One loaf a week

Photograph by Scott Waite

You mix it once, keep it in the fridge, and bake a loaf whenever you want one. Do it on the same day every week, and it becomes something to look forward to.

Try this

1. Pick your baking day. Sunday afternoon works for many people. The routine matters more than the day.
2. Mix a batch of no-knead dough. Stir lukewarm water, all-purpose flour, salt and instant yeast into a very sticky dough. No kneading. King Arthur’s no-knead method gives the exact amounts.
3. Let it rest, then chill it. Leave it at room temperature for about 2 hours, then refrigerate it. It keeps for up to about a week, and gets tangier the longer it sits.
4. Bake one loaf. Pull off a piece, shape it into a ball, let it rest 45 to 60 minutes, and bake it hot, at 450°F, with a pan of hot water below for steam, until deep golden brown.
5. Repeat next week. By the fourth loaf, you will know how your oven behaves and what “done” looks like.

If it feels hard

• If the dough is very sticky, that is how it is supposed to be. Wet hands or a little flour make it easier to shape.
• If the first loaf is flat, let the shaped dough rest longer next time.
• If you would like to go further, a sourdough starter is the next step. King Arthur’s starter guide walks through it; a starter is ready in about 5 days to 2 weeks.

Why it works

When life slowed down in 2020, about 37% of U.S. consumers baked bread at home, according to a National Restaurant Association survey, and sourdough has remained a popular hobby since (Miles City Star). Baking is hands-on, smells wonderful, and ends with something you can share. Few hobbies give back so quickly.

Where to start

• King Arthur no-knead bread: the method and exact measurements
• How to make a sourdough starter: the next step
• King Arthur Big Book of Bread: for when one loaf a week becomes two

One loaf a week is a small promise to yourself. It is also a very good excuse to make soup.