Recipe · No-Knead Loaf · Overnight
82% Hydration Overnight No-Knead Loaf
No-knead bread proves that time replaces effort. A wet dough, twelve to eighteen hours on the counter, no folding, no shaping beyond a quick form, and a Dutch oven hot enough to give it a real crust.
Total time
14 hours
Active
75 minutes
Hydration
82%
Difficulty
⌬○○
At 82% hydration, the dough barely holds its own shape. The reward is dramatic: large irregular holes, a crisp blistered crust, and the flavor that comes from very wet doughs that have spent a long time fermenting. The cost is technique.
The overnight schedule is the home baker's standard. Mix in the evening, cold-ferment in the refrigerator overnight, shape and bake the next morning. Flavor improves dramatically with time, and the schedule fits a normal life.
Ingredients
1000g total dough. Yields 1 round loaf, ~900g baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 543 g | 100% |
| Water | 445 g | 82% |
| Salt | 10.9 g | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 1.6 g | 0.3% |
Schedule
- Day 1, 6:00 PMMix flour and water. Autolyse 30 minutes.
- Day 1, 6:30 PMAdd yeast and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Day 1, 7:00 PMStretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
- Day 1, 9:00 PMBulk ferment 1-2 more hours at room temperature.
- Day 1, 10:30 PMShape into a tight boule, place seam-up in a floured banneton. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2, 7:00 AMPull from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven and Dutch oven to bake temperature.
- Day 2, 8:00 AMScore the loaf. Bake at 475°F covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 20 more minutes.
Method tips for this style
Mix until the flour is just hydrated, cover, and walk away for 12 to 18 hours. When you return, the dough should be wet and sticky, dotted with bubbles. Shape gently on a floured surface, rest, and bake covered in a Dutch oven.
What to expect
A genuinely open, irregular crumb with a glossy interior and a thin crisp crust. The overnight cold ferment adds depth without the time commitment of a multi-day schedule.
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