My dough didn’t rise.
- No knead dough doesn’t rise like standard yeast breads, it only puffs up and gets bubbly. It will be a little bigger after the resting time but don’t look for a much larger volume.
- Your yeast may not be fresh and should not be used past the expiration date. Even with a good expiration date, yeast has a short shelf life once a package is opened. Even with the small packets, once it’s opened, yeast should be tightly sealed and kept in the freezer, not refrigerated.
- Your water may have been the wrong temperature. For the faster method, hot tap water is usually around 125 to 130°F. Anything hotter than that is too hot. And boiling water is definitely out. For the overnight method, cold to room temperature water works.
- You changed the recipe. It’s best to follow the recipe exactly for the first time. That way you know it works. Don’t change the recipe the first time, paying attention to every detail. You can get creative later on.
My dough was too dry.
- You did not aerate your flour before measuring. Flour always settles in the bag or container and must be aerated before measuring; otherwise, you will be using too much flour. To aerate flour, using a large spoon or spatula, stir the flour around to incorporate some air.
- You measured the flour incorrectly. To measure flour, use a flat-topped measuring cup, gently spoon the aerated flour into the cup until it’s mounded above the rim and level off the excess with the back of a knife. Do not tap the cup or the container of flour.
- You changed the recipe.
My dough was too runny.
- You used too much liquid or not enough flour. Use a cup specific for measuring liquids, have it on a flat surface and view it at eye level to make sure your liquid is at the correct line.
- You sifted the flour before measuring, which would cause you to use less flour than required.
- You changed the recipe.
My bread wasn’t cooked inside.
- Your oven (and pot) were not preheated long enough. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven has reached 450°F. It can take over half an hour.
- You sliced it too soon. After bread is removed from the oven, it will continue to cook inside. It’s best to let it cool completely before slicing (I know it’s hard to wait!)
Can I make it with Gluten-Free flour?
- Well…. you can make it with gluten free flour but you may not like it. I tried it and the loaf was smaller and more dense and chewy, without the traditional big holes and it didn’t taste anything like the original recipe. I tried it once but nobody wanted to eat it.
I don’t have a Dutch oven.
I have only made this bread in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven (Le Creuset) so I can not recommend something I have not tried. By doing a little research and reading through the comments here, people say they have used:
- a glass pyrex dish with a lid
- a stainless steel pot with a lid
- a clay baker
- a springform pan with an aluminum foil top
- a pizza stone with a stainless steel bowl cover
- a black cast iron pot with a lid
Keep in mind that any lid must be tight fitting because you need to create steam inside the pot and the lid should have an oven-proof handle (not plastic). Your pot will need to hold at least 3 quarts but 5 to 6 quarts is most common.
Doesn’t hot water kill the yeast?
No. Hot water does not kill yeast. Today’s yeast is more sturdy and accommodating than years ago and can tolerate water or liquid up to 130°F. The killing point for yeast is 140°F. (average tap water comes out at about 120-125°F – my tap water is 127°F)
Parchment paper: Parchment stuck? Don't have parchment paper?
If your parchment paper stuck it’s from using an inferior brand. Reynolds brand will never stick. If you can not get Reynolds brand you need something to lift the dough and place it in the Dutch oven. You can try using a well floured kitchen towel to transfer the dough, letting the dough roll off the towel into the hot pot. Do not leave the towel in the pot, only use it as a means of lifting the dough. Do NOT use wax paper in a hot oven. It will melt onto the bread and it will be ruined. I don’t use a towel because my dough always sticks to the towel. Parchment paper makes the job super easy but inferior papers can stick. I always use Reynolds brand – it never sticks.
How Do You Aerate Flour?
Flour must be aerated before measuring because it often settles in the bag or container making it heavy and compact, resulting in too much flour being measured. Aerating basically means fluffing it up and is not the same as sifting. Flour should not be sifted before measuring unless the recipe states to do so. Otherwise sifting will result in too little flour being measured.
If you dip into flour without aerating, you will be getting too much flour and your dough will be too dry. To aerate flour you simply stir it around with a spoon before measuring. To measure, be sure to use a flat-topped dry measuring cup. You can see how I aerate flour in my Easy One Bowl Chocolate Cake video: https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/easy-one-bowl-chocolate-cake/
After aerating, there are two ways to measure the flour: 1) Scoop & Level – Gently scoop the flour up with a spoon and sprinkle it into your measuring cup until it’s mounded above the rim. Do not tap the cup or the container of flour. Finally, level off the excess flour with the back of a knife. 2) Dip & Level – Gently dip your measuring cup into the flour until it’s mounded above the rim and level off the excess flour with the back of a knife. A properly measured cup of flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces.
Have to say that skepticism almost got the better of me as the picture of the finished masterpiece of a loaf couldn’t possibly be baked into existence following these simple instructions could it ????………. Opted for the Quick method and whoah ! what a surprise.
Only thing I strayed from was after the 3 hour rise time I rolled the Risen dough onto floured Parchment paper and folded it there and let it rest again before placing them together into the Dutch Oven. Also left the loaf in with Parchment paper after taking the lid off the cast iron Dutch Oven. This was done only due to the bottom of the loaf getting a bit dark. This is a great baseline recipe to build on and experiment from with different Flours and ingredients. Not a big proponent of overly processed flours so it will be interesting to see how far you can push the envelope with heavier less processed flours using this recipe.
The first cooking phase with the lid on is the secret here as its as close you can get to a wood fired or commercial grade oven heat level in your average home kitchen. Not to mention the optimum humidity retention. Ive thrown in the towel with conventional loaf pans, bread machines etc but lusted for results like this at home so this is great.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and use it often and it works great adding rosemary and herbs in the with the dry ingredients. Thanks SO much for posting this.
I do have a question for you. I have a batch on the counter right now but our plans changed so I am wondering if the dough will keep until tomorrow? If so should I put it in the fridge?
I’m 72. Never made bread in my life! Jenny, your recipe was unbelievable. I’m munching on a piece right now. I love bread. Yours is fantastic. Thank you.
I put mine back in for the second cooking on the parchment paper only and directly on the oven rack NO POT. Returning it to the pot over cooks the bottom of the bread.
Jenny, you are so darn cute!! My husband found you first looking for a good rib recipe. We both watch it a few times to get it right but giggled how sweet and down to earth you are. I just found you again watching your easy bread recipe. I can’t wait to try it. I love good balsamic vinegar with bread. Thanks for the great videos. You’re a gem.
For me, I liked the overnight recipe. I mixed it with the cold water in the evening, then covered till morning. Then I let it rise again for 45 minutes in the baking pan, then stuck it in the oven and we had fresh home baked bread with breakfast:)
YUM……. Great bread. Very easy. My Dutch oven is large so I 1 1/2 times the recipe. Awesome. Would make 4 really good soup bowls if baked as such.
Wow! I was a tad skeptical but …. this bread is delicious and oh so easy. I followed the recipe exactly (well, I did add some garlic) and even though I thought it wasn’t “wet” enough, I followed Jenny’s advice and kept going. It was perfect!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Jenny, this bread is so easy, so natural, just AWE-SOME! ….marry me?
Jenny: I had never tried to bake bread until I saw your video on no knead bread. This is incredibly easy and tastes fantastic! It goes great with a homemade soup or stew. To paraphrase the great Canadian comedian Red Green, “If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least know you can cook.”
Such a great bread! Crusty and delicious! It’s now my favorite.
Just polished off the first slice from an amazing recipe. Although this is not a new recipe, the very best take-away is that you don’t have to leave it over night. In just a couple of hours, I can have fresh bread. THANK YOU JENNY!
Hi Jenny,
I tried your no-knead artisan bread today, after I viewed your YouTube video. It was a success. It was crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. I smeared a slice with butter and I thought I was in heaven! I will make this more often because it is SOOOO simple and good!!
I made it today – terrific !!!!!
My first shot at making bread from scratch and not the pre-bake frozen kind. It came out great for an 85 year old guy! (Bottom crust was a little hard.) My wife and I enjoyed it last evening with some home made beef stew that I made too.
PS- I’m not the main cook, just a dabbler!
I watched your video of no knead bread and I baked it it came out really really good thank you so much
I watched your video of no knead bread and I baked it it came out really really good thank you so much
Hey, Jenny
Has anyone tried this with Gluten Free flour and Xanthan Gum? I have a sensitivity to wheat flour
Making this recipe today for something different! I love baking breads. I followed directions….except 😉I used 1/2 tsp yeast and a 1 big Tbsp raw honey. I used my oblong corningware with the gass lid and a corningware round inside of it. It’s working perfect! It raised super nice. I just gave away my pretty enamal cast iron. It was too heavy on my oven racks and just heavy to use. Thanks for the recipe, easy and yummy.
This bread is awesome!! I have made it 4 times in the last two weeks and all my family raves about it. It is so easy to make and so good to eat!! Thanks Jenny for sharing your recipes!
I’m not sure why this works for anyone.
I tried it twice and found that there is not enough liquid for the flour. Did you follow exactly?
Yes, I follow it exactly and the dough is plenty wet. The only thing I can think of is that maybe you need to stir your flour first to loosen it up. If the flour isn’t stirred up first, it packs tight, potentially adding a lot more flour than the recipe intended. Hope this helps!
Please look at the FAQs. It sounds like you did not aerate your flour.
I weigh my flour. Just to be on the safe side. Turns out every time. Super yummy, easy bread. So happy I found your site
WOW!
This is the first bread I have ever made and I’m
60 years young.
So Easy to make. So delicious. All you knead
is butter. This recipe is a definite Do Over.
Thank you
OMG, I made this today. Did not rise like it was suppose to, but I read the trouble shooting section, turns out my water was way too hot. It was still amazing. Spread butter on a hot piece and I was in heaven.
I made this today and it is delicious. Yeast intimidates me, but I will this was easy peasy. I will be making more of your recipes. Thanks
other speedy no knead bread recipes used a packet which is 2 1/4 teaspoon. you used 1/4 teaspoon yeast. that seems quiet a difference. Which works better?
Just made this, and 1/4 teaspoon of yeast works. Looks and smells amazing!
Jenny, Just watched the fast bread recipe. I would like to know what the brand of Oven Gloves you are wearing that you dyed pink! They look like they fit well and are made with good quality. thank you so much. I love your shows.
Oops. Is it too late to fix dough that’s too dry because I didn’t aerate flour? Can I sprinkle some warm water on the dry/ish dough shreds in the bowl?
I thought aerate meant “sift.” How do you aerate flour? And, why is this necessary? I sifted my flour last time and it came out great!
https://www.jennycancook.com/flour-basics/
What if I don’t have a Dutch oven pot and don’t wish to buy one? Can I use a pot without a lid? Or just put it on a baking sheet? Thank you!
If your pot is oven safe up to 450 ° people do substitute ,baking pans or pizza stones to cover the pot. I read one cook used a ceramic pot from a store cooker covered with a baking pan and had success.
Would love to make sourdough rye bread using this recipe. Could you please tell me how to make it.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the recipe! It was easy enough to get my kids interested in breadmaking! I’m wondering when you think is the best time to add in fresh rosemary or caramelized onions. Do you recommend doing it after the 3hr period? Thanks, and Happy New Year!
I add all my additions in the beginning when I first put the ingredients together.
This is the second time I made this bread for a holiday party and it was spectacular! Thank you for this wonderful never-fail recipe!
Jenny Jenny Jenny! I have never made bread in my life (I’m a mature women). I made this recipe today exactly as you described and IT IS AMAZING. Just in time to pump out a few loaves for Christmas!!! Thanks for the recipe and the excellent video.
First time making this recipe — so good! Now trying to decide what to bake next since they all look so good and easy! Love your videos!
Thank you Jenny! Your recipe turned out perfectly. Exactly as described. This is on my top 10 list of bread recipes! Wonderful texture and taste. Very easy. Looks like an artisan loaf of bread that you purchased at the bakery!
I obviously did not aerate the flour the right way as the dough was very dry
How does one incorporate whole wheat flour? Measure the same? Can you use flax meal as part of the measured flour?
I have made this bread several times and did nothing to the flour. I don’t even know how aerate flour. It always turns out perfect!
Hi Jenny! This recipe is flawless and so easy! I never tried baking bread until I saw this video! Bread making seemed dauting. Not anymore!
In the video, a popup comes on that says to aerate the flower before measuring. Why? Aerate means to sift it. Since you don’t, I won’t bother.
Can’t wait to try different variations! Much love and happy New Year!
I used whole grain Spelt flour and added a tablespoon or flax meal and it required a little more water then what the recipe calls for. Flax meal will thicken up and absorb the water so just add a little more water at a time until the dough looks liken Jens consistency. When I made it before using white Spelt flour the recipe needed no adjustment. So there is a difference between Whole Grain and white flour and also if you add Flax meal.
Perfect and super easy! I whipped up the dough on my lunch break and baked some bread after work. So easy! It came out looking exactly like the picture!!
Jenny: I have made your “no knead” bread several times, added different herbs, aromatics etc, always a hit, people love it. I’m curious about adding another ingredient ( actually two). Plan on using the same trusted recipe and add sliced jalapeños and cheddar cheese. I assume this will work for the same 3 hour proof and 35 min second rise if you will. My oven heats up really fast, providing I leave the convection fan off. Just thought I’d try a twist, your input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ken
Jenny – I just did that yesterday! I added 2 cups cheddar cheese and 2 diced jalapenos and the bottom 1/2 inch was a little sticky! But the top was flavorful and awesome! Should I have decreased the water or increased the yeast or something else?
I’m not sure but I think you would decrease the water because you are adding moisture in the cheese and peppers. If that doesn’t work, I suggest using less cheese and peppers as they will weight down the dough.
First timer makng bread. Big flop. Did not rise. Yeast had a Dec 2019 date. MAybe water too hot. Not sure if I will try it again. Disappointed
You should find some help here: https://www.jennycancook.com/no-knead-bread-questions/
Do NOT give up worth the effort. Check date on yeast, hot water from tap, then microwave 30 sec
I bought a cheap digital thermometer from ace and check for something close to 125 to 127 deg.
Give it another try.
Jenny
hot tap water isn’t always clean, so I always use filtered water slightly heated.
nachodon
Jenny,
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I have been trying for the last 5 years to make a decent loaf of artisan style bread, this recipe has not failed me. The bread is perfect and consistent. Forever grateful!
XXO
Yours and every similar recipe I see online uses too much salt. I used only a quarter teaspoon. Often, I use no salt in bread. But the amount of salt you use will curtail the action of the yeast and isn’t needed for flavor.
So, why does this recipe come out great each and every time, with this amount of salt? I love it and it does not stop the yeast from rising.
Have you tried making it?
I couldn’t see how this would work with 1/4 tsp yeast but had to try once I saw it come out of your oven. Made it today & it was great! So easy too – easiest bread ever. I just bought my daughter a bread machine for Christmas but now I’ll have to tell her she doesn’t really need it!
I made your wonderful bread recipe yesterday with all purpose flour and I ate the whole thing!! So today I tried the whole wheat but it looks so great. I love the crustyness and it does taste like sour dough.
Thank you so much! I will be making your recipe for a long time.
Patsy
Good Afternoon ! Jenny ! ! I have no idea how that I came across this recipe and your site – I was just surfing. I am not a cook or baker, but I have made some good beer bread before sooo I thought I would watch you and the clip – recipe presentation. It was super great – the bread looks just fantastic (I really like crunchiness), and I am sure it was exceptional in taste. However what was just as or More Interesting, fun to listen to, and easy on the eyes was YOU !!!! You are exceptional Young Lady 🙂 ……………….
Made this bread today (3 hour version), it is now on the counter cooling, and I’ve got my butter waiting….m
Can I substitute sourdough starter for yeast and make this a sourdough bread?
Sarah – I don’t think it would work with sourdough starter for a couple of reasons. First, I would worry that water at 130F would kill the starter. Second, sourdough starter is very slow to rise, so 3 hours wouldn’t be nearly enough time to proof the dough using the sourdough starter. It might work ok for the overnight version. You could try adding the yeast as well as the sourdough starter, for some insurance, but be careful that the water temp isn’t over 110F or so.
Sarah
I don’t know, but I think sourdough starter is a portion of flour and yeast. If you mix it with more flour it might not have enough yeast in it and you might have to add more’
good luck
nachodon
Jenny, from the very 1st time I made this, it was a hit. I still make it on those days (few) that are cold and make a soup. It always comes out perfect. The crust is so hard and I just wish that could be a bit softer. The other recipes for bread that are good and have a softer crust always take much longer to rise. So that is the beauty in this… rise time minimal. Nothing like hot bread!
The crust was a bit too hard for my taste as well, so I simply put the dutch oven lid back on for a few minutes after I took the bread out of the oven and the steam softened it a bit. I will continue to experiment to find that sweet spot of crunchy, but not too hard. Love the simplicity of this bread!
Jenny, this is the first recipe of yours that I have tried….twice. Your video of this recipe was very appealing for obvious reasons. I am not a novice in the kitchen, but I have had miserable failures both times I have attempted this. I followed your recipe to a T, all ingredients fresh, watched the video several times, and still …a bomb.
Sorry, but I have wasted enough time and ingredients. I won’t risk trying another of your recipes.
Don’t give up. Look at the FAQs and you will find a reason why it failed. https://www.jennycancook.com/no-knead-bread-questions/ (I suspect it’s either improperly stored yeast or too hot water.)
I have read of your troubles making this bread…either. 1) your yeast didn’t take…
Or 2) the water wasn’t hot enough to activate the yeast…or 3) you might have altitude issues where you are and need to adjust the recipe or 4) the dough wasn’t in a warm enough place to rise.i use water run through the coffeemaker to get the right temp and let it rise in the oven
Agreed, except this recipe requires a cool or room temperature rise and not in a warm spot.
If your yeast is old or the water is too hot it will not work. To find if the yeast is old add a little sprinkle to warm water with a sprinkle of sugar. If it activates it’s still fresh. If the waters too too hot,it’ll kill the yeast.
Lynn
The temperature of the water should be lukewarm 110 to 115 This may be why it didn’t work. please try again with lukewarm water.
nachodon
This turned out incredible even though my husband started preheating the oven while the dough was rising inside! Some of it got cooked but I was able to rescue the rest and proofed it according to your recipe. I made 4 times the quantity and made two big loaves for thanksgiving. A big hit!
(I used to use Jim Lahey’s recipe but forgot to start the night before so used this and it was as good if not better.)
I just made this for our Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out perfectly! The only thing I did differently was to let it rise overnight. I was just too tired last night to stay up and finish the baking 😊
Jenny I love the quick crusted bread and it always comes out awesome. My children and I are gluten sensitive and I tried making this same recipe with Rob Red all purpose gluten free flour and I added chia seeds in warm water to gel and vinegar. It cooked flat. Could you try making this delicious bread gluten free then post?
I tried. Please see the FAQs.
Can I use measure for measure flour, as I am gluten senistive….I miss a good bread.
My family is gluten sensitive also. I use Einkorn all purpose flour and we make bread with it and have no digestive problems.
Have you ever added some toasted sesame or sunflower seeds to this recipe and, if so, did you like the results?
I just checked the date and it has been a year since I started using this recipe. Verdict – ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! I have even made up the dough in the morning before work and when I get home – pop it in the oven! Done – fresh, wonderful bread! Especially great on these colder days.
Hi Jenny,
love your videos and personality:)
I would like to bake bread – trying your recipe.
My question is a 7qt, dutch oven pot to big or can I use it?
Thanks from Canada
Karsten
I find that my breads tend to spread out & flatten in a larger pot, so I’m buying a 5 qt size which is what I believe Jenny is using.
… that was exactly where my question was leading to…
Hi Jenny, I’ve been looking at this recipe for the better part of a year, watching the video over and over (and talking about wanting to make this bread). I consider myself a good cook but I’m absolutely terrified when it comes to baking. I have zero experience with any kind of dough. Having said that I bought King Arthur’s Artisan Bread Flour, Trader Joe’s Active Dry Yeast, tempted the warm water and started my dough roughly 4 hours ago (watching the video several more times). The dough sat well over 3 hours,on the (cool granite counter) house is at 68 degrees.
My dough does not seem to have risen at all and is not as loose as yours when you shook the bowl. Do I let it sit longer? Turn it out and let it trt to rise a 2nd time? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
This is addressed in my FAQs: “If you have followed my recipe exactly with no changes at all and it doesn’t look right before baking, don’t make adjustments to try to “fix” it. Trust the recipe, don’t change anything and continue as directed. You may be surprised that it turns out after all.” Good luck!
I was surprised, it’s absolutely wonderful and the crust is amazing! Can’t wait to make more, thank you, thank you! Love your enthusiasm 🙂
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I’ve always wanted to try to bake bread, but was intimidated. This made it easy…and oh man it was GOOD. I can’t deny, I was pretty proud of myself. I have a couple of questions, to make the next try even better:
The loaf was perfect 15 minutes out of the oven– crust was crispy and the inside was fluffy with perfect elasticity– but the next morning, when I used it for toast, it seemed dense and a bit grainy. Is there a way to make it lighter and airier? Per one of the comments here, I increased the instant yeast to 1 tsp and added 2 tsp of sugar. To store it, I wrapped the cooled loaf in a flour sack towel on the counter…maybe that was a mistake?
Also: I think the flavor would improve with a bit more salt. Would adding more ruin the loaf?
Jenny making bread is my total favorite thing to do I’m sad to say I really never heard of this concept before but I’m loving I’m trying it tomorrow the question for you is do you think it will work with gluten free flour
Please see my FAQs. https://www.jennycancook.com/no-knead-bread-questions/
My kid made this for his 3rd grade science project, using varying amounts of yeast (1/4, 1/2, & 1 tsp). All versions were delicious, but 1/2 tsp won the taste test. My kids love to make bread now, thanks!
I’ve made this bread a number of times and it’s always great
I have not made bread since my 20’s and am curious as the recipe says to add the yeast to the dry ingredients. I always remember adding water to the yeast/sugar to get “foamy” before mixing up the dough to set. I just want to make sure I’m understanding the instructions before I start.
Thanks (in advance)
Hey,I made this with whole wheat and rye flour and it turned out just fine!It is more like a rustic country bread…very dense and tasty!
I also have a rye no knead version as well. https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/no-knead-rye-bread/
Made this for the first time today…followed your directions exactly as written. Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! This will forever be my go-to for fresh baked bread. I can’t wait to make it again 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe! It looks just like your picture & tastes just like San Francisco’s bread ! I’ve made it several times and it turns out better every time ! Pop loved it. So glad I made it for him to taste. He passed away in January. He was my best taster. Thank you Jenny for sharing the love. Your natural beauty , humor & candidness is very refreshing.
Blessings always ~Silvana
I absolutely love this recipe! It looks just like your picture & tastes just like San Francisco’s bread ! I’ve made it several times and it turns out better every time ! Pop loved it. So glad I made it for him to taste. He passed away in January. He was my best taster. Thank you Jenny for sharing the love. Your natural beauty , humor & candidness is very refreshing.
Blessings always ~Silvana
I made this bread for my husband last night because it looked so good ! and it did not disappoint !! AT ALL!!! I was drooling !! HOWEVER I must have gluten free bread and I know that I cannot get the same loaf but I was wondering if anyone has been able to create a gluten free recipe concoction that is as simple as this recipe??? I thought i found something somewhere that it could be made gluten free but it just would be more flat which i would expect but I cannot find it now ! OMG this bread recipe is awesome ! Wish I found it years ago when I could eat gluten!
Found this on utube a week ago. Have already made 2 loaves and have shared your simple, fantastic recipe with bread-baking friends. SO good! Crispy crust, dense & soft interior – just the way I like it. And it’s devine when toasted too. Have another loaf doing first rise now but added some of my sourdough starter to see what happens (why not experiment a little?). I have an Emile Henry bread pot which works wonderfully! Next will be trying whole wheat. Not too good for the waistline, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? No way l’ll be giving this up, Jenny!
P S
I often make bread from white spelt flour. Next time I would increase the water by 1/3 C and increase the yeast to at least 1 tsp.
Dissappointing! I used white spelt flour, as you said other flours were ok and the recipe was forgiving…NOT! I have been sent to bread hell! First of all, following the video ( and not looking at the stuff below, I used “very hot water ” but not boiling…just off the boil. I used potato cooking water. And I mixed it up. It looked a lot stiffer than your dough, so I added 1/2 C more hot water. That looked about right. Then I followed the rest of the instructions exactly. Whoa! After 3 hrs there were NO bubbles like yours. But I soldiered on following orders to the letter. After 30 min. baking it looked like an anemic pancake. Now its in the oven for the last 10-20 min. My guests arrive in 30 min. Maybe I can slice it and rebake it as rusks. Or seaman’s biscuit? But it sure doesn’t look like yours or any bakery bread I ever saw. 🙁
Also, I noticed that you cut the “hot” loaf…as you claimed…wearing only one mitt…and there was no steam. Not nice to fool the public.
But your joke about forgiveness was funny. So I forgive you. 😀
You shouldn’t blame me for your failed recipe when you did not follow the recipe. I screened the video and never said other flours were okay, only that all purpose and bread flour would work.
The loaf I sliced was hot. Your suggestion that I am fooling the public is hurtful and not something I would ever do.
I don’t need your forgiveness but an apology would be nice.
Your guests arrive in 30 minutes and you have time to write this junk?
Go find another site to post your rude comments.
Exactlly my sentiment.
Your water was too hot and killed the yeast. I should should be no warmer than a baby’s formula.
Also spelt has very little gluten on its own so a TB of vital wheat gluten per cup is needed (be sure to delete that TB from your flour measurement.
Made this bread yesterday and took it to a party last night…. it was a real crowd pleaser!!
Thank you for the recipe.
I love your “NO Advertisement” site and have been recommending your site to my friends.
I made this bread last night and was pleasantly surprised at how easy this was to make. Thank you for this awesome recipe.
To your recipe I adjusted the ingredients. I used 1 packet yeast.2tsp sugar and 2 tsp powdered milk. . I then proceeded with you baking instructions. Turned out beautiful. Light and fluffy
I thought I followed directions. After 30 min, the bread looked just like your picture. I put it back in the dutch oven for 10 min and it browned up some but when I cut it the outside was crispy but the inside was pasty.
You may have just sliced it too soon. Please see the FAQs on this.