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Monday, April 26, 2010

I'm in love...... with No Knead Bread!





This past week, during my "spare time" (ha! read that as "stress relief" time) I decided to do something I've wanted to do for a long time - bake some homemade bread. Homemade, handmade - without using a bread maker. I recently gave away my bread maker anyway.

I first made a loaf of Whole Wheat bread in the traditional way. You know, knead it for 10 - 15 minutes (what a workout for my poor wrists!), let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again, then shape and bake. It was really good and we liked it. This is the second (oblong) loaf pictured.

But then I found an article about No Knead Bread as baked by Chef Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York. And, oh my, what heavenly bread! ( top photo - the round loaf). We more than liked it.... we loved it! If you like a crusty bread this is the one for you. (If you like a softer bread, after it's cooled store it in a plastic bag and it won't retain such a crispy crust). It's SO simple to make... and there really is no kneading (stir to mix, a couple of folds, one quick shaping and that's all). Instead of your hands doing the work, time does the work instead. You mix it up and let it sit for 18-24 hours and, according to Lahey, the long slow rise time is the secret to this artisan bread. It has the most wonderful crust and a great texture inside with all these irregular shaped holes. Slather some healthy butter substitute on it and top with raspberry jam... oh me! Or drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder and toast...... mmmm! If you decide to give it a try and, like me, you only have access to "down home" grocery stores, Rapid Rise yeast by Fleischmans is the same as instant yeast.

I've also started an oil painting. It's 16 x 20 and the subject is a lighthouse in Maine (photo from a vacation... can't remember the name of the lighthouse). I'm posting the first WIP. Now, if Laure from Painted Thoughts Blog will stop posting tempting tidbits and examples about the luscious Daniel Smith watercolors she's using (thus drawing my easily-led attention away from my oil paints) I might be able to make some progress on it! ;-)

13 comments:

Teresa Mallen said...

Fresh baked bread, kneaded or not kneaded or by bread machine is always welcome at my house! Great start to your oil painting!!

Kathy A. Johnson said...

Ohhhh...that bread looks delicious! I'm going to give it a try--we all love crusty artisan bread here.

I love the WIP. Years ago I tried oil painting with one of those TV show painters...it was really quite fun. (But my paintings were nowhere near what yours is shaping up to be!)

Short Poems said...

yummy bread,I love homemade bread very much :)
You have nice blog Teresa!

marinela x x

Jeannette StG said...

Wow, no kneading -my kind of bread! Thanks for sharing your delicious discovery!

Michelle said...

Hi Teresa, Your WIP oil painting looks like a beautiful start and the bread looks absolutely delish! Hope you are doing well!

Ann said...

I've been hooked on artisan bread since I got the book, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, which is also a no-knead method. Too easy and it does taste so good. Yours looks wonderful! So does your painting - great start!

knittingdragonflies said...

I love making bread, I'm going to try the recipe!
Thanks
Your painting makes me want to pull up a chair and put my sunglasses on and get my knitting out
Vicki

martinealison said...

Hummm je pense que votre maison sentait bon le pain chaud...
Je vous souhaite une bonne progression pour votre toile. Merci de nous en montrer son évolution.

Candy said...

I must try this - maybe this weekend. I wish I had some right now, still warm with butter...

The lighthouse looks great. I can't wait to see the completed painting.

Tebonin said...

Amazing bread. I can smell my mother's smell from it. Not fancy but simple and warm.

Jo Castillo said...

Your painting looks great. I can smell the bread ... yummy.

Booklinks said...

I'm glad I found your blog!
I Love to follow your WIP!

Rosie said...

The no knead bread looks wonderful - thanks for the link - I'll pass it on to the breadmaker in the family (husband - I'm the cake maker) as he likes trying different breads - he made Bagels a few weeks ago and has mastered the french stick now:)

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