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This recipe changed my life! I bake all my bread now using a sourdough culture made from this recipe:
http://www.breadtopia.com/make-your-own-sourdough-starter/

The sourdough is only slightly trickier but well worth it and seems to work better with a shorter rise like your "quicker no-knead" above.

What is the difference, for this version, in using active dry vs. instant yeast? I do remember that the original Sullivan St. version said you could use either. I don't know enough about bread-baking to understand why the "quick" version would add the limitation.

Renata, I used regular yeast, so I wanted to write the recipe precisely how I made it. If you are using instant yeast I would use just a little less - perhaps 2/3 teaspoon.

See this FAQ on active vs. instant yeast:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/faqs/baking/yeast

I don't always proof the yeast in warm water, like they say you need to, though. I don't notice a difference in this particular recipe.

ooh...thanks for this. i tried the no-knead recipe several months ago. i'd bought regular yeast instead of instant and couldn't get an authoritative answer on how that would change the recipe. my bread didn't rise as much as i thought it probably should have, and i didn't know if it was because i'd used whole wheat flour or because of the regular yeast. it was a novel exercise, but i didn't enjoy the bread enough to make it a regular habit, especially with that long preparation factor. i'll try this recipe, with more white flour this time.

i notice this version doesn't fold the dough over a few times?

I love the no-knead bread recipe and have always had fabulous results to date.

Thanks so much for this - I have been making the no knead bread since it was in the paper, but have missed several opportunities due to the time restriction.
Am off to try your version!

i'm definitely going to give this a try.. once i receive a stainless steel knob for my le crueset! the darn plastic one it came with can only withstand temps as high as 375.

this sounds great, i will have to try the quicker version you suggested. thanks!

gleek - can you just unscrew the knob and remove it for now?

Also - I completely abdicate responsibility for anything bad that happens if you try this, but I just cover my plastic pot handles with foil when I put them in the oven. Hasn't seemed to hurt them so far...

Has anyone tried to add any flavors to this recipe (rosemary or garlic)?

Oh darn! Had I known of this quicker version before I would be enjoying bread right now, but no, there are still a good six hours of rising needed... Question: Why instant yeast in the longer version and regular yeast in the quick one?

Thanks for the temp recommendations. I've found that even at 210, the bread can still seem sticky, so try to get the bread higher than that.

I initially was stumped about a container to use to bake this bread, but I came up with a good solution.
Not having a large enough cast iron container, I used the ceramic liner for a crock pot to bake the bread. Since the crock pot has a plastic lid, which obviously (I think its obvious!) can't go in the oven, I just used a piece of aluminum foil to cover it. It worked like a charm.

A solution to the Le Cruset plastic knob-- just go to a hardware store and buy a metal drawer knob. It will be less than 5 dollars and is a perfect substitute. Looking forward to this bread, I've made the version from NY Times earlier this year, look forward to this one.

Im determined to buy a pot just to try this bread.

Made this recipe over the weekend and, oh man, it was good. Great recipe for someone, like myself, who has two young kids, and therefore not a lot of time for baking.

I'm also interested in tips for how to make the bread more flavorful with additions...

This recipe (or at the least, the longer no-knead recipe) does quite nicely with parmesan added while folding over and before proofing.

SleepyDweller, you probably already have a pot that would work! It doesn't -have- to be cast iron...

You guys are inspiring me! I see a homemade loaf in my future.

The crust on the loaf in this photo is gorgeous!

cweingarten and Kaz,
Over at A Year In Bread, we played around with the basic no-knead bread recipe last spring. I gave mine an Italiano makeover by mixing all of the ingredients I put in homemade Italian sausage into the dough: fresh parsley and oregano, basil pesto (instead of basil and garlic), fennel seeds, paprika, and onion powder. You can find my recipe (as well as a photo of one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever eaten) here:
http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2007/05/susan-no-knead-bread.html

My A Year In Bread partner, Beth, used the basic recipe to create a no-knead oatmeal toasting bread with cinnamon, sugar, and nuts: http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2007/04/beth-noknead-bread.html

I think the possibilities with no-knead bread are limited only by your imagination!

I've been making this bread for a little while. I usually make 2 batches at a time. Since I only have one Creuset pan, I make the second loaf in a large seasoned flour pot, placing a small piece of parchment paper over the hole to stop the dough from oozing through. I have a metal pan lid that happens to fit exactly. I think the flour pot loaf is a little better than the Creuset one.

As stated above, you can use any sort of pan. Until I got that Dutch oven I used my 4-quart heavy Calphalon soup pot. (I wrapped the handles in foil.)

Also, I used regular yeast instead of instant when I made this, so that's how I wrote the recipe.

Try this bread with Browned Butter - it makes everything taste even better!

What glorious color and such a welcome change from the burnt orange....

I have not made bread in years, but now I am excited that I am going to make bread for my grandchildren this weekend since one of their favorite foods is good bread.

So, what needs to be done differently to make this into sourdough and why is it trickier as someone noted.

I don't like it as much as the original, I have to admit.

On a side note, Aldi's is selling enameled cast iron cookware this week for $25 each piece. Locally, my store won't get them in for another couple of days but you can see them online here;

http://aldi.us/us/html/offers/2867_4409_ENU_HTML.htm

I already have a couple of DO's, so I'll be buying the lasagna pan and maybe the panini grill.

I love people's variations on no-knead breads. Check out my variation at http://red-icculus.com/?p=21

Would it be a problem to let this rise more than 8 hours?

I work for 8 hours, plus I commute, so starting it in the morning and finishing it at night just wouldn't work with this schedule. I'd prefer to let it rise a little longer...

I tried no-knead bread for the first time this weekend and it never rose...any trouble shooting suggestions?

So good. So good.

It will be a challenge to be this organized early in the morning. but a crispy crust might make it worthwhile. I think I'll try this. Thanks Emma. I hope you get this job--I'll keep returning to the web site if you do!

Why shouldn't it cause a craze? It's hot, warm, comforting, homemade...win-win.

Can you use a smaller pot? And divide the dough in half for two small loaves? I don't have a large enough Dutch oven.

I think the method described in "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" is superior to these NY times no-knead recipes.

takes less time and doesn't require a dutch oven. less mess too and i like the results better.

This no-knead recipe is remarkable and makes the most crusty light bread with no work whatsoever. First time making it, it turned out brilliantly.
You can see my results here.

You just have to get used to making the bread a day or two ahead.

this turned out amazing! I even ran out of regular flour and added a 1/3 c whole wheat...then I forgot the salt and added it halfway through, just on top...I added more yeast to make it a 4-hour rise...and it turned out GREAT! My very first GOOD loaf of bread, all thanks to a good recipe. Check out pics: sustainablediet.blogspot.com