The overnight dough that fixed my weekday bread

For years I only baked bread at weekends, because every recipe seemed to need a free afternoon. Then a baker friend told me to stop kneading and start waiting. The dough I now make on weeknights takes five minutes to mix before bed and about twenty minutes of attention the next day.

The secret is time and cold. A slow rise in the fridge develops flavour and structure that would otherwise need a lot of work.

The recipe

• 500 g strong white flour, or 400 g white and 100 g wholemeal

• 375 g cold water

• 10 g salt

• 2 g dried yeast, which is about half a teaspoon

Mix everything in a large bowl until no dry flour remains. It will look rough and sticky. Cover the bowl and put it straight into the fridge.

The fridge does the kneading. You just have to leave it alone.

In the morning

Take the bowl out and tip the dough onto a floured surface. Fold it over itself four times, like closing an envelope, then shape it into a round and place it seam side up in a floured bowl or basket. Leave it at room temperature while the oven heats to 240°C with a heavy pot inside.

Bake with the lid on for 25 minutes, then lid off for another 15 to 20, until the crust is deep brown. Let it cool for at least an hour, which is the hardest part.

If it goes wrong

A flat loaf usually means the dough was too warm or left too long. A pale one means the pot was not hot enough. Both are still very good toasted.

Variations that work

Once the basic loaf is reliable, the same method handles changes well. Swap 100 g of the white flour for rye for a darker, tangier loaf. Fold a handful of toasted seeds into the dough when you shape it. Add rosemary and a little olive oil for a loaf that makes excellent toast.

The timing is forgiving too. The dough is happy in the fridge for anything from 10 to 24 hours, which means you can mix on Sunday night and bake on Monday evening if the morning is too rushed.

The one thing not to change is the salt. It seems like a lot, and it is exactly right. Bread without enough salt tastes flat however long it has rested, and no amount of butter quite fixes it.