Everyone learned to bake bread during the pandemic—- except me. The main reason I did not is because I will typically make biscuits, cornbread, or yeast rolls if I want to make a bread so I just never got into it. That is, until I saw Jacques Pepin make it on social media… then I just had to try it.

This is Jacques’ No-Knead Bread recipe— with a slight change. I wrote the recipe while he was talking viewers through it in a video… the first time I made it, I followed his ingredients and instructions to the letter. The second time- and since then, I dissolved a teaspoon of honey in the water before adding it to the flour. I think it adds a nice, subtle flavor and gives the yeast a friend to play with.

I am absolutely addicted to this bread and the people I have gifted with it call it “that bread” as in - “when can we get some more of that bread?” I think you will like it and it is super easy. I might allow the dough to rise overnight in the fridge as Jacques often does but more often, I’ll bake it during the day so I’ll have leftovers to toast for breakfast.

Note- it has a beautifully crunchy top. If you wrap it (even hours later) with plastic wrap, the top will lose its crunch.

JACQUES PEPIN NO-KNEAD BREAD

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 3/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS:

In a glass bowl add flour, salt, and yeast. Whisk together to combine.

Add honey to warm water and stir to dissolve. Add to the flour mixture, combining with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof for 2 hours in a warm spot in your kitchen.

After 2 hours, the dough will have doubled and have some bubbles on the top. Use a spoon to punch down the dough.

Oil bottom, top, and sides of a 4-quart oven proof pan with a lid. (or you can line it with a piece of parchment paper- which is what I did)

Add the dough to the pan. Cover and allow to proof for 3 more hours at room temperature (or overnight in the refrigerator).

Preheat oven to 425 F˚ degrees.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes with the lid off.

Notes: Chef let his rest in the pan for 30 minutes before cutting. I did not as I wanted a hot slice right out of the oven. Also, this dough does not rise a lot and perhaps is not as beautiful as those domed sourdough loaves we all have seen on social media- it’s more like a peasant bread but it is so very good.