The Easiest Bread Recipe

This no-knead bread is so simple. It takes quite a while to make (up to 24 hours), but you set it and forget it. You can find the recipe here. 

My first loaf, done in the dutch oven. 

When I work with a new recipe, I like to follow the directions (as mentioned in previous posts), this recipe was no different. I did my first loaf in a cast-iron dutch oven just like the recipe suggests. It produced a round loaf (obviously)--and truthfully was a little nerve wracking, just because of the extreme heat the cast-iron maintains. But, the result was amazing. The bread was extremely light. 

Last night, in the small hours of the night, I made two more loaves, with some changes. First, I added a cup of rye flour in substitution for a cup of flour (as suggested by Josh's mom). In the second loaf, I added some caraway seeds, and other spices. 

Caraway and various spices (left) and Rye Bread on right. 

This bread has unlimited possibilities, and is so inexpensive to make (after the initial purchase of various items.  I purchased Wheat Germ, Rye Flour, Wheat Bran and so forth as additives to the original recipe). But when you consider the original ingredients: 3 cups flour, a little salt, 1/4 tsp yeast, and water--you can't go wrong. Plus--bread freezes and defrosts really, really well. So, you can spend a little time mixing, go to bed, wake up and finish it off after work the next day. 

However, this is not a quick dinner fix. As mentioned, your bread will need at minimum 12 hours for the initial rising, plus an additional 2 hours and fifteen minutes for a second rising. The baking time will very. Upon suggestion from Josh's mom, I baked my loaves at 450 degrees for the first 30 minuts (with the lid, or foil covering it) and then turned it down to 425 degrees for the remaining time.