No-Knead Bran Bread

Instructions

• In a large bowl, stir 3 cups flour with wheat bran, yeast and salt. Stir in 1⅔ cups water until blended. The dough will look wet and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hr, preferably 18 hr, at room temperature. Dough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles.

• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Sprinkle with about ⅓ cup more flour and fold dough over on itself twice. Dough will still be very soft. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 15 min.

• Scatter a generous handful of flour all over a cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel. Set aside. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers (about ¼ cup), gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Place dough seam-side down on prepared towel and dust with more flour. Cover with another towel. Let stand at room temperature until dough has doubled in volume and does not readily spring back when poked, about 2 hr.

• Place a 6- to 8-L heavy (stainless steel, ceramic or enamel) covered pot in the oven. Preheat to 450F for at least 30 min before dough is ready. Carefully remove pot and place on a heatproof surface. Remove top towel from dough. Slide your hand under the other towel and turn dough over into pot, seam-side up (it may look messy; don’t worry about the flour in the pot). Wearing oven mitts, shake pot once or twice to distribute dough evenly; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake in centre of oven for 30 min. Remove lid and continue baking until top is golden brown, 15 to 30 more min. Remove bread to a rack to cool.