Alternatively, mix starter and water in the bowl first, then add the salt and flour-like in my 3rd video- either way works.)
• (See the 1st video in post) With one wet hand (put a bowl of water next to you) pull the dough from one side and stretch it upward, then fold it up and over to the center of the dough. Quarter turn the bowl and repeat, stretching up and folding it over the middle, repeat for about 30 seconds or until the dough gets firm and resists. This helps strengthen the gluten. Cover, rest, and repeat the process 15 minutes later. With wet fingers, stretch up and fold over, turning, repeating, for 30 seconds until the dough gets firm and resists. Then turn the dough over in the bowl. Yes, you could do this a couple more times if you would like to build the gluten, but not imperative. ????
• Proof overnight, at room temp. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, wax wrap, or a damp kitchen towel (to keep the moisture in) and place it on your kitchen counter for 8-12 hours. (see notes on temperature) 68-70F is the ideal temp. (If it is warmer, check at 6-8 hours. If it is very cold, it may take up to 18 hours in winter.)
• Check the dough in the morning. The dough should have expanded, with a slight springy dome to the top. It won't necessarily double in size ( maybe 1.5 -1.75 times bigger) but will have expanded. Do the POKE TEST: With a floured finger, poke into the dough. If it indents easily and mostly springs back to its original shape, it has probably risen enough. If it feels firm or very hard to indent, let it rise longer. If it feels loose, runny, or indents too easily or doesn't spring back, it is most likely over-proofed (bake it anyways).
• Line a high-sided bowl with parchment. This brand of parchment does not stick to the bread- but if you are unsure about yours, spray oil your parchment lightly before putting the dough in it. (If you are a seasoned bread baker, you do not actually need parchment -this is only for easier transport only, bread will not stick to the inside of a dutch oven.) I like using a high-sided medium-sized bowl versus a flat or shallow bowl to help shore up the sides. You can also use a rice-floured Banneton (bread proofing basket) if you have one.
• (Watch 2nd video -Stretch and Shape video). Loosen the dough from the all edges of a bowl with using your wet fingers, a wet spatula or wet plastic dough scraper, sliding down the sides of the bowl. With both wet hands, carefully pull the dough straight up, in the middle and lift it, stretching straight up in the air- about 1-2 feet (see photo) and place it back down, gently folding it on top of itself. In this first stretch, the dough may feel quite loose and runny. This is OK. It should firm up as it stretches and folds. (Note: If your dough breaks here, it is probably over-proofed, bake it anyways. If your dough won't stretch like the photo and feels too tight or firm, it needs to proof longer). After the first stretch, give the bowl a quarter turn, wait 30-60 seconds, wet your hands again and stretch it up high again, folding over itself in the bowl. Wait 30-60 seconds. (You could repeat this one more time, 15 minutes later). Then, the third time you lift and stretch, you will lift it all the way into your parchment-lined bowl, folding over itself like you've been doing. (Alternatively, lift it into your floured proofing basket seam side up. ( If seam up, pinch the seam closed). Sprinkle top with seeds and flour (get the sides too) gently rubbing it to even coat -and add seeds if you like. If using a banneton, sprinkle the seeds in the banneton before adding the dough.
• and PREHEAT OVEN: Place the bowl in the refrigerator for one hour uncovered which will firm up the bread, and make scoring easier and help boost "oven spring". It won't rise in the fridge. (You could also keep it in the fridge for 3-4 hours if you want to bake later.) Preheat the oven (for 1 FULL hour) to 500F with your dutch oven inside and lid on (see notes). If you have convection- use it. You can also bake the bread at 45oF or 475F. You want your oven as hot so don't skimp on the preheat. I usually preheat for 1 full hour.
• When ready to bake, place dough by the stove. Pull out the dutch oven, close the oven, remove lid. Score the bread in the bowl, using a very sharp knife, lame, razor blade, (or try scissors dipped in cold water), score the dough swiftly and deeply, at a 45-degree angle, 3/4- 1-inch deep. One deep slash is just fine. Or criss-cross, or crescent shape. (Or feel free to add other designs, for ideas -google "scoring bread"). You want to score where you want the dough to puff out from. You can also cut with wet kitchen scissors. Carefully lift the parchment by the corners and place both bread and parchment directly into the dutch oven. Cover quickly. It is OK if parchment peaks out. You want to score and transfer as quickly as possible. (Alternately, if using a proofing basket, cover the basket with parchment, carefully flip the dough into the parchment in the palm of your hand and then center the parchment and dough into your dutch oven, then score).
• . Place dutch oven in the middle of the 500F oven for 20 mins with convection on, 25 minutes w/no convection (or 28 minutes at 450F). Remove lid. It should be puffed and just lightly golden and internal temp close to 200F (if not, put lid back on for a few more minutes). Lower heat to 450 F, continue baking 10-15 minutes until deeply golden and internal temp reaches 204- 208F. No pale loaves please, let them get golden! (For a less "crusty" loaf, increase covered baking time, lower uncovered baking time. You can play with this for desired results.)
• It will smell heavenly. Remove from the dutch oven, let it cool 1 hour on a rack or tilted up on its side, before slicing so you don't let the steam out and don't smash it- be patient. This is the hardest part. ????. Take a picture! Feel proud. You did it!
• This type of bread is always BEST, served toasted! Then lather it with butter, ghee or olive oil. Add mashed avocado and salted tomatoes, almond butter, honey or jam. A piece of toast can turn into a great meal. See this Mushroom Toast!
• Store the bread wrapped in a kitchen towel for the first day or two to keep the crust nice and crispy, then move it to a zip lock bag to keep it moist for longer. Bread can also be sliced and frozen. Make sourdough croutons with leftover bread- great in salads and soups!