Cranberry Sunflower Seed No-Knead Bread

ingredients

24 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 5 1/3 cups)
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) instant yeast
3 tsp. salt
19-1/2 oz. tepid water
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
3/4 cup unroasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal

Suggested variations: replace 1/2 cup of the cranberries with 1/2 cup raisins; toast the sunflower seeds lightly in the oven before adding for a nuttier flavour. I have experimented with adding whole-wheat or multigrain flours with this recipe and haven't had the best results, so I don't suggest it at this point. I think the secret is to add some wheat gluten when using whole grains, so I'll keep playing with it and update.

method

Blend the flour, yeast and salt together until thoroughly mixed. Add cranberries, sunflower seeds and oatmeal and blend into dry ingredients. Add water and thoroughly blend until all dry flour is incorporated (Dough should not be sticky. Add more flour if necessary). Cover and let sit in a warm (70 degree F), draft-free for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Dough will be noticeably stickier than it was at the beginning. Lightly sprinkle flour over dough while folding it over onto itself several times, sprinkling enough flour over it just to remove any stickiness. Form into a round-ish shape with any seam down.

Spray a large piece of parchment paper with cooking spray. Place dough onto parchment, sprinkle the top lightly with flour and cover with a clean tea towel. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise for 1 hour. (*I like to place it on top of my oven and I turn my oven on to preheat at that time. The ambient heat from the oven is the perfect warm spot.)

*Note about La Creuset Dutch Ovens - the handles are only safe in the oven to about 400 degrees. To avoid damaging your pot, remove the handle and fill the hole with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven. Better yet, invest in an inexpensive pot that you can devote to no-knead bread and not worry about it!)

30 Minutes into the rise period (30 minutes before baking) place an oven-proof Dutch oven (4 or 5 quart works well. The smaller the pot the higher the bread will be), with lid, into the oven to pre-heat at 450° F.. When the dough is ready, carefully (it's very hot!) remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the tea towel from the dough and grabbing the sides of the parchment paper, lift the dough and place over the Dutch oven. Using the sides of the parchment as handles, allow the dough and parchment to slide down into the Dutch oven. Once settled, give it a brief shake to settle it completely. If desired, use a very sharp knife to make one or two slashes in the top of the dough before cooking.

Replace the lid on the Dutch oven (it's ok if the parchment is sticking out) and place into the 450° oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and allow to cook from 10 to 20 minutes longer, until golden (watch it carefully as each loaf I make seems to take a different amount of time).

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and immediately lift the bread out using the parchment paper. Place on a cooling rack. Let stand a few minutes then carefully remove the parchment. Allow to cool before slicing.