No-Knead Everything Bagel Bread

Instructions

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, if using (see NOTE above; if using our homemade version you will not need salt), and Everything Bagel seasoning.

Add the water and mix to form a sticky dough. Plop in the softened butter and mix to incorporate. The easiest way is to squish the dough between your fingers.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside to rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Fold

Wet your fingers with water. Grab one side of the dough and stretch and fold it up over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees. Repeat three more times until each side of the dough has been stretched and folded. This is your first folding set. Re-cover with plastic wrap. Rest the dough 30 minutes.

Repeat 4 more sets of the stretch-and-fold technique, letting the dough rest for 30 minutes after each set, for a total of 2 hours.

After the last stretch-and-fold, let the dough rest, covered, until it's pillowy, about 1 hour.

Shape the dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently stretch it out a bit being mindful not to deflate it. Fold the bottom third up and onto the center. Repeat on the left, right, and top.

Tighten the dough

Flip the dough over, so it's seam-side down. Cup your hands around the loaf and gently drag it from the upper left to the lower right of the work surface while rotating the loaf. Do this several times to assure a tight skin.

Refrigerate the dough

Generously flour a kitchen towel (not terrycloth which will cause the dough to stick) and line the bowl with it. Gently flip the dough into the bowl so it's smooth-side down and seam-side up. Fold the towel over the loaf. You can also use a large banneton, if you wish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Preheat the oven and Dutch oven

Place a Dutch oven, or any large pot with a tight-fitting lid, in the oven and crank the heat to 450°F (232°C).

Slash the loaf

Cut a large piece of parchment paper to use as a sling for the bread.

When the oven is up to temperature, carefully remove the pot and set aside the lid.

Turn the bread out from the bowl or banneton, onto the parchment paper. Brush or spritz the top of the loaf with water and sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of Everything Bagel seasoning. Use a sharp knife or razor blade to slash the top. (For a round boule, slash a square pattern; for a long loaf, slash once along the length of the loaf.)

Bake the bread

Using the parchment sling, carefully lift the loaf then lower it into the Dutch oven, drop in an ice cube, cover, and slide the pot into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) and continue to bake, uncovered, until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C) on an instant-read thermometer poked through the top, 20 to 25 minutes more. If the Everything Bagel seasoning is darkening too quickly, lightly cover the loaf with foil.

Cool the bread

Remove the pot from the oven. Grab onto the parchment and lift the bread out of the pot. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely. Don't you dare think of slicing the loaf until it's totally cooled. (I'll let you get away with slightly warm.) A hot loaf will be unpleasantly gummy.

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