NO KNEAD SARDINE BREAD RECIPE | Quick No Knead Bread Recipe

When you hear the word “BREAD”, as an Adventurous Baker like me, I hope the first thing you’re thinking is ‘Kneading’. 😂 Well, you’re in luck today as I will be sharing one of my favorite ‘No-Knead Bread Recipes’ . Infact, I will be stepping it up by making it a ‘NO KNEAD SARDINE BREAD RECIPE’. You can make it without the Sardine or you can use what ever filling you prefer.

Check out my other no-fail simple BREAD recipes

What is a No-Knead Bread? :

No-Knead Bread recipes isn’t new to mankind. It’s a method of bread baking that make use of long fermentation time instead of the kneading method (which forms the gluten strands that give the bread its texture). The theory behind No Knead Bread is that there’s more than one way to make gluten (protein naturally found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley).

WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A NO KNEAD BREAD RECIPE (Why is a No-Knead Bread is Better?):

1. This is top on my list. It’s saves you from stress! Can you imagine escaping kneading a bread dough for 30-45 minutes? Your arms would rest, and your mixer’s years will increase 😂.
2. A No Knead Bread Recipe produces a dough with a better structure. The time frame give for fermentation will magically transform the dough from a shaggy mess to a smooth dough easy to handle. It would also help retain the gas during fermentation.
3. A No Knead Bread Recipe also produces a better flavour. It tends to strike a balance between an acidic and a sweet flavour. Yeast has been proven to need both oxygen and a steady supply of foods such as sugar produced from flour to maintain a good balance between gas production a d alcohol production. The long fermentation periods helps to achieve this aim of creating such environment for the yeast.
4. Since this bread requires a No Knead Technique, you will surely always have a consistent result. There’s no guess work here. Your dough would always have same result, except of course you didn’t follow the recipe.
5. There is no risk of over working it. Unlike kneaded bread recipes where if not careful you might overwork your dough, this has no such issue.
6. It’s a perfect recipe for home bakers! You can always make the dough overnight and th next day you will be ready to make bread as breakfast! And if you’re an amateur Baker, then this is one bread recipe that won’t make you feel intimidated.

Can No-Knead Bread be frozen?

Yes they can. Once you have proofed overnight, fold into logs or make a DINNER ROLLS kind of shape (basically a ball) and then place in a baking dish or bread pan. Next wrap with a plastic wrap or cling film and keep frozen for up to 3 Months.

What to Bake No Knead Bread in:

Unlike the early days were Dutch ovens were mainly used to make these bread, my recipe allows you use your regular kind of oven preheated to 180°C or 350F. You can also use a pot over a stove to bake this too.

Common No-Knead Bread errors / No Knead Bread Troubleshooting:

1. Why is my No-Knead Bread so dense? When your No Knead Bread comes out dense then, you have added too much flour than required. If you watch my video illustration of this recipe, you will see I kept mentioning to dust your work surface slightly with flour. The dough is usually sticky and shaggy, so always keep this in mind.
2. My Dough is too wet or too sticky:You added too much of the wet ingredients. I said in the video illustration that we have different flour brands in the market and each absorbs water differently. For this recipe only add your liquid milk a bit at a time till you get a shaggy dough. Also if you sift your flour before measuring, you have already tweaked my recipe and you will end up with too wet dough
3. My Dough didn’t rise: Check your yeast expiring date. I use instant dry yeast in all my yeast raised dough and always make sure they are not expired.
4. My bread crust was hard / My bread’s bottom was too hard: To avoid this, cover your baking dish or pan with a lid. Or steam bake (if you have been following my recipe, you would know I steam bake all my yeast-raised doughs). What these does is to create a moist environment in between all the heat been produced by the heat of your oven. On a more realistic note, if you follow my recipe just like I have stated, you wouldn’t have any issues.

So let’s get started with my step-by-step tutorial on making my no-fail No Knead Sardine Bread.
DAY 1:

• In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, yeast (to one side of the bowl), salt (to another side of the bowl), sugar, and stir. Remember always that salt and yeast do not meet. Alternatively, you can add salt first and mix before adding yeast, and vice-versa
• Create a well in the middle of your dry items and break in your whole egg. Next add your sardine oil, and mix together using your fingers, or a fork.
• Next start adding your Milk little by little till you get a shaggy or rough dough. DO NOT POUR IN YOUR MILK ALL AT ONCE. We have different flour brands and each absorbs water or liquid differently.
• Next add your unsalted softened Butter and mix with your fingers. Dough will be slightly sticky and soft. It’s fine. Remember not to knead. Only mix slightly with your fingers
• Next wrap your bowl with a plastic wrap or cling film and refrigerate overnight. (IF YOU WANT TO BAKE SAME DAY, KEEP REFRIGERATED FOR 90 MINUTES)

DAY 2:

• Slightly flour your work surface and transfer your fermented dough which must have doubled in size.
• Flatten dough slightly with your palm and cut into 13 equal balls or weigh each to be 55g each; where the 13th dough will weigh about 49g.
• Roll each dough into a tight ball and place on a slightly floured work space. Repeat same for the rest doughs and make sure to leave a space between each dough to give room for proofing.
• Cover dough with a clean kitchen napkin or hand towel and allow to rest for 10minutes. In the meantime, divide the sardine fish into 13 parts and set aside. Next prepare your egg wash (add milk to a bowl and break in your egg, whisk well to combine), set aside. Prepare your baking Pan by greasing it with butter, set aside.
• After 10 minutes, put on your oven. Get a dough, flatten it slightly with your palm to form a rectangular shape (about 4cm*2cm). Add your sardine fish to the longer part and roll to form a log. Pinch the end of the log well. Place dough in your baking pan. Repeat same process for remaining doughs.
• Next, cover your bread Pan with a kitchen towel or napkin, and allow bread dough proof for 45minutes. Then, slightly brush bread doughs with egg wash and bake in a 180°C or 350F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
• At the end of this baking period, you need to check for doneness. The first thing to look out for is that the bread will be golden brown in colour. Secondly, when you tap the top of the bread, you should hear a hollow sound. These proofs the bread is baked.
• Finally, immediately you remove bread from the oven, brush slightly with salted or unsalted butter to soften bread crust. Transfer bread to rack and allow to cool completely.
• Enjoy!