Crusty Cranberry Bread With Caramel Almonds Almost No Knead Recipes

CRUSTY CRANBERRY BREAD WITH CARAMEL ALMONDS (ALMOST NO KNEAD)

Steps:

• For the caramel almonds: In a nonstick saucepan heat the ingredients for the caramel almonds over med. high heat for about 8 min until thick and bubbly. Spread out on a non stick pan, and cool in the fridge. Once cool seperate into little pieces and leave at room temperature.
• For the dough: In a VERY large bowl add the yeast, then the water, flour, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well until all the flour has been incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap (sprayed with butter spray). Set in a warm area to rise for 2 hours (I turn my oven to warm for 3 minutes, turn it off, and then put my dough to rise in there. Just make sure it's not too hot.).
• When the dough has risen, you may at this point put it in the fridge to use at a latter time or use now.
• When ready to use, cut away about 1/4 of the dough from the rest, and gently mix in a 1/4 of the cranberries and caramelized almonds, until well incorporated. Form into a ball by tucking the edges of dough under until it forms a tight ball.
• Place on a non stick pan (I like to use the non stick foil) and let it rise in a warm area for another 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees, with a shallow metal pan on the bottom rack. Mix together the topping ingredients.
• Once the dough has risen, top off with 1/4 of the topping and place on the middle rack. Before closing the door, toss the 1 cup of hot water into the metal pan, closing the door quickly to trap the steam. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD RECIPE -- NO KNEAD & CAST IRON COOKED

Steps:

• Combine all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir with rubber spatula. Add remaining water (and more) as needed until you have a thoroughly mixed, wet, sticky mass of dough. (The dough will be wet and will not form a ball.).
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 12 to 18 hours.
• After 12 to 18 hours have passed, your dough should be dotted with bubbles and more than doubled in size. (It may also have a strong alcohol smell to it, but don't mind that, it will burn off in the baking.) Dust wooden cutting board with bread flour and, using your plastic dough scrapers, scrape dough loose from sides of bowl and turn out onto board in one piece. Dough will be loose and sticky, but do not add more flour. Dust top lightly with flour and cover with clean cotton or linen tea towel (terry cloth will stick and leave lint on dough). Let dough rise for another 1 to 2 hours.
• About 30 minutes before second rise is complete, place your cast-iron pot (without lid) on rack positioned in lower third of oven (not at the very bottom). Heat oven to 475°F.
• Once oven has reached 475°, remove pot using heavy-duty potholders (be very careful at this stage - the pot and oven are extremely hot). Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon coarse cornmeal evenly over bottom of pot.
• Uncover dough and, using two plastic dough scrapers, shape dough into a ball by folding it over onto itself a few times. With scrapers, lift dough carefully and let it fall into preheated pot by slowly separating the scrapers. Dust top of dough with rolled oats. Cover pot and bake for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, remove cover from pot and continue baking for additional 15 minutes, or until loaf is browned, but not burned.
• Remove pot from oven. With sturdy wooden or metal spatula, pry loaf from pot and transfer to cooling rack. Do not slice bread for minimum of 1 hour - this cooling time completes the process and shouldn't be overlooked!

PUMPERNICKEL BREAD (NO-KNEAD)

Steps:

• Mixing and Storing the Dough: Note: If measuring flour rather than weighing, don't press down into the flour as you scoop it in with dry-ingredient measuring cups, By gently scooping up flour, then sweeping the top level with a knife or spatula.you willl get a more accurate measurement.
• In large plastic storage container (with lid) mix together the flours, yeast, cocoa and salt.
• Mix together water, coffee and molasses. Add the water mixture at once and mix with a wooden spoon.
• If mixing becomes too difficult to incorporate all the flour with the spoon, reach into the mixing bowl with very wet hands and press the mixture together. Note: kneading isn't necessary.
• When everything is uniformly moist without dry patches your mixing is complete. This should take only a few minutes. The dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.
• Cover with a lid (not airtight) that fits well on the container. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, or at least flattens on the top, about 2 hours, depending on the room's temperature and the initial water temperature. Longer rising times, up to about 5 hours, will not harm the result.
• You can use a portion of the dough anytime after this period. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than dough at room temperature. So the first time you try this method, it's best to refrigerate the dough overnight, or at least 3 hours, before shaping a loaf.
• The breads flavor improves with the retardation, so suggest you wait at least 24 hours before baking the first loaf! Dough may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days.
• BAKING (One 1-pouond loaf): With wet hands, pull up one end of the refrigerated dough. Using a serrated knife, cut off a 1-pound, or grapefruit-size, piece of dough.
• Without using flour, shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Form into an oval-shaped loaf.
• Place on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal (or on parchment paper); allow to rest for 40 minutes - 1 1/2 hours, varies with temperature of the kitchen. (The shorter the time, the denser the crumb.).
• Twenty minute before baking, place an empty cast-iron skillet or broiler tray on the bottom shelf and baking stone on center shelf; preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a pastry brush,, paint the top of the loaf with cornstarch wash, and sprinkle with caraway seeds. With a serrated bread knife, slash the top of the loaf with deep diagonal cuts. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.
• Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until firm (interior temperature should be 198 - 200 degrees). Note: Larger or smaller loaves will require an adjustment to the baking time. Allow to cool on a rack before cutting.

ALMOND-CRANBERRY QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Add all the ingredients (except the cranberries) to a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
• 2. Fold in the cranberries.
• 3. Pour batter into a sprayed 8.5"x4.5" loaf pan OR you can use 3 mini loaves (5-3/4"x3-1/4").
• 4. Sprinkle top with 2-3 Tbsp sliced almonds.
• 5. Bake 350* for approx 55 minutes until golden brown. (For mini loaves, bake approximately 40 minutes.)

EASY NO-KNEAD CHALLAH BREAD

Steps:

• Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter (or oil) with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (no airtight) food container.
• Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
• Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond 5 days, freeze in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Then allow the usual rest and rise time.
• On baking day, butter or grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, or a silicone mat. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• Divide the ball into thirds, using a dough scraper or knife. Roll the balls between your hands (or on a board), stretching, to form each into a long, thin rope. If the dough resists shaping, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again. Braid the ropes, starting from the center and working to one end. Turn the loaf over, rotate it, and braid from the center out to the remaining end. This produces a loaf with a more uniform thickness than when braided from end to end.
• Allow the bread to rest and rise on the prepared cookie sheet for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).
• Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F If you're not using a stone in the oven, 5 minutes is adequate. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds.
• Bake near the center of the oven for about 25 minutes. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. The challah is done when golden brown, and the braids near the center of the loaf offer resistance to pressure. Due to the fat in the dough, challah will not form a hard, crackling crust. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.