Maggie,
Thank you for your clarification about the types of yeast. I was
sure I had read somewhere that RapidRise was the same as instant, but
I couldn't find the source, after reading otherwise on this list.
>In the marvelous No Knead bread recipe, any brand of INSTANT yeast
>can be used.
I have made No-Knead bread twice with active dry yeast, dissolving
the yeast in the water before mixing in the flour and salt and it
seems to work fine. The first time I dissolved the yeast in
approximately 110 degree water, and the dough was ready after only 8
- 10 hours so I baked it earlier than planned, but it tasted great
and had great crumb and crust. It did have a bit of a sourdough flavor.
The second time I made it, I dissolved the yeast in cooler water, and
the dough took about 12 - 18 hours to ripen. This time I also used
20% (by weight) King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour. I felt the
flavor was very bland, but the crumb was again excellent. I'm not sure why.
For baking, I used my 6 1/2 quart Calphalon stock pot. The cover
doesn't make the tightest seal, but it seems to work pretty well.
The first time, baking at 500 degrees, the bread was ready after 30
minutes total. I didn't bake with the cover off, at all. The second
time, baking at 450 degrees according to the follow-up article, I
baked about 20 minutes with the cover on, and 20 with it off. The
crust had great color, but the bread was a little moist inside, but still good.
I will definitely continue to experiment with this recipe. It is excellent.
Larry T