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A rustic loaf of no knead caraway bread in a copper pan.

High Altitude No Knead Bread (Rustic Artisan Boule)

Heather Smoke
The easiest no knead bread recipe, tested at high altitude. This bread has a crusty exterior and chewy interior, and can be customized with a variety of herbs and spices.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 15 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 55 minutes
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, French, Italian
Servings1 loaf

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet 10 or 12 inches

Ingredients
 

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour fluffed, spooned and leveled
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant/rapid rise yeast or active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 1 ½ tbsp caraway seeds (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups hot water, between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit

Instructions
 

Making the Dough

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and caraway seeds (or other herbs/spices of your choice). Add the water, and stir into a sticky, shaggy dough.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest, undisturbed, at room temperature for at least 12 hours, or overnight. The dough will rise and bubble up in the bowl, and may fall again.
    Baker's Note: You can even let the dough rest for up to one week, in the refrigerator. The longer the dough rests, the more of a tangy flavor it will develop, similar to sourdough bread.
  • When you're ready to bake your bread, place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and generously sprinkle the paper with flour. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl down and deflate the dough, then scrape it out of the bowl onto the floured parchment paper. Fold the dough over on itself 3-4 times, then shape it into a rustic ball, smooth side facing up. Lightly flour the top of the dough, then cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
    Baker's Note: If the dough is cold from the refrigerator, it may need to rest and warm up for several hours, prior to baking.

Baking the Bread

  • While the dough is resting, position a rack in the center of the oven and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a cast iron skillet on the center rack. Preheat the oven to 450 F, letting the cast iron skillet heat up for at least 30 minutes.
  • Place a metal pan, like a baking sheet or roasting pan, on the lower rack. Boil 2 cups of water to have ready on standby.
  • Using oven mitts, remove the skillet from the oven - the skillet will be very hot!! Grab onto the parchment paper to lift the dough, and set the paper and dough onto the skillet. Use a sharp paring knife or bread lame to slash the dough across the top, about 1/2 inch deep.
  • Pour the boiling water into the metal pan on the lower rack - this creates a burst of steam, which will contribute to the bread's crusty exterior. Immediately place the cast iron skillet on the center rack, and close the oven.
  • Bake the bread for about 40-45 minutes, until an instant read digital thermometer inserted into the bread reads 195 F. The bread will be a deep golden brown, with a crisp, crusty exterior.
  • Set the bread on a cooling rack, and let cool for several hours. Slice the bread with a sharp serrated bread knife, using a sawing motion to get through the exterior crust (since the bread is so crusty, an electric knife would make the job easier).
    Don't be tempted to cut the bread while it's hot from the oven, or you will ruin the texture, making it gummy. Be sure to cool the bread completely before storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Keyword Bread, High Altitude, No Knead
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