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Easy No-Knead Harvest Bread

Prepare to be wowed by Easy No-Knead Harvest Bread; a delicious loaf that's hearty, nutty, chewy and slightly sweet. It comes together with a hands-on time of 15 minutes and an overnight or all-day rise.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
resting and rising time10 hours
Total Time11 hours 5 minutes
Course: bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread flour, candied pecans, dried cranberries, easy bread recipe, golden raisins, King Arthur Flour, no knead bread recipe, whole wheat flour
Servings: 1 loaf

Equipment

  • 4 - 6 quart Dutch oven with lid or 9" to 10" round lidded baking crock

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups King Arthur Bread Flour Unbleached Bread Flour
  • 1 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
  • 2 teaspoons table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 3/4 cups water cool, 68 to 72 degrees
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

  • Measure flour it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
  • Mix the flours, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl.
  • Stir to bring the sticky dough together, making sure to incorporate all of the flour.
  • Work in the fruit and nuts with your hands.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 8 hours; it'll become bubbly and rise quite a bit, so use a large bowl.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form into a log or round loaf to fit your 14" to 15" long lidded stoneware baker; 9" x 12" oval deep casserole dish with cover; or 9" to 10" round lidded baking crock or 4 - 6 quart Dutch oven.
  • Place the dough in the lightly greased pan, smooth side up.
    If using a Dutch oven, use a piece of parchment paper to transfer dough to place inside, no greased pan needed.
  • Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until it's become puffy. It should rise noticeably, but it's not a real high-riser.
  • Using a sharp knife or lame, slash the bread in a crosshatch pattern. Place the lid on the pan, and put the bread in the cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 450°F.
  • Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes (start the timer when you place the bread into the cold oven). Remove the lid and continue to bake for another 5 to 15 minutes, until it's deep brown in color, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F.
  • Remove the bread from the oven. Lift bread using edges of parchment paper and transfer it onto a wire rack, and cool completely before slicing.
  • Store the bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Notes

  • Bake in a ceramic bread crock, covered clay baker or Dutch oven.
  • For accurate measuring of flour, fluff your flour from the canister or bag and then spoon into your measuring cup so it’s overflowing, then level off with the edge of a knife. Scooping flour directly from the bag or canister will yield a heavier cup and larger amount that can negatively affect your recipes.
  • Walnuts sometimes give this bread a faint purple tinge. If this bothers you, use pecans instead.
  • The water should be about room temperature, anywhere from 68 to 72 degrees, approximately. The idea is that since this dough is going to rest for quite a while at room temperature, you want the water to be slightly cooler than what you'd usually use to help keep the fermentation nice and slow; warmer water will likely cause the dough to overproof at the suggested length of time.
  • The knob on the lid of your Dutch oven often has a heat limit below 400 F. Simply twist off the knob and bake without it, or use a metal knob if you're uncertain to avoid cracking the knob in the oven. There are inexpensive replacement metal knobs on Amazon that are compatible with Le Creuset, Aldi, Lodge, and other enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens, HERE.
  • The overnight time frame is 12 hours at most. If you need to extend that time, after the first 3 hours of the rising, you can refrigerate overnight and in the morning take it out and continue the rise.
  • Exposed fruit and nuts on the surface of the dough has a tendency to burn. To prevent burning, poke any exposed fruit or nuts down in the loaf prior to baking. Alternatively, soak dried fruit and nuts in warm water 10 - 15 minutes, draining off excess water before mixing in dough.
  • If you’re allergic to nuts, substitute raw pepitas or sunflower seeds or combination or omit.