I'll be interested to hear from the great bakers on this forum, lpinkmountain. I make some sourdough bread that has some leeway, but I'm not sure it has enough elbow room/would work with your schedule/sometimes persnickety. Let me know if you want me to post -- the process can go over 24 hours with some retarding in the fridge.

Sammy that no-knead bread sounds outstanding. A lot of flexibility, looks like some great crumb and your "it's SO EASY" description may inspire me to give this one a try!

Cathy in SWPA

You can make the dough and let it rise once. Punch down, shape into loaf and then freeze. When you are ready to bake just put in pan let it defrost and raise again. Then bake.

I have also held bread dough in the fridge for 24 hours. You make the dough and put in fridge. It will rise in the fridge. When you are ready to bake take it out of the fridge, punch down and put in pan and let rise again then bake. In fact I think when dough rises slowly in the fridge it gives the bread a better texture.

I have also made brown and serve rolls and froze them. I wonder if it would work on loaf bread? Something I am going to have to try.

As you can see I like the double rise for my bread.

I also only use my bread machine to make the dough. It is so much easier to let the bread machine do the work.

I have never been successful baking bread for some reason. Is Kingarther the best flour to use?

Looking at the comments on the link, it appears you can make a WW form of this bread. Yes/No?

I'm willing to give it one more try cause the crunchy breads in the store can gt VERY expensive! Also, I like to make things myself whenever possible. Nancy

I'm interested in how you manage to keep homemade bread from molding for that long without freezing it since it lackes (good thing) all the preservatives?

Nancyjane, I do make a whole wheat version of the no-knead bread, as well as the white flour version and one with some shredded cheddar added. They all start with dumping all the ingredients in a big bowl, stirring it and letting it sit on the counter for a period of time (from 2 to 18 hours, depending on the recipe). After that time you put the dough in the refrigerator and use it as you need it, I've kept it for 7 days. It does tend to develop a somewhat sourdough like flavor after 4 or 5 days, more sourdough the longer it is held. I do like King Arthur's recipes, I've not been steering wrong yet, plus they have a hot line to help if you run into a problem!

I also use my bread machine on the "dough" setting to to the kneading for me, then I shape the dough and bake it. My carpal tunnel issues making kneading bread just too painful, and so the Zojirush takes that job on for me and does it well.

I've also partially baked rolls, like the brown and serve type, and then baked them later. I keep bread dough in the freezer sometimes, but find that the yeast loses it's ability to raise well after a couple of months, so it can't be frozen indefinitely. I've made cinnamon rolls the night before, kept them in the refrigerator and baked them the next day. And, of course, AnnT's cream cheese danish dough requires a refrigerated rest before baking.

So, L, the answer is "sure you can".

Annie

You can keep bread dough in the refrigerator for easily 5 days. Why don't you try making half loaves? Just a little recipe....

As it is, with making just one loaf at a time, I often freeze half the loaf after it cools. We love bread, but eat it judiciously. Sometimes I take a few slices over to dad too. That's how I keep it. It stays on the counter for a day or two and then in the fridge. Still, towards the end of the loaf I am usually going to be the one eating if for toast, as opposed to SO who uses it for his daily sandwich. Just today he had a bit of a snit claiming there was no bread left, and there was easily three pieces, but he mangled it with the bread knife, (I think that is his payback for me making him eat old bread) and now it will be garlic bread tomorrow with clean-out-the-fridge minestrone.

I have tried bread with a biga/poolish but I have yet to really finesse that kind of bread. May have to try the no knead kind, that style of baking I have managed to avoid.

Finally had a chance to peruse the King Arthur Web site. I had a flirtation with that style of bread making, but no way do I ever have that kind of room in the fridge.

So, I'll go ahead and throw this out there for you, l pink. I've been making this bread for about a year now Open Crumb from Stiff Dough Trevor Jay Wilson provides a wealth of info in an encouraging way. He also isn't afraid to show a shredding "window pane" test on his instagram keeping it real:) A few things were a bit important at first. First, watch his
video -- his "kneading" technique is unique -- I cup/pull the dough up sides of the bowl because my hands are too small:) It really is easy. A scale. Last, I used a pizza stone to bake and just recently treated myself to a combo cooker. Both work.

Enough of all that. Here was a general schedule I used:

In the afternoon (up until about 8:00 pm) -- mix your predough (flours, water and salt) cover and put in refrigerator.

11:00 pm -- remove dough from refrigerator and set on counter (or, if you're like me in winter I put in my oven with light on) just to slowly get to room temp.

5:00 a.m. -- add your starter. *(or whenever you get up, adjust schedule accordingly)

5:10 a.m. -- "knead" and spin until it feels like playdough (a few minutes)

5:20 a.m. -- (as above)

5:30 a.m. -- (as above) I do this a third time while Trevor
only does twice. Both work

to be continued:)

Another stupid question, not being a baker. Does the bread hook on a Kitchen Aid do the kneading or just the mixing?

LPink, here is a link to the bread dough recipe I use.

Thibeault's Table Artisan Bread

I change it by changing the hydration. Makes a wonderful baguette/boules/ and pizza crust as well as focaccia.

I usually make two batches and leave them in the fridge from 1 to 5 days. Makes even better pizza crust on the 5th or even 6th day.

Whew! So glad Ann_t posted. I bet her recipe would work for you l pink, and provide the consistency of results you need for great bread when you're on a tough timetable with some other limitations. It's so hard to find time in busy schedules!

BTW, while I make my mom and daughter the bread I posted because it works with diabetes/sugar and FODMAP issues respectively, my dad can't eat it anymore because he has some dental problems and this bread tends to be on the chewier side. Laughable moment -- lotta mileage about eating Cathy's sourdough and checking you still have all your teeth HA! He gets potato rolls:)

Great pics and instructions, Ann, as always -- so important for the visual learners like me:)

Cathy in SWPA

nancyjane, I believe the dough hook does the kneading, but I've never used one. Kneading is the fun in making breads! (I'm reminded of the biscuit baking scene in 'Support Your Local Sheriff'. :)

lpink, do a search on '24 hour bread recipes' (or similar) and you'll get lots of hits where they do exactly what you want. And I agree with Annie that leaving the dough in the fridge can give it a little tang... I also think it can affect the texture, but never in a way I thought was negative. Very European to me.

SO is the primary bread consumer. For me it might as well be a candy bar - an occasional treat. I love chewy crusty bread. SO does not since he primarily eats bread in the form of his daily packed sandwich. The usual bread I make is a multi grain loaf. Mostly white flour but oatmeal or some other cooked cereal thrown in along with oat bran and some whole wheat.

Occasional treat -- Me too, lpink!

I thought this posted 3x HA! indication I am being WAY too long-winded when you need the word count of two posts:)7:30 and 9:30 a.m. -- fold

11:30 a.m. -- pre round

~ 12:30 -- Shape/proof

~ 4:00 p.m. -- preheat oven **

~ 4:30 p.m.-- Score and bake

His videos and instagram instructional. I"ve been retarding shaped
loaf for ~15 hours, baking directly from fridge in am/anticipating
summer.

* I usually refresh my starter around 8 p.m. or even later,
as I like it kind of young. ** Proofing times vary. My time is pretty consistent if I put this in the oven with light on.

Cathy in SWPA

PS If you want to some pictures, I have some LOL!
I've really made this seem more complicated than it is, and it's making me laugh:) Use Ann_T post

LPink, you can pretty much add or substitute other grains, flours, oatmeal extra for a portion of the white flour.