Adventures in Baking #1: No-Knead Honey Bread

I have decided that I would like to focus on two things this calendar year that need much improvement: my baking and my gardening. Both inspired by a dear friend, the first project I've tackled was a no-knead bread. The recipe comes from this month's Better Homes and Gardens, and it took all day long to accomplish. Lots of chilling, rising, waiting, and baking. In the end, I was left with two small and not significantly risen loaves that didn't turn out too badly. The consistency was certainly more country-style as opposed to a French or Italian loaf. But I enjoyed it both on its own and with a slathering of some leftover (albeit not yet fully set) orange marmalade which I made this morning.

You need:

3/4 c. warm water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/3 milk
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil (I used butter)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
cornmeal
1 egg white
2 tsp. water
fresh herbs of choice (I used sage because it's what I had on hand)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 3/4 c water and yeast. Let stand five minutes. In a small saucepan, heat and stir the milk, honey, butter, and salt until just warm and butter almost melts. Stir milk mixture into yeast mixture. Stir in flour. Lightly coat a medium bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer dough to the bowl. Lightly coat a sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray and cover bowl. Chill for four hours. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into an oval loaf, lightly flouring dough. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set on the middle rack of an unheated oven. Place a bowl of warm water on the lower wrack. Let rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Remove loaf from oven and remove towel. Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and 2 tsp. water. Brush over loaf. Place herbs of choice onto the top of the bread and brush with egg white mixture. Bake for 23 minutes. Check to be sure that thermometer reads 200 degrees. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on wire rack.