No Knead Bread

This recipe has been making the rounds for ages. I've seen it on several blogs and in the New York Times.  Love freshly baked bread as much as I do? As lazy... um.... wait, as busy as me? No kneading! Lasts two weeks in the fridge!! Tear off only and bake only as much as you need!!! Brilliant.


No Knead Bread
Recipe courtesy of vanilla bean blog (with gorgeous photos and other tips)

INGREDIENTS
3 cups water, lukewarm
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS
In a 5 quart plastic container or bowl [preferably a resealable plastic container], mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water [about 100 degrees]. Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks [It's best to let dough refrigerate at least three hours - it is less sticky and easier to work with. Also, more flavor will develop if it sits longer].  When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on the dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife [about 1 pound]. Sprinkle flour on work surface and lightly knead dough 5-6 times to form a ball, adding flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Put dough on a piece of parchment paper, and let rest 40 minutes. Refrigerate the rest of the dough.

About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to the upper middle position and place the Dutch oven (with lid on) on the rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 450, remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and/or instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Image by Sharon Pruitt, Flickr

Quick Dinner Rolls

Nothing beats fresh, homemade, flaky dinner rolls! I checked the Loblaws price on rolls and they are 6 for $2.59 (... so 12 for a little over $5.00...) which I think is TOO MUCH to pay!  These mix up really quickly and easily, and you don't need a stand mixer (I don't have one) ... a hand mixer will do. And if you are feeling particularly strong, just mix 'em up by hand.

QUICK DINNER ROLLS
Makes 12 rolls
Original recipe from Honey and Butter

INGREDIENTS

1 cup + 2 T warm water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 T active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

3 1/2 cups flour

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 400F.
2.  Mix water, oil, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3.  Add the salt and egg, mix thoroughly.
4.  Gradually add the flour.
5.  Divide into 12 equal pieces, and shape into round balls.
6.  Place onto a greased baking sheet or silipat and let it rise for 10-15 minutes.
7.  Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Scones

I go through Union Station each morning on the way to school and if you buy a scone there it will set you back $2.75. Wow. One a day, times 33 weeks of school, is almost $454 worth of scones. Add a large coffee and it adds up to $783 per school year. That would be a lot of groceries!! Or pay my rent for one month!

Here's how to make scones at home. It is SO easy. And you know exactly what is going in to them.

I don't have my mom's scone recipe, but this recipe, from allrecipes.ca, is very close to how I remember them.

Scones

A scalloped scone (or cookie) cutter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, raisins, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Using a scalloped scone (or cookie) cutter (or an inverted drinking glass) cut scones out from dough.  When you have only scraps left, make another ball, and flatten to 1/2 inch. Keep cutting out scones. If you like the North American style of scones, simply divide round into 8 by scoring lightly with a knife. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.