Colder weather simply calls for baked bread, homemade jam, and a pot of freshly brewed coffee. Bread, the staple, what people associate with hospitality and a welcoming home-cooked meal, does not have to, nor should be, complicated or difficult to make.
One of the most basic yeasted loaves is just this one – a humble no-knead loaf, the pillowy soft bread that rises overnight in the refrigerator, giving you the opportunity to simply shape and bake it in the morning. And when it comes to baked goods, nothing compares to the flavours that develop through a long, slow rise.
It requires very little time and effort, but it rewards you with a golden, crusty loaf, perfect for jams, soups, or just a tiny piece of butter, straight from the oven. And there isn’t much work involved – just a bowl, a wooden spoon, and a few ingredients. It is quite forgiving, and its overall simplicity gives you freedom to make it just the way you want it.
Ingredients
450 grams plain flour
10 grams fresh yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
150 ml warm water
50 ml light olive oil
200 grams kefir
Preparation
Crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl, pour in the warm water, and briefly mix everything with a little whisk, just to dissolve the yeast. Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the very centre, and add in the dissolved yeast, along with the olive oil, kefir, sugar, and salt. Mix everything very well with a wooden spoon until a very soft dough forms. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in the refrigerator for 18 hours.
When the dough is puffed up and ready, lightly dust your hands with a tiny bit of flour, and quickly shape the dough into a ball, and transfer it to a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. If it is too soft to shape by hand, use a silicone spatula to help it form it into a boule. Lightly mist it with cold water, and bake in a preheated oven, at 220°C (425°F), for about 25-30 minutes. Once the bread is baked, remove it from the oven and mist it lightly with water once again, then let it cool down to room temperature, and serve.
