No Knead Bread
MAKES 2 LOAVES
Working for Lois Daish, I remember she employed a baker - Gina, whom introduced the Brooklyn Cafe and Grill to 'Ginas no knead bread’ It became a staple and a recipe that I have kept and used for years and later became known as the famous ‘Floriditas 5 - grain bread’ with a true following!
The following recipe was in an article on line recently, about the cost of living and how many of us are going back to the rules and pleasures of home cooking. The original recipe was based on a Nadia Lim recipe. The recipe itself is very adaptable, adding and replacing various ingredients and flavours. This version, I’ve added toasted fennel seeds, perfect toasted with lashings of butter and a tart marmalade or even better a nice sharp cheddar.
However you want to eat it, it’s far superior than supermarket bread, has a fanastic shelf life and takes no time at all to prepare. Something I think that should remain in ones kitchen repertoire.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups boiling water
2 tsp honey
3 cups of cold water or milk, or a mixture of the two
3 tsp active dried yeast
3 cups high grade flour
3 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp fennel seeds, slightly toasted
1 cup sunflower seeds (large seeds, see note)
1/2 cup linseeds (small seeds, see note)
2 tsp salt
Sesame seeds for sprinkling
METHOD
In your largest bowl, dissolve honey in the boiling water.
Stir in cold water or milk mixture and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast activates and is frothy.
In another bowl add the other ingredients and mix until everything is evenly distributed. now add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir well, until everything has just come together, don’t over mix, the dough should be like a thick muffin batter.
Grease or spray two large loaf tins with oil and spoon the mixture into the tins, spread out evenly and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place loaves in the centre of a oven that has been heated to 50c bake and let rise for 30 minutes. After 30mins increase the temperature to 200c fan bake and bake for a further 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove baked bread from the tins immediately and cool on a wire rack.
Cool before slicing.
NOTES + VARIATIONS
Large seeds: Could be a mixture of sunflower or pumpkin seeds or even nuts…think walnuts, almonds or pine nuts.
Small seeds: Could be Linseed, chia, poppy or sesame
For the topping: Try sprinkling oats as an alternative or a mixture of any of the small seeds listed above.