Let's see if we can help, Mary. You might want to try letting your no-knead dough rest in the fridge for longer than 2 hours before shaping it. The dough tightens up and becomes easier to handle as it rests. Try letting it rest at least overnight, if not for two days before shaping. Once you're ready to bake, make sure you're shaping it into a ball by gently stretching the edge of the dough outwards and then tucking it into the center. (Repeat this all the way around the dough until you have a tight little ball.) This method helps build stretch and prevents the dough from flattening out. Lastly, be sure you're using a high-protein content flour like King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. If you're using another brand of flour, it's likely to have less strength and will cause your dough to spread outwards instead of up. 

We're not quite sure what you're referring to about "merging the two recipes." For best results, stick with the No-Knead Crusty White Bread recipe, which you can bake in a Dutch oven. If you want to talk this through in more detail, reach out to our Baker's Hotline: 855-371-BAKE(2253). 

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