The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Anyone still baking Jim Lahey's No-Knead bread?

Grant Bakes's picture
Grant Bakes

Anyone still baking Jim Lahey's No-Knead bread?

I know this bread has been popular for a while and can seem a little bit too simple to artisan home bakers, but I was making a tutorial video the other day for Jim Lahey's no-knead bread and it tasted AMAZING. Honestly it tasted almost as good as some sourdough loaves that I make, and it was made with just AP flour, nothing else. The great taste probably came from the long fermentation time, but I was honestly surprised at how great it tasted considering it is "just a yeasted bread." (Sourdough superiority! haha)

I would love to know if anyone makes this bread regularly, and if so, what variations and spins you put on the recipe. (i.e. using a percentage of whole grain, adding oil or add-ins, etc.) Let me know if anyone does this!

The recipe I followed was straight from Jim Lahey's 2006 New York Times video:

  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1.5 cups Water
  • 1.25 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Instant Yeast

My video tutorial is below if anyone is interested in following along.

 

 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Yes, this guy just posted about his bake with Lahey's formula, www.thefreshloaf.com/node/64628/i-hope-my-bread-ok

I'm a fan of Steve Gamelin for turning me on to no-knead bread. He got me out of the bread machine. His method is close to Lahey's

www.youtube.com/user/artisanbreadwithstev/videos

Grant Bakes's picture
Grant Bakes

Thanks for sharing this! There are really so many no-knead methods, it's a great way to get away from the bread machine. I've been having luck lately with a no-knead sourdough too, it really takes so much work out of it but produces great bread. 

Colin2's picture
Colin2

If I could make a gentle suggestion, with all of these processes crumb and loaf shape might be improved with just a few stretch-and-folds in the first few hours of bulk ferment.

ciabatta's picture
ciabatta

every time i read about no-knead bread, I think the same thing... just get in a few stretch and folds and a simple slash or two across the top... it's minimal effort with big returns.