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No-Knead Cheese Garlic Bread

Crusty and chewy no-knead bread with garlic powder and cheddar cheese
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 5 inch round loaf
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour (210 gms)
  • 1 tsp instant yeast (I used BlueBird instant yeast; active dry yeast is not recommended)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 and 1/2 tsps garlic powder (or less if you prefer)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (113 gms)
  • 3/4 cup room temperature water (188 ml)
  • Extra flour for sprinkling as needed

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt and garlic powder. Then stir in the grated cheese.
  • Add the water and use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula (recommended) to bring the dough together. It will seem a little dry and shaggy looking at first, but it will turn into a soft and sticky mass in just a couple of minutes.
  • Shape the dough into a ball (doesn't have to be perfect) and let it remain in the bowl. Cover with clingfilm and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours, or until doubled.
  • Place the bowl, still covered, in the fridge overnight and up to 3 days. I usually let it chill for about 14 to 16 hours.
  • The next day, scrape the dough out of the bowl and place on a very lightly floured silicone baking mat. Shape the dough into a smooth ball with lightly floured fingers because the dough will still be sticky. I prefer a silicone mat here because it won't slide around as you shape the dough.
  • Loosely cover the dough with the same sheet of clingfilm and let it rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will puff up and spread a bit.
  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 250 C.
  • Uncover the dough and if it looks a little misshapen, use floured fingertips to nudge it back into shape. Use a sharp knife to make two long cuts along the top, forming a + sign. This step, called 'scoring', allows the dough to expand more evenly as the bread bakes.
  • Slide the mat onto a baking tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until browned on top and the smell is just irresistible!
  • Let the bread cool completely at room temperature, on a wire rack. As amazing as warm bread tastes, being patient actually helps create a better texture as it continues to bake as it cools. Slice and dig in! Will keep at room temperature for a day or two in an airtight tin but in humid weather, I prefer storing it in the fridge for a week and toasting as needed. Happy baking!

Notes

*Recipe based on Jim Lahey and Sally's Baking Addiction