No Knead Bread – QUICK and EASY

Golden crust on the outside and soft on the inside, this QUICK and EASY No Knead YEAST bread had become my go-to bread. You don’t need a stand mixer, and unlike most recipes, this bread comes together very quickly. NO 12 Hours, just 2 hours of resting and 45 minutes of baking time. And as the name says, it calls for no kneading at all.

What is No-Knead Bread?

No-Knead Bread is an easy Artisan Bread recipe where you don’t knead the dough at all. The gluten gets formed on its own. The trick is in the texture of the dough. It’s sticky, and it gets messy, but it’s this loose texture that helps the gluten to form on its own.

It’s the most effortless bread you can bake at home!

Most No- Knead bread calls for 12 to 18 hours of slow raising the dough. BUT this recipe calls for JUST 2 HOURS of resting the dough to rise.

I keep it in the oven (switch off) with the light on and it just 2 hours, the dough doubles in volume, becoming pillowy and airy.

UPDATE: Over the period of time, I have learned to perfect the texture of the bread. So instead of just letting the dough wait for 2 hours, give it a folding every 30 minutes. 

How to fold the dough? 

Wet your hands, gather a portion of the dough from one edge and stretch the dough upward, then fold it on the other side. Now rotate the bowl 180 degree, stretch and fold the same way. (Keep in mind that the dough will not be stretchy at the first fold, but gets better after the second time).

Next, rotate the bowl 90 degree and follow the same stretch and fold. Finally, rotate to 180 for the last stretch and fold of the dough.

Do this for 4 times, and you will realize that the dough has gained strength and it will become much better to handle and shape the sticky dough.

How to prepare this QUICK No-Knead Bread?

Start by activating the yeast. (See notes below on how to activate the yeast). Then in a big bowl (it should be big enough, so there is space for the dough to rise), add flour, salt, oil and the yeast water.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, give it a mix. It will be sticky dough.

It’s easy to handle sticky dough if you wet your hand. So keep a bowl of water close by and wet your hand. You don’t have to knead, but gather try to give a few rough folds from all the sides. (Watch the video to better understand)

Cover the bowl and leave aside in a warm place for 2 hours. (I keep it in the switched off oven but with the lights on). During this 2 hours, do the stretch and fold technique I explained earlier.

After two hours, the dough should double in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 F and place the ovenproof Dutch pan (preferably) or any ovenproof pan in the oven to heat up. Place the dough on the hot pan and cover the pan. Bake for 30 minutes and uncovered for 20 minutes.

What kind of yeast is used in this No- Knead Bread?

I always use active dry yeast. Instead of adding the yeast directly to the flour, I activate it at first in warm water with sugar. This is the brand I always use.

Key steps to activate the yeast!

The temperature of the warm water should be enough, so you can dip your finger comfortably. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Add sugar in the water along with yeast because Yeast needs sugar to produce carbon dioxide. It is the levering gas the cause the dough to rise.

Don’t try to dissolve the yeast in the water. Just give a quick mix and leave it aside for 5 to 7minutes.

If the yeast doesn’t activate discard and make again.

How long does homemade bread last?

 In my experience, homemade bread lasts for max 4 days. Heat and humidity cause the bread to mold. Make sure to store bread in an airtight plastic bad to keep it soft. You can use a bread box too.

Baking bread is extremely therapeutic for me, kneed or no-knead. This No-Knead bread is definitely my current favorite because it really needs no work at all.

If you never baked bread before then this No-Knead bread recipe you have to try.

Here are few more bread recipes to try:

Focaccia Bread with Tomato Rosemary Lemon

Flax And Oats Wheat Bread

Roasted Garlic and Cilantro Bread

No Knead Bread – QUICK and EASY

Kankana Saxena

Golden crust on the outside and soft on the inside, this QUICK and EASY No Knead bread had become my go-to bread. You don’t need a stand mixer, and unlike most recipes, this bread comes together very quickly. NO 12 Hours, just 2 hours of resting and 45 minutes of baking time. And as the name says, it calls for no kneading at all.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Additional Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 55 mins

Course Bread

Equipment

• Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast, The original active dry yeast, Equals 16 Envelopes, 4 oz Jar (Pack of 2)

Ingredients

 

• 1.5 cups luke warm water
• 1- teaspoon sugar
• 1- teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra to dust while shaping the dough)
• 1 and ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

 

• In a tall glass, pour the luke warm water with sugar and yeast. Give a mix and keep aside for the yeast to activate.
• In a big bowl add the flour, salt, oil and yeast water. Using the back of a wooden spoon give it mix to form sticky dough.
• Wet your hands with water and bring the dough together by folding the edges from all side. Repeat this a couple times then cover the bowl with a clear wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place. I prefer to place it in the switchoff oven with the lights on.
• In 2 hours the dough should rise and double in volume. During this 2 hours, stretch the fold the dough a couple times or every 30 minutes. This will gain strength and make the dough very easy to fold.
• The bread is best baked in a Dutch pan or any ovenproof casserole. Heat the pan as you preheat the oven to 450F.
• Sprinkle little flour on the kitchen counter or a big chopping board. Drop the sticky dough, sprinkle little more flour on top. Using a bench scrapper or your hands fold the edges a couple times. Try to form a
  rough round shape.
• Take a parchment paper and sprinkle little flour on top then carefully transfer the dough to the parchment paper.
• Place the parchment paper on the hot pan, cover the pan and bake it for 30 minutes.
• Then remove the lid, brush little milk (optional) and place it back in the oven without the lid. Bake the bread for 15 minutes or until it looks golden on top.
• Once done, lift the parchment paper and place it on a board.
  Let the bread cool completely before you slice it.

Video