Presented by Becky Ringsby, Savor Specialty Chef Services in the Co-op Class “No Knead Breads.”

Makes 2 (2-lb) loaves

  • 7 c whole wheat flour (31 ½ oz)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp granulated yeast (2 packets)
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • ¼ c vital wheat gluten
  • 3 ¼ c lukewarm water
  • ½ c honey

You may double or halve. Dough will keep in refrigerator for 10 days. Makes a tender, kid-friendly traditional bread loaf.

In a 5-quart bowl (preferably a resealable, lidded plastic food container), whisk together the flours, yeast, salt and vital wheat gluten.

Add the water and honey all at once to the dry ingredients and mix without kneading, using a wooden spoon or your hands. Combine just until everything is uniformly moist, with no dry patches. You will have a dough that is wet and remains loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.

Cover the dough with a lid (not airtight) that fits well to the container, or cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, approximately 2 hours. Longer rising times, even overnight, will not harm the result. After rising, refrigerate in the lidded (not airtight) container overnight. Do not punch down! (The dough can be used after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.)

On baking day, dust the surface of your refrigerated dough with flour. Pull up and cut or tear off a 2-lb. (cantaloupe-size) piece of dough. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating a quarter-turn as you go to form a ball or oval. The entire process should take no more than 20-40 seconds, otherwise your loaf may turn out dense.

Allow the loaf to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, in a greased loaf pan (preferably 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-in. pans) for 90 minutes or until loaves rise to top of pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top with water. Using a serrated bread knife, slash the loaf with ¼-inch-deep parallel cuts across the top. (Optional)

Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is richly browned and bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove bread from pan, and allow the bread to cool completely on a wire cooling rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing.

Notes
You may double or halve. Dough will keep in refrigerator for 10 days. Makes a tender, kid-friendly traditional bread loaf.