Make Dough While You Sleep – Few Know This Crispy European Bread Recipe!, by Fast Easy Delicious on YouTube. 7 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes hands-on, plus over
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Pour 375 ml (1⅔ cups) lukewarm water into a large bowl and stir in 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) dry yeast until it dissolves.
Add 500 g (4 cups) bread flour, type 650, and 10 g (1 tablespoon) salt. Mix with a spoon for about a minute until no dry flour is left. The dough stays sticky.
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then put it in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
In the morning, dust your counter and the dough with flour. Turn the dough out and fold the edges toward the middle to form a round loaf. Do not knead it.
Set the loaf on a floured tray or parchment, cover it, and let it rest for 45 to 60 minutes while the oven heats to 210°C / 410°F.
Put a heatproof bowl of boiling water on the bottom of the oven for steam. Slide the loaf in and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden.
Lift the bread out with oven gloves and check that it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Tips and common mistakes
Use lukewarm water, not hot, because hot water can kill the yeast and stop the dough rising.
Wet your hands before shaping. The dough is meant to be sticky, so resist adding extra flour.
The bowl of boiling water creates steam, which gives the crust its crackle, so pour it in carefully.
Slice only after the loaf is fully cool, or the inside will turn gummy.
Questions
Can I leave the dough in the fridge longer than overnight?
Yes, up to about 24 hours. A longer cold rest gives a slightly more sour flavour and a looser dough.
Do I really not need to knead it?
No kneading is needed. The long rest in the fridge builds the gluten for you, which is why the loaf still rises well.
Can I use plain flour instead of bread flour?
You can, but bread flour type 650 gives a better rise and a chewier crumb, so start with that if you can.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
