No Knead To Thank Me!

photo/andinou/flickr


There is nothing like the taste and smell of homemade bread fresh from the oven. Hopefully if you were fortunate enough you either had a mother, grandmother or aunt kneading away in the kitchen at that silky aromatic yeasty dough. I do not wish to short change the men here since they are excellent cooks and bakers as well...or you had a father, grandfather or uncle kneading away in the kitchen at that silky aromatic yeasty dough.

Anyhow if you did grow up in a "A daily homemade bread kind of house" you know how special homemade bread can be and how important the people who make this bread are. It takes a lot of muscle to make bread and what happens when the bread bakers we love and adore no longer are able to knead the dough? Maybe its arthritis, tendinitis or it's just that they don't have the strength they use to but still want the pleasure of providing homemade bread for their loved ones.
Sure we can all get off our behinds and get in the kitchen to help but with these recipes there is just no knead to.....they can do it all by themselves! Now pass the butter while the bread is still warm I am starving.

Home Baked No Knead Bread

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 tbsp. soft shortening
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
3 c. sifted flour

Pour warm water into large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water, stir until dissolved. Add shortening, salt, sugar and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Stir in remaining flour and beat with a spoon until smooth, 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape batter from sides of bowl. Cover dough with clean cloth and let rise in a warm place, free from draft until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. When batter has risen, stir down by beating about 25 strokes. Spread batter in a greased loaf pan (9"x5"x3"). Batter will be sticky. Let rise in warm place until batter reaches 1/4" from top of pan, about 40 minutes. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. When done, brush top with butter while still hot.

No Knead French Bread

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. soft shortening
4 c. sifted all purpose flour

Measure flour into bowl, add water, then yeast. Let yeast dissolve thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let set 10 minutes, then cut through dough with a wooden spoon. Do this 5 times at 10 minute intervals. Turn dough out on floured board and divide in half. Let rest for 10 minutes, then roll each ball into a loaf. Make several diagonal slashes across each loaf. Let rise double. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

No Knead Raisin Bread

1 1/3 c. hot water
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. warm water
4 pkg. active dry yeast
2 eggs, slightly beaten
6 1/2 c. flour
2 c. seedless raisins

GLAZE:

1 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Mix hot water, sugar, salt and butter; cool until lukewarm. In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add first water mixture to eggs, flour and raisins. Beat until well-blended, about 2 minutes. Cover, let rise in warm place until more than doubled, about 50 minutes. Punch batter down and beat vigorously be hand, about 75 strokes. Turn into two greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans or two (1 1/2 quart) casserole and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan immediately. Beat glaze ingredients until smooth and shiny. Pour icing over bread when cool, letting it drip down the sides.