The Need to Knead

Kneading is easy and yet some may be intimidated. You need to know how to knead! Here's a demo kneading my Overnight Bread. It's just over a minute in length because I want you to see the rhythmn and pattern. Practice this weekend with a batch of Overnight Bread - mix the dough Friday night and Saturday morning (after your first cup of coffee) knead the dough with your new skill. The recipe for my Overnight Bread is on my Bread page but here it is also, for your convenience:

Overnight Bread

4 cups Castle Valley Mill hard wheat or other good quality organic flour

2 cups warmish water

2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 cup (total) dried fruit and/or nuts

In late afternoon or evening, put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a large wooden or metal spoon until fully moistened and incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to allow gases to escape and bread to breath. Leave in a warm, draft free place to rise for 12 and up to 18 hours to rise. Preheat oven with 5Qt cast iron Dutch Oven inside to 450 degrees. Once pot and oven are preheated (will probably take 15 to 30 minutes depending on your oven), using a large wooden or metal spoon, mix dough in the bowl to deflate. Pour dough out onto heavily floured surface and knead as many times as necessary to get the dough to relatively keep a ball shape. Remove lid from Dutch Oven, it may smoke due to temperature, add a tablespoon or so of oil or butter and add dough ball. Put lid on and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes until bread is nicely browned and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!