I think artisan breads are one of the biggest rip offs. I always stop to look at them at the farmer’s market. They’re beautiful and tempting, but I know they’re not worth the $5+ price tag when I can make one at home for just a few cents.
Breads can seem intimidating, but they really aren’t very difficult – especially if you use a “No Knead” method. Although this method requires some advance planning (it’ll need to rise all day), it only takes about 5 minutes of active prep time. The bread has a nice, delicate crumb and a complex, almost sourdough-like flavor. Once you have the basics down, it’s really easy to customize the loaves with different add-ins to come up with your own unique creation.
The two breads here are from one batch of dough. I split it in half and then made one savory bread to serve with dinner and one sweet bread to have for breakfast. The savory bread has about 2 Tbs each of fresh rosemary and fresh time and is topped with salted sunflower seeds. This is one of the best combinations I’ve come up with – it’s absolutely amazing, especially served warm from the oven and topped with butter and sea salt.
The sweet version has about ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips in it. This one was great toasted and spread with a little bit of almond butter. CG was nice sent me some individual packets of Barney Butter that are awesome. Each pack has 90 calories and is the perfect amount for 2 pieces of toast. I never have time to eat breakfast at home, and I loved how easy it was to just throw the individual packet in my bag so I could make my toast at work without having to lug around a whole jar of nut butter. I’ll definitely be buying some of these! (Thanks, CG!)
Some of the recipes floating around for this are overly complicated, and require things like Dutch Ovens. I just form mine into boules and bake them right on my pizza stone and they come out great! Also, the rise-time doesn’t need to be exact. If you have time, mix it up in the morning and let it sit all day. If you’re not a morning person, mix it before you go to bed the night before. It’ll come out just as great! I usually mix mine in the mornings on the weekend and at night during the week.
Basic No-Knead Bread
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1 cup whole white wheat flour
- 3/4 teaspoon yeast
- 1-1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups warm water
Optional:
- 4 Tbs fresh herbs or ¼ cup mini chocolate chips for filling
- 2 Tbs sunflower seeds for topping
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. You’ll be left with a wet (Mark Bittman calls it “shaggy”) dough. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm space in your kitchen for at least 6-8 hours.
Set a baking pan filled with water on the bottom of your oven. Place pizza stone in the oven and heat to 450. Once oven is heated, allow it to heat an additional 15 minutes before putting bread in. While oven is preheating, divide the dough in half on a floured counter. Slightly flatten each half into a square. Sprinkle with your desired filling, then form into a round boule shape. Top with desired topping (if using) and sprtiz with cooking spray. Transfer to pizza stone and bake for about 40 minutes. Bread will be done when an instant-read thermometer reads 210.
Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before slicing.
Each loaf will yield about 8 slices.
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True to their word, flavored popchips are now available in stores (including Target for those of you who, like me, don’t have a Whole Foods or other “fancy” store around!)! They’ve also come out with two new flavors – sour cream & onion and cheddar – both of which are amazing. BBQ is still my favorite, but both of the new flavors are right up there too. As you know by my previous posts, we love these chips. But you don’t need to take my word on how good they are anymore, because I’m giving away 2 coupons for a free bag! Yes you read that right (and my husband is pouting because he wants me to keep the coupons for us.) To enter, simply leave me a comment. For an extra entry, follow me in the widget on the sidebar or blog about the contest and leave me a second comment. Leave your comment before 5pm EST on Friday, June 26. I’ll pick 2 winners using the random number generator and post them on Saturday morning. Good luck!
I love home-made bread but am a little too lazy to make it too often…I need to work on that.
Herbs and chocolate in bread plus the no-knead aspect is a winner in my book. It looks really good. Pass the butter and jam and a couple of slices of each bread.
I love no-knead bread, I make it almost every week! I love adding walnuts.
This looks delicious! The addition of chocolate or herbs takes an already delicious bread to another level.
Can you include a loaf of bread in the giveaway. It looks delicious!
(oh and I am a follower!)
Oooh! The other day I saw PopChips at Target and was SOOO excited! I bought the original flavor but want to try them all!
your bread looks amazing yep doesn’t seem that hard I must admit I am a sucker for artisan breads!
That no knead recipe looks great! I love making my own breads!
Great giveaway; I’ve been dying to try Popchips!
These both look so yummy. Love that you made two totally different breads from one recipe!
Both of these breads look incredible! Homemade fresh breads are the best!
two luscious loaves…..
Popchips! YAY!
But even better would be this bread giveaway! It looks freaking amazing! DELISH!
I wish I could include a bread in the giveaway, but I don’t think it would hold up very well in the mail. Because there are so few ingredients, they do tend to mold after about 2 or 3 days.
That bread looks delicious, i love savory bread
Le sighe! Now I have to fly across the country for it
I totally agreeabout the price, andthat is why i stated making myown bread.
This looks really so good.
Does the dough need to be punched down and rise again before baking?
I’m so glad you posted this. I love artisan breads, but not the price. I love no knead breads even more. This look beautiful.
Thats a great recipe. I love my bread maker but i hate when it bakes the blade into the dough- I tend to set it and forget it! so I will be trying this.
And isnt popchips awesome for sending some new flavor love???? I got mine and was soooo happy!
Cheddar is awesome
Eva- nope, no second rise required with this recipe! its really as simple as just mixing everything, the long rise, shaping, and baking! I flatten the dough a little to add the fillings, but the time it sits there while the oven preheats is enough to counter that.
Mo- I know!! They seriously have the nicest custmer service.
YUM! I love artisan breads! great variation with this recipe, thanks!
Am I eligible for the giveaway now?
Both breads look amazing. I am trying to get into making bread (fear of yeast) and hate kneading so these look perfect to me.
Yeah BREEAAADDD!
I love the artisan breads made at home. A little more time invested, but so much less money!
this looks so easy! I need to try it, and it’s a use for my pizza stone!
And send me some popchips, TIA!
Just wanted those interested in no-knead to know that my new book, Kneadlessly Simple has recipes for all kinds of no-knead breads–and it is absolutely true that they make yeast baking very easy and fuss-free. While they do need a long, slow rise, they require no kneading and most don’t even require any hand shaping. If you’d like to try ‘em out, Amazon has a couple posted on my book’s page; I also have several posted in the recipe archives on my website. Happy Baking!
Wow would love to win this count me in!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
[...] Today is your last chance to win a free bag of Pop Chips! To enter, leave a comment HERE. [...]
This bread looks so yummy! Love homemade bread. You have so many awesome recipes on your blog- fabulous! Have fun at Coldplay