Snowy Day Baking
Several months ago, I saw a link for Crock Pot Bread and thought it might be a good thing. You just put salt and yeast into a container, add lukewarm water and then the flour and stir it just until it's mixed. Then you let it rise for a couple of hours, put it in the fridge, and after the dough is chilled you put a hunk of it in a crock pot, and bake it for an hour. No kneading, punching down, and letting it rise again. No flour flying all of the kitchen and up your nose and into your hair. Seemed too good to be true. However, things happened and I didn't get around to it. Then I ran away from home, leaving all my baking things behind (that's what happens when you run away - things get left behind!).
The weather forecast was calling for a major snow storm to hit today, and I thought it might be a good time to try this method of baking bread. I put a plan into action. If I was going to follow this recipe exactly, I needed to get flour and yeast since I had none. So I headed out to the grocery store on Wednesday without giving thought to the other items that may be needed. I always had a good supply of baking needs, so why would I check?
Since the dough needs to be refrigerated, I mixed it up yesterday. That's when I realized I should have checked the other supplies needed. A 6 quart container is needed to mix and rise the dough, and I didn't have a large enough container, so I mixed it in one large Pyrex bowl, and divided it into two bowls for the rising and refrigerating.
Mixing it in one bowl was messy! but I got the job done.
The snow arrived on schedule, and it seemed like all systems go for the baking of this bread.
Except, I didn't have the parchment paper - I used to have rolls of it, but not any more. I hoped that the little convenience store at the corner would have some. So, I put on my coat, hat, mittens and trudged through the snow to the store. There was no way I was going to drive - especially since two cars were already stuck in the parking lot, blocking the driveway and I couldn't have got out anyway. Alas, the little store only had foil, waxed paper and cling wrap. Shrugging my shoulders, I bought the aluminum foil, praying this would work.
After, the bread baked it was doubled in size, but isn't nice and brown on top, so it must be broiled.
I made an egg wash (one egg yolk and half an egg shell of water whisked together),
and looked into the cupboards for a broiling pan. Nope, I don't have one of those either. I did have a foil pie pan though, so I put the little loaf into the oven to broil for 10 minutes.
And voila! After 50 minutes in a crock pot and 10 minutes under the broiler, I had this!
A teeny, tiny, one pound load of bread.
It is delicious! A lovely, yummy, no knead loaf of bread to enjoy on a snowy day. The original recipe makes 4 loafs and the dough can be kept covered in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Even though I didn't follow the recipe and method exactly, it was a success. Next time, I will use parchment so the bottom of the loaf browns, and I may leave it in the crock pot an extra 10 minutes for a total "baking" time of 1 hour.
Total prep time (excluding trips to the store and searching cupboards for none existent items) was less than 10 minutes. Seriously, less than 10 minutes. And, I still have enough dough for three more loaves. I know I will be making this again. And again! If you like fresh bread, I do hope you will give it a try.
The weather forecast was calling for a major snow storm to hit today, and I thought it might be a good time to try this method of baking bread. I put a plan into action. If I was going to follow this recipe exactly, I needed to get flour and yeast since I had none. So I headed out to the grocery store on Wednesday without giving thought to the other items that may be needed. I always had a good supply of baking needs, so why would I check?
Since the dough needs to be refrigerated, I mixed it up yesterday. That's when I realized I should have checked the other supplies needed. A 6 quart container is needed to mix and rise the dough, and I didn't have a large enough container, so I mixed it in one large Pyrex bowl, and divided it into two bowls for the rising and refrigerating.
 |
| no knead dough rising |
The snow arrived on schedule, and it seemed like all systems go for the baking of this bread.
 |
| it doesn't look big enough, but I trust the recipe |
And voila! After 50 minutes in a crock pot and 10 minutes under the broiler, I had this!
A teeny, tiny, one pound load of bread.
It is delicious! A lovely, yummy, no knead loaf of bread to enjoy on a snowy day. The original recipe makes 4 loafs and the dough can be kept covered in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Even though I didn't follow the recipe and method exactly, it was a success. Next time, I will use parchment so the bottom of the loaf browns, and I may leave it in the crock pot an extra 10 minutes for a total "baking" time of 1 hour.
Total prep time (excluding trips to the store and searching cupboards for none existent items) was less than 10 minutes. Seriously, less than 10 minutes. And, I still have enough dough for three more loaves. I know I will be making this again. And again! If you like fresh bread, I do hope you will give it a try.
Comments