Sluttishly Simple: No Knead Nutella Bread

I love bread. I have often been heard to say that if I could only pick one food to eat for the rest of my life it would be freshly made bread slathered with butter. And with it I would drink only the finest of wines.

Unfortunately my pathetically weak wrists are not quite so keen on bread, more specifically the whole kneading thing. This has resulted in largely disappointing experimentation in bread making. I even went so far as to buy a breadmaker to no avail. Then, slightly late to the party, I recently discovered the wonderful No Knead Bread recipe over on Steamy Kitchen. I have found my nirvana - the only possible downside being that having to leave the dough to do it's magic overnight means I can have a loaf instantly whenever it takes my fancy.

As I was browsing the site I came across a recipe that sounded so delicious it was positively screaming at me to try it. Seriously who could resist No Knead Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut Challah? Yes, that's right, bread with built in nutella.

No Knead Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut Challah (from Steamy Kitchen)

You will need:

For the challah dough (via Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day)

This makes enough dough for about 3 loaves

• 350ml lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (I used rock salt)
• 4 large eggs
• 175g runny honey
• 80g butter, melted
• 950g plain flour

For the filling

• 4 1/2 tablespoons of Nutella
• Handful of roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• Egg wash, made using an egg and a tablespoon of water

Make it!

1. Add all the bread ingredients except the flour into a bowl and give it a good mix. Then add the flour and stir that baby like you have never stirred before. Once you are all stirred out cover the bowl and pop in the fridge overnight, where it will stay quite happily for up to four days if needed. However if you simply cannot wait for chocolate hazelnut heaven then leave it out to rise on the worktop for two hours, the bread just wont be as flavoursome.

2. Take the dough out of the fridge. You will need a lump the size of a grapefruit, about 1lb in weight. Flour your hands and the dough then stretch the surface and tucking it underneath to form a nice taut ball. Leave to stand for a five minutes to take the chill off.

3. Roll dough into a long even log shape and then cut into three even sized pieces. Roll each piece into a long 4cm thick rope shape, mine were just over 30cm long.

4. Now for the messy bit. Take one of the 'ropes' making a indent or channel along it's length. Spread 1.5 tablespoons of nutella evenly along the indent than bring up the sides of the dough to encase the nutella and pinch closed. Repeat with the other two 'ropes'. You will now have three lovely nutella filled pieces of dough rope.

5. Lay out your three dough ropes and braid together. Start in the middle and work towards one end, pinching the ends together and tucking under. Repeat to the other end. Braiding from the middle helps to ensure the bread tapers nicely at each end.

6. Cover with a clean dry towel and leave to rest for 1 1/2 hours. Twenty minutes prior to baking preheat your oven to 180C/350F/GM 4.

7. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and try not to burn your fingers and mouth in your eagerness to have a pice before it has had chance to cool!