I’ve made several loaves of no-knead bread in a cast iron pot where you put the pot in the oven and heat it to a bazillion degrees and then plop the dough in the pot, cover and put in the oven to bake. Last year I took the pot out of the oven and nearly burnt my hand and dropped the pot. I dropped it on my ceramic cooktop and it went ka-pow and now I have a new cooktop.
I have made bread that way since but every time I worry I’m going to crash the cooktop. Now that I have some sourdough starter that I’ve named Esmerelda Pissemeyer I have been putting the loaf on a baking sheet and that has worked okay too.
The other day I was reading Celia’s post on Fig Jam and Lime Cordial where she talked about putting the bread in a pot without pre-heating it. I knew I had to try it.
Today I fed Esmerelda until she was fat and bouncy and made the dough. I know I cheat because I make the bread in the thermomix and it takes about 5 minutes start to finish but life is busy and arthritis is not my friend.
After the first rise that took several hours, I punched the dough down, shaped it into a round and put it in a greased cast iron pot. Celia uses an enamel pot but I don’t have one so I figured the only thing I would lose is a loaf of bread and my temper if it didn’t work.
It worked! It’s probably not as crunchy a crust but the bread is wonderful.
I know the bread looks like it was hacked but John kept saying, “It smells so good in here, can we cut it now?”
“Not until I photograph it, don’t be silly!” said every food blogger.
So I photographed it whole and then I said, “Oh all right, cut one side and I’ll wait until it cools and then I’ll be crafty about the back side being missing in the photo. I cut the first slice and smeared a little bit of butter and shared that one. He decided that a second piece was needed and why is it that some men can’t cut a loaf of bread without squooshing it?
I did my best to even it up but hey, THIS is why they tell you to wait until it’s cool to cut a loaf of bread. Some will tell you to wait until tomorrow morning. I never understood that because when it comes out of the oven and it smells like the best thing ever, that’s when you want to eat it, not tomorrow.
This isn’t the prettiest loaf of bread you’ll ever see but it sure was good!
- 150g bouncy, ripe starter
- 250g filtered water
- 25g olive oil
- 500g bakers’ flour
- 10g fine sea salt
- Add the ingredients to a bowl and squish them between your fingers until there are no dry bits. Scrape your fingers, cover the bowl and leave for 30 minutes to get acquainted.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly oiled bench and knead for a minute or so until the dough is smooth.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for several hours until doubled in size.
- Once doubled in size, again scrape onto a lightly oiled bench and that should deflate the dough.
- Shape into a round ball by folding the edges into the middle. See video
- Place a piece of baking paper on a baking tray and place the ball of dough on the paper. Spray a piece of cling film with oil and snugly cover the ball of dough to prevent the dough getting a tough skin.
- Leave to rise to nearly double.
- Preheat oven to maximum when the dough has risen to nearly double in size.
- When oven is hot, remove the cling film and slash the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Just go crazy, slash, slash, slash. It will give your bread personality.
- Spray the bread with a little water and place the bread in the oven. Immediately drop the temperature to 220C with fan and bake for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 175C and bake for a further 20-30 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds like a drum when you thump it. Mine took exactly 20 minutes.
- The crust will be quite dark brown. If you have any question about doneness, put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Don't cut until fully cool (as if)
Preheat oven as in the recipe.
Once the oven is at temperature, slash the bread using a serrated knife, spray with some water and put the cover on the pot. Into the oven for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 220C.
After 20 minutes lower the temperature to 175C for a further 20-30 minutes.
You did it now! I’ve gotta make this loaf. I bet it was tasty and smelled amazing while cooking. I’ve always wanted to try this in a Dutch oven so thanks for the inspiration. Sorry about the cook top – one of my biggest fears too!
What a beautiful loaf. No one could resist cutting in to it. Especially when it smells so heavenly.
Clever photo tricks said the hungry blogger. GREG
We make a no-knead bread recipe that we always cook in a cold cast iron pot. We started doing it with the hot pot, and yes that does produce a better crust. But we wanted to make more of an everyday whole wheat bread with a softer crust that would be good for sandwiches, and the cold cast iron really works for that (in fact I’ll probably be posting about it in a week or so). This looks terrific! About the only way to cut really warm bread without messing it up is with an electric knife. Too much trouble, though — I’ll take squished bread. 😉
Beautiful bread! You did the right thing not making John wait and the pictures made me drool!
Mmmm – I’m with John – warm bread, yes please – delicious – looks gorgeous Maureen.
Ha ha ha!! That’s a variation of the scene in my house every time I make bread!! In a pot is the only way I make it at the moment, it’s the way Celia taught me and I’m not confident enough to change it up! Good work Esmerelda 🙂 Mine is called Homer. As in Homer Simpson. Because he is lazy and takes time to wake up but always comes good in the end! 🙂 Maybe Esmerelda and Homer should have a baby!!!
They’re both from Priscilla? Wouldn’t that be incest? The things you suggest! 🙂
What a beautiful shape. And yes, I don’t think it’s within a mans DNA to cut a straight, clean piece. J will go to town and produce haggard shards that doesn’t even remotely resemble its original shape if given the chance–haha.
Sounds exactly like the conversations I have with Peter… lol. Your bread looks fab, Maureen… I have yet to try baking in a pot.
I have never made no knead bread – it sounds like my kind of bread. There is nothing quite like fresh warm bread and I prefer hacked to cool!
Dear Maureen,
Men can’t cut fresh bread without sqooshing it because they are impatient. A slap on the wrist will do the trick.
What a beautiful round loaf … no one can resist in cutting into one after pulling it out of the oven. Who can wait?
Nice bread! I made bread in a cold container before and liked very much the results – now, Celia also does something very interesting which is to place the bread in a COLD OVEN and turn it on. Did not work for me because my oven takes about 3 and a half weeks to heat up. But I bet if your oven is faster, you could make that work too
(big laugh at – Not until I photograph it, don’t be silly – although I use slightly sharper words DO NOT DARE GETTING CLOSE TO THIS BREAD” – or something rather… I am a very sweet person, as you can imagine)
I said it in an “ARE YOU NUTS??” voice so I’m less sweet. 🙂
I cannot resist hot bread out just out of the oven – one of the best things in life. I can’t imagine the crash of your cooktop!! No wonder it took you awhile to try again. That’s a great tip though, to start without preheating the pan. And your loaf turned out perfectly!!
It’s such a coincidence, my oldest son has been making sourdough bread lately. Yours is much prettier than his, but don’t tell him I said that!
That is gorgeous! I have yet to make sourdough bread. It is on my bucket list, but I admit I am intimidated. You make it sound so easy, Maureen!
I know I am supposed to wait until the bread cools before cutting but on more than one occasion I have cut into my loaf of bread as soon as it comes out of the oven especially if it is a new recipe I am trying.
Lol…it looks sensational! I can smell it from here…jealous much ???? xx
How weird. I didn’t put those question marks there…
John and Rich could roll their eyes and compare notes on waiting til the food is photographed before they are allowed within 5 feet of the plate!!!! I winced when I read you smashed your ceramic top – ouch!
I haven’t tried a sourdough loaf yet, this one is making me want to try! I can relate to cutting the loaf while it is still warm though – it is so hard to resist the fresh bread smell!
Men just squoosh bread period! You massive loaf looks fantastic, I can only imagine the beautiful baking smells that filled the house.
I have to make this bread, I love that nice golden top!
Let me just say I need a bowl of good olive oil and dip baby, dip! I can hear the crackling of the crust from over here in California ! Wow zee !!!
woww! what a delicious bread!
i love the shape of the bread. Its rustic and beautiful and I say the same thing all the time about not eating it until I can take a pictureL) Lol!
What a classic looking cob loaf. I can’t blame John for wanting a hot piece, the smell would be so tempting 🙂
I think it’s beautiful, Maureen, because it’s homemade and nothing beats homemade bread. Good on you for baking with all that heat you have. And thanks so much for your lovely email – I sent you a text today; not sure if you received it. Very much appreciated xx
I did but not until late. My phone was in the car and John had the car and when I went to retrieve it, the battery was flat. I’m the WORST with a mobile phone.
It’s a strong person that can wait for bread to cool before cutting it. I know I’ve broken that rule so many, many times! 😛
awww look absolutely beautiful! Love bread Maureen!
Haha My daughter always want try a bite BEFORE the pics!! OMY!
What we have here is some high drama; burnt hands, cracked cooktops, diva dough masquerading under the name Esmerelda, and edge of your seat “wait for it” hands off until that beautiful loaf cools. I’ve never tried baking bread in a pot, but I am definitely going to after this post – hopefully in a much more mundane fashion. 🙂
That was all in the past. Today’s bread is drama-free. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting, Sarah!
Omy My daugther always want try when I make something BEFORE the pics!!
I understand John! The bread look georgeous!!
I always have trouble waiting to slice the bread, too—the aroma is always so enticing! Such a gorgeous loaf, Maureen!!!
Mmm, there is nothing quite like fresh bread, and your loaf is the way to go – it looks delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh, I just love sourdough bread! Yum….it has been years since I have baked bread like this. 🙂
Well that looks pretty fabulous Maureen. Hubby knows to ask first before he eats when we are out in case I want a photo. So funny:)
Waiting is overrated – how can anyone resist a fresh warm loaf!?? Esmerelda did well (she has such a perfect name, by the way)!
When my kids were young and said, “Mom!!!” all day long I’d change my name to Esmerelda Pissemeyer and they had to use that or I wouldn’t reply. 🙂
So jealous! 🙂 It looks perfect indeed – yummo! X
Hi Maureen. This summer I have been making my bread in the Romertopf in a cold oven. It has been working a treat. That may save your ceramic top in future.
I still haven’t bought a Romtertopf yet. That’s it, I’m going to do it. Cold oven sounds great. At what point do you take the cover off to brown the loaf?
I can almost smell that lovely loaf from here! Nothing beats the aroma of baking bread. I love your name for your starter! I need to name mine.
One of the best loaves of bread I ever made was in a dutch oven. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and perfect. Who knew? Yours looks perfect as well and I bet your house smelled amazing! Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow!
Celia, lovely loaf, even after John squished it! I haven’t busted anything yet using the hot pot, but I’m always worried I will. Like the window in the oven or the tile floor.
Maureen – but there’s nothing like warm bread fresh out of the oven – I probably would have done what John did. My daughter and I used to make bread often when she was younger but a gluten sensitivity in her teen years has put our bread baking on hold – I need to try this with some of those gluten free bread flours around.
Maureen – but there’s nothing like warm bread fresh out of the oven – I probably would have done what John did. My daughter and I used to make bread often when she was younger but a gluten sensitivity in her teen years has put our bread baking on hold – I need to try this with some of those gluten free bread flours around
Your bread looks delicious, Maureen! And who in the world could resist digging into it right out of the oven. Slather a little butter over it, heavenly! Can’t imagine waiting until tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!
You need to wait until the next day to bite into such divine bread? Wow! I’ve really got to learn about this sourdough starter business…And I trust my bread making machine would step in as a nice substitute for Thermomix?
Yes, you could use that bread machine or a mixer with a dough hook. If you send me an address, I’d be happy to send you some of Esmerelda Pissemeyer. 🙂 It’s dried and only takes filtered water and bread flour to bring it back to life.
To me it does look like the prettiest loaf of bread! I agree with you…the knife needs to cut through the bread when it’s filling up the kitchen with its warm-cooked-just-now bread aroma.
I can imagine this bread with my coffee morning !!!
I always wanted to make my own sour dough but was always intimidated, this looks simple and easy I have to keep this recipe
I think this is a pretty loaf, I would be proud of it. Looks so good and very little beats fresh warm bread with butter 😀
Looks good! I always cut into bread too early. I have no patience!
I swear I can smell baked bread when I look at your photos…. Ha, is that a sign of a brain tumor?! 🙂 I much prefer the squished bread picture, means it tastes REALLY good, which means I REALLY, REALLY wanna try baking it myself.
I love how this bread is baked in a pot. It’s so pretty.
This is a gorgeous loaf of bread. Perfect crust and light delicious interior. I love homemade bread!!
I’ve been looking for a sourdough bread recipe, my husband’s been saving/working on this starter for years, and he keeps saying that he just needs to find a good recipe. I think we’ll make this tomorrow, it looks fabulous!
That is cool that you baked it in a pot. That probably let it keep a really nice shape. Not good for sandwiches, but a great soup bowl! 😀
I have to make this bread, I love that nice golden top!