Name: No-Knead Whole-Wheat Bread
Prep time: 20 minutes + 13 hours rising
Cook time: 50 minutes
Yield: 20 pieces

This recipe uses a long rise time instead of kneading to make a whole-grain bread with nice texture and flavor.

Prep time: 20 minutes + 13 hours rising
Cook time: 50 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups whole-wheat flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for shaping)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (110 to 125 degrees F)

Directions

Wash hands with soap and water.
In a large bowl, mix the flours, salt and yeast. Stir in water to make a loose and sticky dough. If it seems too dry, stir in 1 to 2 Tablespoons warm water.
Cover the bowl with a plate, cutting board or plastic wrap. Let sit on the counter at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.
When you are ready to bake the bread, turn oven on to 450 degrees F. Place a Dutch oven with lid into the oven to heat for 30 minutes.
Tear off a piece of parchment paper about 12 to 15 inches on each side.
To shape the loaf, sprinkle flour over the top of the dough and on your hands. Using your fingers, gently pull the dough away from the edges of the bowl. Sprinkle more flour along the bowl edge as you work your way around the bowl and to the underside of the dough. When the dough is free from the bowl and in your hands, gently turn under the edges so that you have a round loaf with a smooth top.
Place the dough on the middle of the parchment paper and let it sit until the Dutch oven is ready.
Carefully remove the very hot Dutch oven and take off the lid with a hot pad. Using the corners of the parchment paper, pick up and lower the loaf (and paper) into the Dutch oven.
Use hot pads to place the lid back on the Dutch oven and return it to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid (be careful of steam) and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. When done, the top will be very crusty and brown and a food thermometer placed in the center of the loaf will read at least 190 degrees F.
Remove the Dutch oven and cool bread for about 5 minutes. Carefully lift the loaf using edges of the parchment and finish cooling on a rack.
Store leftovers in a container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Notes

You can score the dough just before baking if you want. Use a very sharp knife to make 2 or 3 cuts about ½ inch deep and 3 to 4 inches long.
No Dutch oven? Use any metal pot that is safe to heat to 450 degrees F. If you don’t have a lid, you can cover the pot with heavy aluminum foil.
You can also bake the dough in a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place a strip of parchment paper in the pan that covers the bottom lengthwise and extends up the ends, with several inches extending over the top edge. This will make it easy to lift out the loaf when it is done. Remove the dough from the bowl and gently shape as a rectangle as long as the pan. Cover the pan with a towel and let the dough rise on the counter for 1 to 2 hours. About 15 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the loaf uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes.
Try adding ½ to 2/3 cup seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin or flax seeds. Stir in with all ingredients in step 2.