Crispy Chewy No Knead Bread Recipe

Crispy, salty, and chewy. I’m like a moth to a flame when I see a beautiful, crusty, chewy bread boule hanging out at a bakery. I need to be able to make it at home so I can enjoy it more often than my trips to the bakery. This recipe is so easy, it’s perfect for any beginning baker and so delicious, it will quickly become a favorite.

Almost Too Easy

I’ve tried tons of bread recipes using all kinds of fancy ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s so simple. Just four ingredients yet tastes like a masterpiece.

It calls for flour, salt, yeast, and water. That’s it. If you’d like to get extra fancy, you can substitute some of the flour for gluten for en even chewier texture inside.

So Versatile

Crusty, yet chewy crust and a bubbly, chewy inside. It’s versatile enough to be shaped into bread boules for soup in a bread boule, breadsticks, pizza crust, sandwich slices, and more.

Don’t let the no-kneading turn you away. Apparently, bread can be made without kneading and still turn out delicious (in fact, even better than the traditional method)!

No Knead Artisan Bread Recipe

6 1/2 C Flour, plus extra for dusting
1 1/2 T Yeast
1 1 /2 T Salt
3 C Very Warm Water

***If you like an even chewier crust, you can decrease the flour amount to 5 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup of gluten.***

Directions:

In a large food grade container like this from Rubbermaid, combine the first three ingredients. Heat water to about 100 degrees and stir into the dry ingredients with a large wooden spoon or a Danish Dough Whisk. Stir just until combined. Cover dough with lid and vent one side to make sure the container is not air tight.

Let dough rise on the counter for 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes while sitting on a heating pad on low heat.

At this point, dough can be portioned for rising. If you’re not using the dough right away, place the container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

When you’re ready to bake, prepare a baking tray with parchment paper. The dough will be wet so be sure to dust your hands with flour and grab a piece of dough about the size of a grapefruit. Gently tuck the ends under and place on parchment paper. Try no to handle the dough too much as it will become tough.

Let rise for 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pour 2-3 cups of water into the roasting pan. Make horizontal, shallow (1/4″) slices across the top of the dough. Bake dough for 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown. You’ll be able to “knock” on the dough when it’s ready. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.