Almost No Knead Bread in a Cloche (covered heavy pot)
Based on: Cooks Illustrated, Jan/Feb 2008
2008-02-17 Chris Shenton

I tried the NY Times "no knead" bread a few months back and didn't
find it worthwhile compared to my usual technique: taste was lacking
from no prolonged ferment, rise wasn't as good as mine, lumps of
unincorporated flour in the dough, etc.

Cooks Illustrated reworked the recipe to use a drier ratio to prevent
slumping, a 15 second knead to make up for the reduced hydration, and
rising and transfering on parchment to prevent deflating the dough.
They added a bit of beer and vinegar to emulate the sourdough taste,
which seems hackish to me.

I'm not convinced the no-knead is worth it -- letting a Kitchen Aid do
the work for 10 minutes doesn't bother me.  But I am really suprised
how good the oven spring and crust is in the covered baking, and the
parchment makes it easy without detracting from the crust.

I'll probably go back to my Peter Reinhart-inspired Pain Ancienne,
with a 10 minute machine knead and a 1-3 night refrigerated slow rise
for flavor.  But I'll definitely do the covered baking and parchment
again (unless I want something shaped like bagettes or batards).

15	ounce			Flour
1/4	tsp			Yeast
2	tsp			Kosher Salt
3/4	C 	plus 2 Tbs 	Water (7 ounce by weight)
1/4	C	plus 2 Tbs	Beer (insipid Bud Lite) (3 ounce by weight)
1	Tbs			White Vinegar

In mixing bowl, stir dry ingredients together, add wet ingredients,
combine into a shaggy ball.
Cover and rise 8 (to 16) hours.
Knead 15 seconds, form into ball seam side down.
Line 10" pie pan (skillet) with parchment, spritz with cooking oil spray.
Place dough ball on top, hit with oil spray, cover loosely with film.
Rise 2 hours until doubled. 

I made two batches like the above.

30 minutes before bake time, put 7 1/4 quart Le Crueset enamel over
cast iron Dutch Oven and lid, and Rommertopf ceramic baking dish
that's been soaked in water for 30 minutes, into oven with covers on.
Preheat oven to 500F with covered pots inside.
When heated, transfer doughs on parchment into steel and ceramic pots,
place covers on, drop temperature to 425F, and bake 30 minutes. 
Remove covers, bake another 20-35 minutes until well browned and
internal temperature is 210F.
Transfer to cooling rack.

The loaf in ceramic took 10 minutes longer than the enamel-on-steel.
Both had excellent, dark, crisp crusts.

Both loaves could have been larger and fitted comfortably in their pots.

The plasticky handle on the Le Cruset melted a little bit, stupidly;
maybe covering it with foil would help?

Note: Peter Reinhart's _Bread Bakers Apprentice_ is excellent.