Rosemary Raisin No Knead

This is the first no-knead bread I ever made.  It started a bit of a love affair.  It is consistently beautiful, interesting and delicious.  Other than people who don’t like bread, raisins, or rosemary, everyone loves it.  I think that leaves a fair amount of the population who are very lucky indeed (sorry Dad, rosemary is fantastic, and Kelle, raisins are not sad grapes!).  This bread has an amazing chewiness, and it is at home with thickly spread butter, olive oil and balsamic, a fabulous melty brie, or even a cambozola.  Oh, and I am sure you know that I have toasted it–yep, great with butter toasted.  How about a melted grilled cheese?  Yes!  Turkey and cheese?  Yes, please.  It just works.   Try some for yourself, or to give away.  You will love it.

Rosemary Raisin No Knead

Ingredients

  • 3 3/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 Tablespoon salt I use Morton kosher salt
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon yeast heaping
  • 2 cups water warm is best but not above 110 degrees F
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary chopped
  • Cornmeal, flour, or rice flour for dusting

Instructions

  1. First, roughly chop the raisins and add them to the warm water with the honey and let it steep for a few minutes while you prepare the dry ingredients. 

  2. Next, mix the flour, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. You want a lot of room, as the dough will rise quite a bit.  Stir in the finely chopped rosemary. Once it is thoroughly mixed, pour in the water/honey/raisin mixture and stir into a shaggy mess. Cover with plastic wrap, or a non-airtight lid and let sit for 18-24 hours.

  3. Generously flour a board or your hands and form the dough into a rounded mass or ball.  You will have varying degrees of success here, depending on how wet your dough is at this point.  It does not need to be perfect at all.  

  4. Transfer the ball to either your desired proofing vessel--I find the board I just made it on just fine if I am not going to use a pizza peel, proofing basket or parchment sling (long parchment you will plop into your hot dutch oven later)--or leave to proof on the floured board you shaped it on.  Other than the parchment, you should make sure that whatever you choose is well floured to avoid sticking when you transfer it after proofing.  Your dough now needs to rise until it is about double in size. I find 1-2 hours is about right. I can usually make it closer to 1 hour if I let it rise near my preheating oven.  Don't fret if it doesn't completely double.  If you had a long good first rise, you are going to be fine.

  5. Preheat your oven to 450 for at least 45 minutes to an hour with your covered dutch oven in the oven so its scorching hot. Oh so carefully, take your dutch oven out, and remove the lid. Next is the trick. Either lower the parchment paper with the dough directly into the dutch oven or use your hands or pizza peel to get your dough into the dutch oven. It will not look pretty or straight in the pan. You won’t get it centered, or it will hit part of the side and stick, etc. Just scooch it down as best you can with a wooden spoon or spatula. It will look great when done. Promise. If you are rising in a bread basket for an effect, you will want to flip it upside down out of the basket onto a parchment sheet, or your hands and carefully lower into your pan so the floured rings are facing up.

  6. Score your bread if you can. You can buy a fancy tool, you can use a sharp floured knife or you can use scissors. It will help your bread rise better. Then into the hot oven with the lid on and bake for about 30 minutes before removing the lid and returning it to bake for about another 15-20 minutes. You are looking for a beautiful golden loaf and when you tip it out of the dutch oven and thump the bottom, it should sound hollow. I often use my instant digital thermometer to check to make sure it is done. You are looking for bread to be between 205-210 degrees F.

  7. Cool your bread at least 20 minutes.  Longer is better.  If you cut into it too soon, it will seem gummy.  You really must wait.  Then slice and dig in!