Our lives are filled with defining moments. For some, it’s taking their marriage vows or seeing their first child being born. For others, it’s being the first to graduate from college in their family or scoring a game winning shot at the buzzer. As for me, a defining moment arrived the day I had the thrill of opening the oven door to find awaiting before me, my very first loaf of homemade bread! When I held that gorgeous, warm loaf of bread in my hands, time stopped. It did. I swear.
“Nooooo way”, I whispered loudly. Followed, I think, by several (louder) WHOO-HOO’s! There may have been slight jumping up and down involved as well. Even with all the excitement, an unsettling twinge of guilt began to surface. Why? Because the results were so far beyond the effort involved to achieve them, that there was no way it could have been accomplished without cheating. Did T. swap out a loaf from the local bakery without me knowing to spare my feelings? For a split second, I actually thought so. I felt like a cheat. But luckily, I got over it. Fast.
The fact is, this recipe is so ridiculously easy, a child could make it. Literally. One bowl, a few measurements, a couple stirs, and time. That’s it. I’ve made many, many iterations of this fabled no-knead bread. How could you not? It’s been discussed, blogged, scrutinized, analyzed and dissected by just about….well, by just about everyone at this point. I figure, meh, one more can’t hurt. The recipe that follows has resulted from my attempts at trying to implement the best of the best of the revisions and plugging them all into one happy loaf. It’s a cross between a rustic country bread and a San Franciscan sourdough, but with an added hearty punch of crunch from the steel cut oatmeal and nuttiness of the flax seeds. The crust alone can be hailed as a miracle. Smear with good quality, European style butter and you are transported far, far away to your favorite boulangerie.
Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread with Flax Seeds and Oats
Tweaked from original recipe by Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery, NY Times Article, and revised articles by Cooks Illustrated and Breadtopia
Though I do have a Le Creuset dutch oven, I’m a little too paranoid to use it given all the discussion regarding the safety of the knobs and the need to swap them out. I’m perfectly happy with the results using my All-Clad cookware. Oh, best to eat this baby the day it comes out of the oven or the crust loses a bit of it’s oompf (if not, you can always wrap it in foil for up to 2 days, and reheat slightly before serving).
Music Pairing: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Yields: One gorgeous lookin’ 1 1/2-pound loaf
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 4 tbsp flax seeds
- 2 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp table salt or 3/4 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
Method
Whisk flour, steel cut oats, flax seeds, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy, sticky ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
Lay 12X18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.
About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6-8 quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 475 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. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature before slicing.
That looks so delicious. It looks like it has a nice crust!
the crust is THE best part! the magic ‘crackle’ on that first cut will make you swoon.
Beautiful loaf and crust! I can almost *hear* it crackling through cyberspace.
don’t you just love that sound?
That’s a staple in this house! Trying the Artisan in five minutes a day also. You’d like it.
i’ve only flipped through it at the bookstore but will have to look again!
We agree w/ Phoo-d…..looooove that crust!!! Would love to make a bun thit nuong sandwich with that!!! :)
oh yes! though the whole wheat and flax seeds probably wouldn’t go too well with the thit nuong! i’ll post my baguette recipe soon for that! :)
Wow, that looks amazing!!!
Yes, we love homemade bread! You boosted the health factor on this one too, which is nice.
I can not wait to see your baguette recipe!
Hmm, maybe some fresh bread for Memorial Day is going on the picnic menu. Grazie! :)
There is no other bread like homemade. Fresh warm bread is wonderful.
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Well this is a surprise – I just stumbled onto this post and I happen to be making the Jim Lahey no-knead bread as I write this! I’m preheating the oven now and honestly, I’m quite dubious. My dough looks a little flat if you ask me.
What a beautiful blog you have.
hi hilary – you must let me know how it turned out! did it rise up significantly while in the oven?
Love this bread! Cooks Illustrated did an article about it and they added beer and vinegar, which we thought took it to a new and improved level. Have really enjoyed reading your blog:)
hi courtney – i completely agree with you. i had initially made it without the added vinegar and it just seemed to be missing that extra oompf factor. so happy that you are enjoying the blog!
oh how i adore homemade bread! congrats on your first being such a success. soon, you’ll never go back to store bought bread. i know that’s how i feel!
for day old (or older) bread, i cube them, drizzle olive oil and turn them into croutons to throw into salads. it’s delish.
hi lan – that is exactly how i felt after my first loaf. do you have any other bread recipes that you love?
yes, i’m quite attached to herb-y breads: rosemary, lavender. i’ve been making those lately. i’ve made french bread bowls to hold ca ri ga, and my usual sandwich bread of choice is whole wheat oatmeal. i’m in the process of making a sourdough starter…
Looks delicious – but where do the flax seeds come in? Do they get folded into the dough at the initial step?
I’ve spent my whole summer in search of a dutch oven so I could experience this recipe. The search was finally successful at a colorful flee market for only $20! On a chilly fall evening with friends coming over I placed the carefully ignored loaf into the oven. When I bit into my first piece I was so incredibly excited! I hadn’t come anywhere near the bread I’d experienced while volunteering in Romania years ago and here it was! Thank you so much!
Interesting website and intriguing whole wheat recipe. One question: did you mean cooked steel cut oats or raw steel cut oats? I use the brand carried by Trader Joe and they are great.
hi tony! raw steel cut oats. let me know how it turns out for you! (it’s pretty addicting after your first loaf).
Hey, I’m actually in the process of making this now and I’m just thinking – should I oil / butter the dutch oven before putting it in the oven? I’ve never done stuff like this before, and well, it’s too late now cos the dutch oven’s in the oven (and smoking – put olive oil in there, mistake) but… for next time, what do you do?
Just tried this as it’s the fourth no-knead bread I’ve ever tried. Absolutely delicious and perfect for sandwiches and serving with cheese. Thank you for posting!
I’ve been on the hunt for a whole grainy bread recipe. I havent tried it before and going to give it a try this weekend. After I saw your baguette post, I was lucky to be linked this direction. thank you!
I’m an avid baker. Hands down, your recipe is the best and most delicious loaf I’ve ever pulled out of our oven. My kids and husband keep asking me to make more. Can’t thank you enough!!!!!!!!
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We are addicted to this bread! My two year old calls it “Mommy bread” and says it is “Much better than store bread.” The kid has a point- this stuff is great! It makes great toast, great sandwiches, is fantastic dipped in olive oil-MAKE THIS BREAD!!!! You’ll be happy you did! One question- it’s not nearly as good on the second or third day, how should I store it to make it last longer? Any thoughts?
Looks great! I love fresh baked bread but I don’t care for kneading… I’m going to make this soon!