No-Knead French Bread

This is a real workhorse dough–you can use it for amazing bread to eat with suppers or sandwiches, it makes a great pizza dough, hamburger or sandwich buns, or add a little extra sugar and it makes a great sweet roll base.

It uses ingredients you already have in your kitchen and requires minimal kneading, even if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Here are the ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 1/2 c warm water
• 2 1/2 t sugar
• 2 T dry yeast

Mix together in a small bowl and let set until frothy.

While the sponge sets, mix in a large bowl or in a stand mixer:

• 1 cup very hot (almost boiling) water
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T butter
• 2 t salt

Stir until butter is melted then add

1 c of cold water to cool mixture.

Add yeast mixture and 2 cups of all purpose flour. Gradually add in another 4-4 1/2 cups of flour, mixing well until a soft dough forms.

If you are using a stand mixer, let mix for 3-5 more minutes, then cover and let rise til doubled.

If you are mixing by hand, let dough rest for 5 minutes, then stir gently. Repeat every 10 minutes for the next 40 minutes.

For either method, continue as follows:

Turn out onto a floured surface and shape dough as desired. This batch will make 3-4 loaves of bread, or 16-20 hamburger buns.

Shape and let rise til doubled, then bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes for loaves of bread and 15-18 for buns.