Fast No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread
Fast No Knead Whole Wheat Bread
Originally uploaded by jalapenocheese
28/365
my first loaf of bread, ever! i did this only because the recipe didn't require elbow grease! we spend about $4.00 for a loaf of bread every week (feel free to do the math!) and making our own bread should work out cheaper. it's also a lot healthier as it's 100% whole wheat (no high GI white flour here!) and doesn't have many extra ingredients to prolong its shelf life. the smell of freshly baked bread is really intoxicating!
the only downside is making sure the room temperature is warm enough to make bread. i doubt if i could make this during winter (bugger!) unless i find a way to rest the dough in the oven at very low temperatures. but anyhow, i'm going to make this bread again, hopefully during weekends so i don't have to muck around my sleeping routine just to make bread! (long story.)
Fast No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread from Mark Bittman
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Oil as needed.
1. Combine flours, cornmeal, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Oil a standard loaf pan (8 or 9 inches by 4 inches; nonstick works well). Lightly oil your hands and shape dough into a rough rectangle. Put it in pan, pressing it out to the edges. Brush top with a little more oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour more.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread about 45 minutes, or until loaf reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees. Remove bread from pan and cool on a rack.
Fast No Knead Whole Wheat Bread
Originally uploaded by jalapenocheese
it was quite dense and heavy. it didn't rise like normal white bread or commercial whole wheat bread (which usually has added white flour to make it rise) and was a bit dry too, but i didn't care. i thought it was great bread!
now that my Kitchenaid is due to arrive in the next few days (woohoo!), having received my Peter Reinhart "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" book and another Peter Reinhart book waiting to be collected from the library, i think i have more than enough reasons to make my own artisanal breads! :)