Farm Hack: Baking No-Knead Bread

Baking bread is one of the fundamentally appealing, kitchen-goddess skills that has been on my to-learn list for a long time.

Love the idea of baking your own bread but unconvinced about having to knead dough, not to mention plan ahead so you can let it sit for a while? This is the recipe for you, which I discovered thanks to Sophie Kempin back when we worked with her on Pure Portugal (yes, it deserves a shout out).

I call it a farm hack because baking bread is, to me, as quintessentially “homestead” material as is having chickens. Also, I live on a farm.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour (It can be self-raising or regular. If regular, just add 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder and 0.5 teaspoon of salt to compensate. Don’t hesitate to use half white half brown flower, to mix things up a bit.)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Optional flavoring: seeds, nuts, fruit, onion, tomato
• 1 pot single serve yoghurt
• Warm water (1-2 yoghurt pots)
• Salt

NOTE: Depending on the size of your baking tin, you may want to go ahead and double the recipe.

Instructions

Prep your baking tin by covering it in butter or olive oil. Set aside. Preheat the oven at cake baking temperatures (around 200 C, though our oven doesn’t have a heat dial so it’s just on hot).

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, adding in your choice of flavors and salt to taste (I always go a bit light on the salt, hence the lack of an amount mentioned). I love adding sunflower and pumpkin seeds into the mix, but will be experimenting with other variations over time – and I’d love to hear your take on this if you find combinations that work particularly well (or not at all).

Add the yogurt. Mix well, with your hands.

When adding the water, do it little by little as this is your secret weapon: add a bit less if the dough feels moist, or a bit more if it is too dry. You want the dough to stick well together but not too much over your hands and the bowl you’re using. Add some flour if you’ve made it too wet, to balance things out.

You need to mix the dough until all the ingredients are integrated, but stop there! No need to knead (ha).

Shape the dough to match the baking tin, put it in, and into the oven it goes – for about 30 minutes. Check along the way, especially if you’re not familiar with the oven settings.

It’s ready when the top is nice and golden brown. To check, using an oven mitt turn the baking tin upside down (make sure the bread doesn’t fall out… you never know). If it sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom the tin, you’re set.

Let it cool slightly, preferably out of the baking tin and on a rack so air circulates. Slather in butter, add some rock salt, and indulge.

It’s delicious, and you made it.

I’d love to hear how you adapted this recipe to your tastes, or see photos of what your No Knead Bread looks like! Don’t hesitate to tag us on Twitter or Instagram under @TheCramooz.