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Jerzee, have already made the NY Times version several times and found it to be very good but I'm intrigued by the new Cook's Illustrated recipe with beer ( they use regular Budwieser ). I'll take you up on your call to arms and do the new version this weekend. Best of luck and I'll let you know how mine comes out by next Monday.

I just made my first loaf Monday after studying what others had to say on blog sites, etc., and was nervously figuring it would somehow flop for me. I was anticipating disaster because it didn't seem to rise like I expected it to. After letting it go for an initial 19 hour rise, then a 1 1/2 rise on floured parchment (tented over like they said), I plopped it into the very hot dutch oven (using the parchment to lift it - I think the CI article recommends that) and was impressed by the end result.

The crust is every bit as good as advertised. I waited exactly two hours before slicing into it, and found the inside to be a bit gummy in the center. The next loaf I'll wait even longer to slice, and am hoping that will alleviate the gumminess.

There's an interesting variation at http://blog.taodekitchen.com/index.php?s=no-knead+bread&submit=open that describes tinkering with the ingredients to get more flavor options.

If anyone has any other experience with the gumminess, I'd love to hear their solution. It was the only disappointment I found in this incredible bread. (Though it may have been my impatience to get this bread in my mouth that was more the problem!)

I've made the Bittman (a ton of times), Hertzberg, and CI versions. I love Bittman's and also feel that the CI version doesn't really elevate the original that much. The Hertzberg "5 minute artisan bread" recipe was just "ok" on day 1 (it is stored in the fridge and baked as needed) and pretty good on day 8. His method uses a lot more yeast than the others and you can taste it.

Here's a link to my review and a bit of banter between the author and I.

Dominic
the zen kitchen

dominic,

i just read your blog. i have a blob of dough left over from that bread. i stuck it in the freezer. if i can figure out which is bread dough and which is leftover pie dough from thanksgiving, i'll let it rest in the fridge for a week and bake it to see if it helps. i thought the original loaf i made was dull tasting, especially compared to the sullivan street loaf.

i haven't gotten my latest cook's, so haven't seen their article. but i'm anxious to make the bread again and use a mix of seeds on it.

I made the NYT bread twice this past weekend and I agree..the crust is great (I used cornmeal) and the inside tender. My only problem is how sticky the dough was while I worked with it. I worked on a Silpat with flour and still was struglgling to fold and form into a "ball". I was afraid of over-flouring in fear of a tougher bread. Am I doing something wrong or is this just the way it is?

I too finally tried the NYT bread recently. I had been reading the recipe all summer, never actually giving it a try. I'm not a very good baker. But, it worked fairly well. The inside was very gummy, as you say. I attributed it to the fact that I used some whole grain flour.

I tried again using the CI changes and wow! I'm shocked the response here is not good. I loved it! And I thought the changes were spot-on, producing the yeasty tasting bread I imagined the NYT recipe would be. It was still a bit gummy, but less so. And, gumminess and all, super delicious!

One suggestion: Bittman's follow-up comments to increase salt are right for the NYT recipe. But, that much salt in the CI recipe was too much.

I have some dough on the rise with grated cheddar in it. I'll let you know how it goes.

And if anyone knows a fix for the gumminess, please pass it on.

Thanks!

i fished the last bit of dough from the five minute artisan bread out of the freezer and let it sit in the fridge for a few days. i baked it yesterday and can report that the extra aging worked a miraculous change. the taste was complex and a bit tart, the crust was crisp and delicate, and the inside crumb was full of holes and chewy. it made spectacular toast. i think what i'll do from now on is mix up a batch and age it for a while before baking. i actually preferred this one to the sullivan street loaf.

No Knead bread is a metaphor for getting into heaven -- it's a lot easier than the high-priests say it is.
I've baked for years according to the rules (there are a lot if them, aren't there), then tried the Lahey method. Except that I kept eliminating steps. Now I do this:
Mix the flour (4 cups), water (2 cups) (cold), 1/4 c starter or 1/4 t instant yeast or 1/2 t Active yeast, 2 t salt. Do this between 3 pm to 8 pm - it will take about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it on the counter.
After anything from 10 to 20 hours, I use a rubber spatula to pull the sticky, holey mess off the sides of the bowl and push/pour it into a covered baking dish (with a shot of Pam to keep from sticking). I have both the clay and ceramic types - no difference. Don't fuss with it much, just get it in there. Put the cover on. Skip the floured cloth and shaping/resting stuff.
Put in a cold or hot oven. If cold, bake at 475 for 40 minutes, then 10 minutes with lid off at 400. Or leave the lid on and baking for 50 minutes/475 degree total. Cool on a rack.
The crust will be chewy and the interior more moist and chewy than store bread (but fully cooked) - that's the way I like it. Lots of holes.
I've used 1 c beer, replacing 1 c water, and added 1 c of 1/4 inch cheddar cheese cubes. Add when you first mix everything.
And I've added 1 c of the cheap parmesan cheese, 1 T of italian spices, 4 cloves of roasted garlic.
This system has lots of forgiveness. And it's soooo simple. I make two batches in the evening in different mixing bowls (ten minutes), then bake in the morning (about 50 minutes including cleanup).
I'm about to start with the Hertzberg method. This is fun finding the real basic to MAKING BREAD; lots of room to play and try to achieve different flavors by tweaking the approaches. And it's GREAT not having so many rules to follow :-)