Ask a Question

Questions? Start with the Search Bar: I’ve been posting recipes and answering questions on this site since 2007, so if you have a question, there’s probably a post that addresses it somewhere on this website. So, the first thing to do is to use the Search Bar on the Home Page. In narrower laptop or desktop displays, it sometimes appears right underneath the orange BreadIn5 logo, and on phones it’s right above where it says “How to make bread in five minutes a day?” Just type in the bread style, ingredient, or technique that you’re interested in, and the search-engine will show you posts on the topic, with recipes and answers to many questions.

Another place to look: the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page (there’s also have a Gluten-Free FAQs page). If you don’t find your answer in the FAQs, you can post baking questions and comments, but please be brief, so I can get to all the questions.  

If neither of those get you to the answer you need, click on any “Comments/Reply” field at the top of any post (it doesn’t have to be here on “Ask a Question”) and scroll down to the bottom; then enter your question or comment. Don’t look for the response in your personal email… Come back here to the site on the page where you posted, to look for the answer.

Questions are answered here on the website within 24 hours, often with a reference to a page number in our books where possible.  Please remember that the blog is moderated, so your post may not appear until I’ve read and approved it; this can take 24 hours.

6,653 thoughts to “Ask a Question”

  1. for your basic artisan bread dough, I would like to try cooking the bread in the crock pot which you said is possible. I understand the crockpot should be off when I put the bread in, once I do that should I turn the crockpot on low or high? Will the bread have that artisan look and crunch if cooked in a crockpot?

    Reply

    2. Hi!

      Can I use your dough recipe and store in the fridge,and bake the dough in a Dutch oven rather than using a pizza stone?

      Thank you in advance

      Reply

    3. I am trying to make Olive Oil Dough to make Focaccia with onion & Rosemary. I want to make it with whole wheat instead of with unbleached all-purpose flour. Are there any changes needed? Thanks.
      Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Pages 134 & 150

      Reply

      1. Hi Lynn,

        Whole grain flours have a different protein content and therefore you have to use more water. How much depends on what percentage of whole wheat to All-purpose you are using. You can experiment, but I suggest you just find a whole wheat recipe in the book and replace some of the water with olive oil. This will be a faster process. We also have a book dedicated to whole grain breads if that is how you prefer to bake. It is Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day!

        Thanks, Zoë

    4. Topic: Sprouted Wheat
      I recently read Peter Reinhart’s book on baking with sprouted grains, Bread Revolution. The flavor is awesome but his dough doesn’t store in the refrigerator as long as the fabulous New Artisan Bread in Five. Do you have a basic boule or pizza dough recipe using sprouted wheat?
      (p.s. Thank you for the dry weights in the New book.) I would love to your techniques with sprouted grains.
      Dana

      Reply

      1. Hi Dana,

        We are working with sprouted grains and once we have a recipe we are happy with and that stores we’ll let you know.

        Cheers, Zoë

    5. Zoe, I went to make another loaf and noticed a lot of very hard lumps in my batch of dough and looked at the bottom of container and it has a lot of dry flour? I thought I did a good job of mixing, how do I fix this problem in the future? I am using a Danish Dough Whisk… Thanks in advance

      Reply

      1. Hi Norman,

        I tap the bucket on the counter to try to get the dry flour out of the edges and lift the dough off the bottom to check if there are lumps. Sometimes it helps to mix the dough and then let it rest for 10 minutes and give it another check. The gluten relaxes a little and you can get to some of the spots you couldn’t before. If all else fails, you can use wet hands and work the dough a bit with your hands.

        Thanks, Zoë

    6. Made oatmeal maple syrup bread half recipe. On second day got to crumbly when cutting. How do I avoid bread from falling apart when cutting?

      Reply

      1. Was it simply stale on day 2? Did it cut fine on Day 1? Our breads really don’t do well when stored, because there are no preservatives and no artificial dough conditioners.

  2. I made a batch of your Buttermilk Bread Dough (from the New AB in 5 book) yesterday, and was wondering if you could explain why this bread doesn’t require steam (like the Master Dough does).

    Also, this dough took much longer to rise than the Master Dough does. Can you think of anything that would cause this? I had been expecting it to rise more quickly due to the sugar. I did everything pretty much the same as I do with the Master Dough recipe, but I did use 115 degree water (instead of 100) to warm the buttermilk up a bit. The buttermilk/water mixture was at 100 degrees when I added the yeast.

    Finally, I was wondering if any adjustments would be needed to the Master Dough recipe if I were to add powdered skim milk to the dough as well. At this point my 5 year old will only eat your bread for breakfast, and I would like to get a bit of protein in her to start the day.

    Thanks for your help.

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter,

      So glad your family is enjoying all the bread you are baking!

      The buttermilk bread is baked at a lower temperature, is brushed with butter and doesn’t get a crisp crust, therefore the steam is not necessary. Adding the steam is to give the bread a shiny and crisp crust, but neither of those things are at play here.

      I’m not sure why the dough took longer to rise this time. I would have said it was the temperature of the buttermilk, but you mixed it with warm water. I assume you used low or no fat buttermilk? Fat can slow down the yeast. You are right in thinking the sugar will feed the yeast, but it is so little that it really won’t speed things up that much. It may have been in a cooler spot in the room?

      If you add 1/4 cup of the milk powder you won’t need to adjust the recipe by anything. Your dough will not be storable for the full 14 days. I’d use it within 7 days.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Joy,

      You can use Einkorn flour in place of Spelt in our recipes. We have several in our Healthy Bread book.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  4. Hi. I live in England. I’d love to treat myself to ‘Bread In 5’ but I want to make sure I buy the UK version. Please can you tell me which version i should buy and where i can purchase it from??

    Many thanks

    Reply

  5. Thanks! So you’re saying the wet dough in the video is roughly what mine SHOULD look like?

    I’ll check out the video and try again. If you suggest a different flour, I’m happy to try it.

    I don’t have a baking stone (yet)…but I do preheat my oven and the metal pan I use. And I do have an oven thermometer to make sure I get the temperature the recipe dictates.

    Thanks again!

    Reply

    1. Hi Beth,

      The dough in the video is on the wetter side of normal for our dough. You may want to give gold medal unbleached all-purpose flour a chance and see if that makes a difference.

      Thanks! Zoë

      Reply

  6. Thank you Zoe…for what it’s worth, I think my dough has looked roughly like the one in the video (wetness-wise), but again, not as elastic.

    I will pick up the Gold Medal and give that a try asap! Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Beth,

      If your flour is lower in protein it will not have the same stretch as you see in our doughs, so give the Gold Medal flour a try and let me know if you see a difference.

      One other cause of dough that breaks off in the bucket is when the refrigerator is particularly cold. I have a refrigerator in my basement that runs colder and the dough becomes more “brittle.” I just have to let it rest a bit longer and all is well.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks! I’m not very mindful of how cold my fridge is, so I’ll definitely look into that. I bought the flour you recommended last night, so I’ll be experimenting this weekend and will return and report! Thanks a million. I’m crossing my fingers. 🙂

      3. Hi Zoe,

        I tried the Gold Medal unbleached AP flour, and while the loaf seemed VERY similar to my previous batch (actually, the previous flour gave me better air holes through my crumb), it DID give my dough that stretch that I had mentioned to be lacking.

        Meanwhile though, I think I’ve figured out my problem. I tried baking both loaves in a dutch oven, and they turned out MUCH nicer – my best results yet. So, I’m thinking my pale, tough results were probably due to my oven not being great at trapping steam? So – I can use the dutch oven, but that does limit the shape and size of a loaf I might bake, so maybe I need to also look into other covered containers, like something that would handle a baguette. I believe the book also references other optional ways to get steam, so I’ll take a look at those. If you care to offer any suggested ways, I’m all ears!

        Thanks for your help. I think I’m getting there. 🙂

      4. Hi Beth,

        That is fantastic, so glad the Dutch Oven was helpful. Do you have a gas oven by chance?

        I’ve had good luck with an inverted foil lasagna pan to trap the steam when doing longer loaves. You have to make sure it fits over the dough and the stone. If it doesn’t fit on the stone it won’t trap the steam.

        Thanks! Zoë

      5. Thanks Zoe –

        I do have a full size gas oven, but I also have a small portable oven (bigger than a toaster oven) that I’ve been using because it’s less to heat up. That one is electric. Do you have a thought as to which one is better?

        And thank you for the genius idea about the lasagne pan. I do have one, and it over a cookie sheet would work perfectly. I’d have to use my full size gas oven for those, since they’re too large for the smaller one. Time to try my hand at a small baguette! Yay!

        Thanks again!

      6. Smaller ovens concentrate the steam better, so they tend to be better (though it doesn’t matter if you’re using a D.O.).

  7. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    1. Can I bake baguettes without a stone if I use a baguette pan?
    2. I have 3 double baguette pans. Should I raise the temp if I make 6 at a time?

    Reply

    2. Hi Drew,

      I am glad you found the answer to the stone question, but wanted to let you know that baking 6 at a time shouldn’t require any changes, although it may drop the temp of your oven very slightly, especially if you aren’t using a stone, so it may take a few more minutes to bake.

      Enjoy, Zoë

      Reply

  8. Hi,

    I am having issues with a dense and gummy crumb. I made the Whole Wheat Sandwich bread (pg. 134 in NAB) with White WW flour. I measured all of my ingredients with a food scale and followed the instructions exactly before baking in my Breville oven. When shaping, I was careful not to knock the gas out of the dough and then let it sit for 90 minutes.

    The bread has a nice crust, however the crumb is “heavy” and cannot be held by one end without breaking. There are also very few holes. I’d like a lighter crumb with more holes so that the bread won’t break when picked up. How can I solve these issues?

    Thanks, Jason

    Reply

      2. Zoë, please see my original post:

        I am having issues with a dense and gummy crumb. I made the Whole Wheat Sandwich bread (pg. 134 in NAB) with White WW flour. I measured all of my ingredients with a food scale and followed the instructions exactly before baking in my Breville oven. When shaping, I was careful not to knock the gas out of the dough and then let it sit for 90 minutes.

        The bread has a nice crust, however the crumb is “heavy” and cannot be held by one end without breaking. There are also very few holes. I’d like a lighter crumb with more holes so that the bread won’t break when picked up. How can I solve these issues?

        Thanks, Jason

      3. Hi Jason,

        My apologies, it looks like we missed your first question.

        The whole wheat sandwich bread is a denser style bread and due to the oil, honey and milk will not be one that will ever produce any significant air holes. You’ll need to use a “lean” recipe for that, which means no fat or other enriching ingredients. To create a crumb that doesn’t break off you will need to create more gluten structure than this bread will have. You can do that by adding a bit of vital wheat gluten to the recipe, but then you will need to add more water, since the protein in the VWG absorbs more water.

        100% whole grain breads tend not to produce as much air holes as those made with white flour, so you may need to add VWG to any recipe you are working with to get the stretch you desire. I suggest you check out our Healthy Bread book and if you do any experimenting with the recipes start with 1/2 batches until you find the results you like.

        Thanks, Zoë

      4. Hi Zoe,

        Thanks for your reply! Can you recommend a loaf pan-based recipe that I can follow to make a loaf with a lighter crumb and maximum air holes?

        Also, should the mixing / storing container be washed between batches? If not, are there any exceptions (ie, milk was used)?

        Thanks, Jason

      5. Hi Jason,

        If you are looking for big air holes, then you want to use a dough that has as little whole wheat as you are willing to tolerate. Here is our master recipe from the Healthy Bread book. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/10/26/our-new-book-healthy-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-released-tomorrow-get-yourself-some-vital-wheat-gluten-and-make-our-whole-grain-master-recipe To get the largest air holes you may want to try a low yeast and longer rise. You can find information in the book and here: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2007/12/19/low-yeast-version-of-our-master-recipe

        Thanks, Zoë

      6. Hi Zoë, I don’t mind experimenting without WW flour to find a baseline for what a lighter and fluffier loaf should be like.

        Given that, can you recommend a recipe in AB5 that will maximize air holes and won’t be so ‘heavy’? Thanks, Jason

      7. Hi Jason,

        I’d try the master recipe and let it rest a bit longer, for a 2-pound loaf, you can let it rest 2 hours. There are directions for a loaf pan bread in the book.

        Thanks, Zoë

        Thanks, Zoë

  9. 1. How to make a soft crust?
    2. How to finish cooking a gummy or small holed center when crust is already super crunchy. I have tried lowering the temp, oiling the crust and covering the top with foil.
    I want a soft crust and medium-large soft crumb like store’s focaccia. Thx

    Reply

    1. Hi Ak,

      You may want to start with our olive oil dough. The fat in the dough prevents a hard crust. It also produces a softer/more tender crumb inside.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  10. I’ve made big batches of your dough twice now—once the olive oil dough and once the bagel dough. Both times, the dough rose hardly at all in the initial 2-hour period. The first batch I used to make pizza and flatbread, and these rose reasonably in the oven and made delicious breads. I tried “proofing” yeast from my jar in warm water with sugar and it bubbled up, so I know the yeast is OK. The second time, I put the dough in a warmish place.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      Are you using warm water to make the dough? The cooler the water the longer the rise. If your dough doesn’t have egg or dairy you can safely leave it out for several hours until it does rise.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  11. I have been trying my hand at making Challah Bread with a mixture of different flours, trying to reduce the regular white bread flour.

    Recently I made one with 1/3 millet, 1/3 rye and 1/3 regular bread flour which, although (obviously) a little more more dense was successful and rose beautifully and cooked through. On Sunday I tried my hand at 7/12 glutenous rice flour to 5/12 rye flour. The bread tastes delicious, is quite heavy (to be expected)but didn’t cook through was gluey/gooey, albeit that I left it in for a substantial period of time longer than the normal (I also decided to put it into loaf tins). All that happened was that the crust got crustier, whilst the inside remained “uncooked”. Any thoughts/tips on what or where I went wrong? My feeling is that I should have incorporated the white bread flour or extra of the rice flour (1kg = 7 cups which means it is substantially lighter than regular flour?

    H-E-L-P

    Reply

    1. Hi Beverley,

      I’m not sure what the goal is? You don’t seem to be trying to eat a gluten-free diet, but you are adding gluten-free flours to the wheat. If you want a gluten-free bread, we have an entire book dedicated to working with those flours. They behave entirely differently from wheat flours and will be very gooey if you try to use them in place of wheat. We avoid glutenous rice flour in any recipe, because it is the stickiest of them all and makes for a gluey bread, just as you described.

      If you are trying to make your bread healthier (more nutrition) I would avoid rice flour all together, it have zero nutritional value.

      If you are trying to eat a gluten-free diet, you may want to try some of our gluten-free recipes as a starting point.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  12. Hello!
    I have your healthy bread book and been reading your website for a few weeks now. However, I have been trying to convert my family to a 100% whole grain diet as well as trying to using sourdough as much as possible instead of yeast. There is a little gluten sensitivity in my family, so the vital gluten is causing a few problems. I understand the vital helps provide extra gluten. I have several bags of hard red and white winter wheat that I have bought from a farm, which have high levels of protein. Would this help as far as rising and being less dense instead of using vital gluten? Or maybe using whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour and vital or something like that? If you have any recommendations of substitutions, I would appreciate it. I am trying to be as natural in my food choices as possible.
    Also, do you have any plans of dabbling with the master recipe by using sourdough instead of yeast? Or if you already have can you direct or make suggestions of how I could do it?
    And do you ever plan on experimenting with other whole grains like whole grain einkorn or spelt? There are only two cookbooks on einkorn, and it’s a very finicky dough that I know a lot of people like myself would appreciate if many professionals would try to provide as much advice and recipes as possible to make it easier to work with. Two cookbooks talk about cooking with all purpose einkorn but they talk very little of cooking with whole grain einkorn and sourdough einkorn bread baking I find is even more difficult. It’s still an experimental grain, but well worth the taste and nutrition.
    Thanks for any suggestions or help you can provide for me!

    Reply

    1. Hi Amy,

      There are a few recipe in the Healthy book that use spelt flour and they may be a good place to start, if you haven’t tried them already. If you want to use spelt or einkorn without vital wheat gluten, you just need to decrease the amount of water, since they don’t produce as much gluten and therefore have little structure to the dough.

      Whole wheat pastry flour has even less protein, which means it lacks enough structure to create bread and is best used for pastry and cakes.

      We are working on a sourdough method for our books. If you have a sour starter already you can use it successfully in our dough. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/11/30/sourdough-starter-in-our-recipes

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Karle,

      You can use sorghum or garbanzo flour. I find the garbanzo has a very strong flavor, but it packed with nutrition, which is hard to find in gluten-free baking.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  14. I am new to artisan bread making. I bought two of your books. I am getting all the supplies i need. I want to try proofing in a bannaton. I am looking at the round ones. When you say in your book to pull out a 1 lb piece of dough (size of a grapefruit) what size bannaton should I buy. It is just me and my husband so I would rather make a smaller loaf of bread.

    Reply

  15. There’s also a 5.5″ banneton that’s a good size for roughly a pound of dough. For some reason it’s a bit more expensive than the 8″ though. I find that no matter how much flour I use to coat the banneton, there always seems to be a spot on the dough that sticks. Also, once I take the dough out of the banneton, it quickly spreads out and takes on a more oblong shape.

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter,

      Those small bannetons are great, but harder to find and more expensive. Not sure why? It sounds like you may just need to form a slightly tighter ball when shaping the dough. Really pinch those shaggy ends together so that they don’t spread out when you invert the dough onto the peel. You can also try using more flour when shaping the loaf, so that the dough isn’t quite as sticky when you place it into the basket. It will get sticky, just from sitting in the basket for so long, but these things may help.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      4. Hi Peter,

        Just remember that whatever you use will add to the flavor and texture of the bread. Rice flour and cornmeal both have a more distinct flavor and texture than wheat flour.

        Thanks, Zoë

      6. Hi Rita,

        Give it a try and see what you think. Coarse cornmeal can be a bit hard on the teeth, so I’d go with a fine ground version. Report back if you try it.

        Thanks, Zoë

      7. UPDATE: Rice flour is very fine, which makes it a little awkward to work with. Today I tried mixing it 50-50 with white flour when I floured my bannetons and it made the mixture a little easier to sprinkle. I’ll continue doing this.

  16. Hi Zoe,

    If you go to Amazon and type “Brotform 5.5 Inch”, you will see the small banneton. It’s $20 vs. $13 for the big one though. Thanks for the advice about pinching the ends together. I’ll try it next time. I do put a lot of flour on both the dough and basket. It seems the longer I leave the dough in the basket, the more likely it is to stick. Often I leave the dough in the basket for 90 – 120 minutes to try to get a lighter, more airy crumb. I suspect that is the major part of my sticking problem.

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter,

      Yes, it is just part of the beast and leaving it longer does make it stickier, but you do gain in the crumb,

      Thanks for the tip on the Brotform.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

    2. Peter, I’ve been using rice flour instead of wheat flor to coat my banneton and have found that I get less and no sticking at all. I also sprinkle it on the ball of dough before I put it in the banneton. Use it as you would regular flour. I keep a dredger of it handy for even sprinkling. A sugar shaker would also work. Let us know if you try it.

      Reply

    1. Hi Robyn,

      We’re just now working with sprouted wheat and will have some recipes as soon as we figure out the best ratio.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  18. Hi, I have been making your European Peasant Bread, pge 94 in nABi5, with great success for some time now. I always incorporate 2/3 cup of soaked whole grains and seeds (ie whole wheat berries, spelt, einkorn,sunflower seeds,pumpkin seeds,flax and sesame seeds etc} plus 1/3 cup of malted wheat flakes.
    Usually I use up the dough within 3-5 days as I make the bread for friends also.
    Can I keep this dough in the fridge for the 14 days that you mention in your recipe?

    Reply

    1. Hi Doris,

      Your bread sounds great! This dough is going to be quite dense after the 5 days you mentioned. I would try a bit at 7 days and see if you still like the bread. If you want to increase the storing time, you may need to add some vital wheat gluten to the dough or it will be a very dense dough. It is an ingredient we use in our Healthy Bread Book and easy to find in many stores or online. Here is some information on using it: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/10/26/our-new-book-healthy-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-released-tomorrow-get-yourself-some-vital-wheat-gluten-and-make-our-whole-grain-master-recipe

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  20. Can 2 loaves of bread be baked at the same time, either pan or boule form and what adjustments should be made in oven temperature or baking time, if any?

    Reply

    1. Hi Carole,

      You can bake as many loaves as will fit on your stone. Be sure to leave enough room for them to rise in the oven, which means they will also spread slightly too. No adjustments are needed, unless you are baking several loaves, then they may need slightly more time to fully color.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  21. I’ve baked about a dozen of your recipes from Healthy Bread in 5, with great success. I’m used now to how wet some of the doughs are, and for most of them do not add extra flour. So today I tried the Sweet Potato and Spelt recipe on page 177. I expected that, like the others, it would rise, despite the wetness of the dough. But what I got was cow patties that, even with about 10 extra minutes baking, were still floppy and wet inside. I used yams, not sweet potatoes. Could that have been why? I’m sure that otherwise I measured everything just as written.

    Reply

    1. Hi Lynne,

      I am so sorry, it is a very wet dough and in the book the water amount is wrong. It is on our correction page, but you wouldn’t know to seek out the corrections if all the other recipes you’ve tried work. To salvage your dough, you can add more flour to the dough. Just knead it in until the dough is quite tight. Spelt doesn’t have much gluten, so it won’t have as much structure as some of the other doughs.

      Sorry again and let me know if that helps for the next loaf.

      Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks Zoe for your prompt reply. I have the revised book so the water called for is 3 1/4 cups. Guess it just needs more flour.
        I baked all 4 loaves at once, so repairing the other loaves won’t work. But we didn’t toss them. We cut them in 1-inch strips and fried on the cut sides to cook the dough. A little sticky and crunchy, but tasty.
        Thanks again. We love your recipes. Favorites are the ten-grain, the toasted millet with fruit, and the guacamole and both ryes.

      2. Hi Lynne,

        I think there may be an issue of different brands of spelt containing different amounts of protein. This stands to reason, since it is certainly the case with wheat flours. I have tried the recipe with different brands and had different results. I also think that some potatoes contain more water content than others, so it makes this recipe particularly prone to being too wet, depending on the brand of spelt and the type of potato.

        I am so glad you have enjoyed the other recipes.

        Cheers, Zoë

  22. I am a new bread maker and I made your master recipe and baked bread for the first time today. My first loaf I used parchment under the bread on top of the stone the entire baking process and the bottom of the bread did not brown like the rest of the crust. I attributed it to the parchment. I baked a second loaf without the parchment, directly on the stone with all purpose flour and again the bottom did not brown like the rest of the loaf. It looks white-ish. The two loaves taste great. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. Hi Vicki,

      It sounds like your stone is not fully preheated when you put the bread in the oven. How long are you preheating the stone? How thick is the stone?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  23. New bread maker here. The dough is easy and I have baked my first three loaves all with one similar result. The bottom of the bread does not brown like the rest of my loaf. I preheated my oven for over an hour the last time, and still the same result. I am beginning to think there is something wrong with this stone. It is a new one I picked up locally at a well known home store. It is 1/2″ thick. Can anyone suggest a better stone.

    Reply

    1. Hi Vicki,
      I’m just another novice but happened to see your question. The cheapest thing to check is probably an oven thermometer, to find out whether your oven is really getting to the hot temperature required. Then, I think the books say to have your stone in the lower part of the oven. If those things check out, and you’re convinced a different stone is the way to go, there are a couple options on Amazon: Emile Henry ceramic https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003UI8B2S/ref=psdc_383850011_t1_B004VLXMX6 and Lodge cast-iron https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=pd_sim_79_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41lFomZO5fL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0QM6NT4H6SK1F8SJKJ7P

      Emile Henry also makes a long, rectangular stone, in case you think you might want to make long baguettes one day. Good luck!

      Reply

      1. I adjusted my oven temperature with an oven thermometer before I baked my first loaf. My friend lent me her Emile Henry stone. I am going to try that and see if that helps. It is just the bottom of the loaf, which leads me to believe its the cheap stone.

      2. Hi Vicki,

        Let me know how it goes, but if the stone is preheated thoroughly it shouldn’t matter what type of stone it is. The only difference will be the color. Darker stones will help conduct the heat and will help to brown the bread.

        Is your oven gas or electric?

        Thanks, Zoë

      1. One last question. I was under the impression the stone should be in the middle of the oven, but after reading Amy’s response she said the stone should be more towards the bottom. What is the best location for the stone? I have a gas oven and it is a new one.

  24. If I don’t have a broiler pan, can I pour hot water into another oven-safe dish? I’d like to avoid buying more pans if I can! Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Elyse,

      Yes, you sure can. Just not glass, it will shatter into a million pieces. Use something old and not your most special pan, since it may warp with the addition of the hot water.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  25. So today I made a boule from the healthy bread in 5 master recipe for the first time. The crust was not as crisp as the artisan boule. It was on the soft side. It was a small boule, so I baked it for 25 minutes. Was the crust softer because it was under baked? Or is that the nature of this dough? I did leave the formed dough out on the pizza peel for an hour and a 1/2. I am just wondering if this is the way this dough bakes, or if I did something wrong. It tasted good but I like the crispier crust of the artisan recipe better.

    Reply

    1. Hi Vicki,

      I think it is a bit of both. The whole grain breads will never have as crisp a crust as the white flour breads, but your loaf may have been slightly under baked as well.

      The reason I asked what kind of oven you have is because the issues you describe are very common in gas ovens. If you have a Dutch Oven, I highly recommend you give it a try and I bet much of your baking issues will be solved. Gas ovens vent differently than electric and don’t trap the steam well, so baking in a Dutch oven is often the key to success. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/03/11/baking-bread-in-a-dutch-oven and here are some other ways to get steam: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/12/27/three-ways-to-get-steam-into-your-oven-for-a-great-crust-new-video

      The stone is perfect in the middle.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Sorry for all these questions, I am determined to get this right lol. My oven also has convection. Do you think that setting might work better? I do notice that there is no water left in the broiler tray after the bread is done baking. Perhaps I should try using 1 1/2 C water? Also my broiler tray has a cover with openings. I have been using it with the cover. Maybe I should try it without the cover? If all else fails I will definitely try the dutch oven. Thanks for the suggestion and all of your help. Which is your favorite bread recipe for a healthy sandwich bread? I have both of your books

      2. Convection can improve browning, yes, and sometimes decreases the baking time needed.

        The water is supposed to deplete like that, and you don’t need the tray cover.

        I like the basic whole grain loaf (with a bit of white) from Healthy Bread in 5…

  26. I’ve been looking into getting a bread box so that my bread will last longer. What’s your opinion on bread boxes? I’m surprised you don’t mention them here or in the two books I have.

    Reply

    1. Well, they’re hard to find, and basically, they’re just a way of introducing semi-airtightness–there’s no magic to them. The more they allow air in, the more the bread will dry out. The more they seal, the more the crust will get soft. Some ventilation, but not a lot. Any non-sealed box will do. If you don’t care about the crust softening, you can use any airtight container.

      I guess in theory, if you keep the breads for days and days, allowing ventilation prevents mold growing.

      Reply

  27. I’ve been wondering about the safety of baking with parchment paper coated with silicone, at the high temperatures suggested by the Artisan Bread in 5 method. I think when the parchment paper maker (or maker of another silicone bakeware item) says it’s “safe up to 450 degrees” they mean it won’t catch on fire or start smoldering at temps up to 450. In other words, the item made of silicone will itself be “safe” up to 450, but not necessarily the human person using the item. I do NOT think that “safe up to 450 degrees” means silicone won’t leach into food at temps below 450.

    I did a bit of research on this subject today and came across this article: https://imageserv5.team-logic.com/mediaLibrary/99/Formaldehyde_Generation_from_Silicone_Rubber.pdf which taught me that the word “silicone” is a blanket term that applies to lots of compounds — all of them include silicon and oxygen with double bonds, but apart from that there may be varying additional groups of chemicals joined to the silicon/oxygen. The article, bottom line, says that ALL silicones will emit formaldehyde in significant amounts at temps of about 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) and above. So, quite apart from whether it may leach into food, you have to worry about the air quality in your home if you bake or cook with silicone items! I definitely won’t be baking with silicone-coated parchment paper at temps over 350. And I don’t even have any kids at home.

    I’d bet Jeff will understand the organic chemistry of the above paper better than I do. Maybe he will be able to reassure me that putting parchment in the oven at 400 or 450 degrees F is really safe, after all. The paper does not say what level of exposure to formaldehyde is “safe” for human adults or kids, but it seems to assume there will be SOME exposure to workers in manufacturing jobs. In any case, since both of you have kids at home, and you bake a LOT, I thought you’d want to know about the formaldehyde. Also since you recommend putting parchment in the oven at high temps to your readers. Maybe you want to re-think that, or at least add a caution to people, to bake when their kids are not home and to ventilate their indoor air well after baking.
    Be well,
    Amy

    Reply

    1. Well, I’m no biochemist, and I am aware that our world is filled with chemicals, natural and unnatural. Since I can’t really comment on the primary literature, I’m left with what a lot of us are left with–the FDA and the USDA. Unless those agencies have banned something, we have to consider them as reasonable to use. If you want to limit your exposure to chemicals, you can omit this, and just used greased surfaces. Though over-heated greases can also emit chemicals from pan surfaces.

      Bottom line–if you use the papers, use one that’s rated to the temperature we call for in a given recipe. If you can’t find that, switch to greased surfaces. Or an ungreased stone for recipes where that makes sense.

      Reply

  28. Whole wheat flour is sadly not an option for those who need to follow a low oxalate diet due to kidney stones. How can I substitute white flour for whole wheat in your recipes? TIA

    Reply

    1. Sure, or just use The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which is mostly white flour. If you swap white for WW, you need a little less water.

      Reply

  29. Hi Zoe,
    I am having oven issues with my gas stove. You suggested I try a cloche or dutch oven. Do I let the dough rise in the cloche? or do I let it rise on something else and then place it in the cloche for baking? Do I still use the steam?
    Thanks again,
    Vicki

    Reply

    1. Vicki: I’m late to the party here, just switched over–Zoe and I alternate. Can you tell me which of our books you’re working from? There are instructions in there I can direct you to.

      Reply

      1. I have both of your books. Artisian bread in 5 and the healthy one. Both master recipes came out great in taste, but my problem is my gas oven. I baked all the loaves with the steam with the broiler tray. I checked and adjusted my oven temperature with an oven thermometer. I have a stone. The problem is the crust on the bottom of the loaf doesn’t brown like the rest of the loaf. Zoe mentioned that gas ovens sometimes do not hold the steam and suggested a cloche or dutch oven.

      2. Correct– you should try that. And you don’t have to have an expensive D.O., you can use any covered baking vessel. Even two loaf pans inverted on each other.

  30. Hi. I just purchased your book after 2 of my sons have become expert bakers using your method. I have a question about the flour I purchased; it is ancient grain Emmer flour, 6 gm protein. Can I use the master receipe in the book or will I need to make adjustments. Looking forward to making my first loaf with your method! Thanks you. Irene

    Reply

    1. All bets are off with Emmer–it absorbs water differently than AP. I’m assuming it’s whole grain, and is going to require lots more water in order to look like what’s in our videos, see…

      • Gluten-cloaking/shaping with Rye Dough from ABin5, wet at 14 days: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/03/08/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough
      • Gluten-cloaking/shaping with whole-grain dough: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/16/new-video-how-to-shape-a-loaf-using-whole-grain-dough

      A guess: 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra water?

      Reply

  31. Thanks for the quick reply. I will not with with flour until I am more familiar with the master receipe. Thanks so much for the information.

    Reply

  32. Hi! My family is Loving your book (We have both, ABin5 and healthy ABin5)– thanks for making your techniques so available.

    My daughter is allergic to milk, and I’d like to use coconut oil instead of butter in the Brioche recipe– but recall seeing somewhere that you shouldn’t substitute oil 1:1 for butter, since butter has some percent water in it.. Do you have any suggestions or experience making your Brioche or Challah dairy-free? (I tried searching the website but didn’t find this Q before..)

    Thanks!

    Also.. 2nd question– when I put 1cup of water in the tray, by the end of the 40-50 minutes for most loaves, its all gone– is that OK/normal?

    Reply

    1. It will change the recipe but you may enjoy it–coconut has a distinct (good) flavor. But the dough consistency may change, and yes, you may have to experiment with the water content (not sure whether you need more, or less).

      2nd Q: Yes!

      Reply

  33. Healthy Bread, 100% Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread, page 145

    Zoe and Jeff,
    This bread is very close to the profile I’m looking for, for a cranberry walnut bread except for a couple of adjustments.

    (1) I would like to substitute about 1/2 cup rye flour for the 1/2 cup wheat germ, i.e. eliminate the wheat germ entirely. How would this affect the liquid ratio?

    (2) I see that the recipe calls for baking the bread in a loaf pan. Would this dough hold up to proofing in an oval brotform, turning it out onto a parchment, slashing it, and baking it free-form on a stone?

    (3) Should I bake it free-form at a different temperature than that called for in the loaf pan?

    (4) What about steam?

    (5) I can just add the dried cranberries and walnuts to the dough when mixing it, before retarding it, right? I’m assuming that the cranberries will rehydrate enough from the moisture in the dough. I usually wait at least 24 hours before baking a fresh dough.

    (6) Do you usually toast the walnuts before adding them to the dough, or is that not necessary?

    Reply

    1. 1. Shouldn’t be a big deal, but might need a touch more water to maintain consistency.
      2. Should be fine.
      3. Same temp.
      4. Not needed if you’re using egg wash as called-for.
      5. Correct
      6. It’s not neccesary but some say it deepens the flavor.

      Reply

  34. Hi! Am wondering why recipes with rye in the Healthy Bread cookbook can only be kept in the fridge for 7 days, while the master recipe can be kept for 14 days? thanks in advance for your help, and I love your books and methods!

    Laurie

    Reply

    1. Rye tends to make things denser (it’s low in gluten and most of the available rye products are whole-grain). So for most of our readers, it’d be pushing our luck to try to store for 14 (dough gets denser with age). If you’re not troubled by a denser loaf, there’s no harm…

      Reply

  35. Regarding “Old Dough” –

    Is there a suggested quantity of Old Dough to add to the amount of dough that any of your Master Recipes make?

    Can I freeze Old Dough to use after several weeks or months? I’m thinking of flavored doughs or doughs with fruit, nuts, or other additions, which I wouldn’t want to add to simple breads.

    Reply

      1. I have all of the books except gluten-free, Jeff. I looked and must be overlooking the pages.
        —————
        By the way, is anyone else having a problem with NOT receiving Comments and Ask Questions posts? I haven’t made any changes to my computer and have received no posts for at least a week or longer. I always check the 2 notification boxes below when I post and I usually get all posts to those and other threads that interest me. They do not come to my main Inbox, my sub-inbox for Artisan in 5, Trash, nor Junk folders.

        And lastly, is there a way to sign up for all threads without having to post on each one? There is so much good information out there and many of the posts spur me on to trying out a new recipe.

      2. Come to think about it, Thunderbird just recently had an update. I wonder if this had anything to do with my not receiving postings.

      3. In “New Artisan,” see page 62, second paragraph. The problem with the notifications may be from our website–we’re meeting with our webmaster tomorrow, maybe will figure it out. Hope so!

      4. Thank you, Jeff. I don’t know how I managed to miss that. OK, 2 cups of old dough to a 6-cups flour recipe.

        I also found the sourdough information on page 46 (New Artisan). I keep a firm starter, so I’ll get it active and 12 hours before I plan to mix the dough, I’ll mix up a 1 1/2-cup preferment with a hydration similar to the main dough. For the European Peasant Bread (page 94) it would be around 75% if using unbleached all-purpose flour and or about 81% using King Arthur bread flour. Correct me if I’m off-base with those figures. Hopefully, with those preferments I won’t have to make any further adjustments.

        As an aside, I can’t speak more highly about firm starters. I put together my firm starter from scratch on New Year’s Day 2001 and baked with it for about 10 years. I haven’t been able to bake bread for about 5 years and I’ve had my firm starter languishing unattended in the back of my refrigerator for at least 4 years without feeding it. A couple of weeks ago I began feeding it twice a day and after about 5 days it is as perky as ever. Another thing I like about it is that there is less waste because the discard and feedings are smaller and I can keep and feed the starter in a 12-ounce jar. I don’t mean to sound braggy, but I still have a sense of wonderment even after all these years about the process.

      5. Hi Rita,

        This is so great to know. I’ve never tried letting it sit for that long, so I am glad to know you’ve done it successfully!

        Thanks, Zoë

  36. My question is about Oatmeal Maple Bread on pg 162 New Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day. I would like to decrease the maple syrup but I am not sure how to adjust the other liquid ingredients. I love the bread’s texture but would like it less sweet.

    Reply

    1. Best guess: for every 1/4-cup less of maple syrup, increase the water by a tablespoon. It’ll take some experimentation.

      Reply

  37. Hi !
    I made the Master recipe for the first time this weekend and was very impressed with the results and the great taste. The only problem: we all had stomach ache the tree times we ate it… I think that maybe I had covered the dough with plastic wrap too tightly and it didn’t rise enough(after the first hour, seeing it didn’t raise so much, I opened it a little more). Can you help me with an explanation ? (sorry for the English).

    Reply

    1. Which of our books are you working from (we have many “Master” recipes)–and I can direct you to some answers? Or, search around in our Search Bar above, and use all the FAQs in that tab as well.

      Reply

      1. The New Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day. I searched the web site and haven’t found anything on the subject via the research box and the FAQ. But I may have used the wrong search words… Thank you for helping me !

      2. Can’t imagine why you all had a stomach ache! If the bread’s too dense for your liking, take a look at the suggestions in the book that you have, in Chapter 5, the section that starts “My Loaves are Too Dense and Heavy…”

  38. I am wondering if I can use the master dough recipe to make my usual boules AND make into loaves for sandwich bread. If so, will rise time, steam bath, bake time all be about the same? Thanks!!

    Reply

    1. Sorry, I should clarify – the master recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day…thanks!

      Reply

  39. Hi Jeff and Zoe,
    I am working from The New Artisan Bread in Five minutes a Day. Bialys. Mine came out wonderful, but the centers are not flat. They are puffed. Is there anything I can do or any tricks of the trade I need to learn?
    PS. Love those Kosers Bialys.
    Thank you,
    A Brooklynite in Arkansas. (Nikki Epstein)

    Reply

    1. Well, press down really hard on that center, after letting it rest–for maybe a little longer than you’re doing now.

      Reply

  41. I am referencing The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook, specifically page 46, the paragraph about “Can I add natural sourdough starter to the recipes?

    I used 1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter and decreased water by 3/4 cup and flour by 3/4 cup. My dough is VERY runny and cannot be formed into a freestanding dough ball.

    I have added 1/2 cup of additional flour in 1/8 cup amounts. Should I continue to add flour hoping the dough will thicken?

    Thank you

    Mary Jo

    Reply

    1. Hi Mary Jo,

      Yes, just keep adding flour. It sounds like your starter is quite thin. How wound you describe the consistency?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  42. I’ve been trying to make the Whole grain master recipe from “Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day” using Vital Wheat Gluten! I followed the recipe and did not get “oven spring ” and zero rising creating a very dense bread. The dough is not wet at all although it did rise beautifully in the initial rise. The only thing I did different from the recipe was use bleached flour. Would this matter? The dough was very cold and difficult to get a 1 lb piece out. I had to pull out three pieces to get a big enough loaf. Can I add more water to the rest of the batch? My biggest concern is no air bubbles and zero oven spring. HELP
    Thanks Shelley

    Reply

    1. Hi Shelley,

      What brand of whole wheat are you using? You can add more water and that should get you a better stretch and oven spring.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. I’m using Bob’s whole wheat bread flour. Do you think I can save the rest of the batch by adding more water to it? Or should I toss it and start over? Does the bleached flour matter? I’ve tried to get it to rise and was hoping that the vital gluten would help. How much more water? 4 cups already.

      2. Hi Shelley,

        The bleached flour isn’t the issue, it’s the whole wheat bread flour that is making the dough dry. Using bread flour means it has more protein (gluten) then the recipe is written for, which means you need to add more water. You can do it now, but you’ll want to use a stand mixer, since it will be harder to mix in. Use the paddle attachment and add an extra few tablespoons of water to the remaining dough.

        Thanks, Zoë

      3. I’ve added a few more tablespoons of water to my refrigerated batch using my kitchen aid stand mixer. Do I leave it out to proof again? Or refrigerate it? How soon can I try another loaf to see it if rises or gets oven spring? Thanks for all of your advice. I bake all of my own sandwich bread and pizza dough at home and I’m determined to get this artisanal variety to rise and work.

      4. Hi Shelley,

        You can leave it to sit out for an hour and then use it or refrigerate it for several hours, either way will work, just depends on your preference.

        Thanks, Zoë

  43. Thanks Zoe! I finally got it to rise! I could probably have let it sit a little longer. I got a nice loaf! Will try it again with the rest of the dough.

    Thanks for your patience and help!
    Shelley

    Reply

  44. I am having trouble getting my bread to rise in a loaf pan. I am making a half wheat half white loaf based on your recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day. The loaf will not rise above the pan. In fact it sits below the rim. I let it rise in the pan for almost 4 hours for the second rise. If I don’t it barely rises.

    Reply

    1. Hi Lisa,

      Can you tell me which recipe that is? The closest to a 50/50 recipe is the sandwich loaf on page 78, is that the one you are using?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Hi Zoe,
        I sort of based it on that one. I use 1.5 cups of white flour and then 1.5 plus 1/3 cups whole wheat flour. I tried 100% whole wheat but that came out like a brick so I started adding in white flour and came up with the above mixture.
        Lisa

  45. Hi ! I am making your deli style caraway rye ( ABin 5 p58 ; p 111 NAB5)., I want the seeds throughout, not swirled . I find all your breads are so greatly improved in flavour baked at ~ 7-14 days, compared to ~ 3 days that I always wait (it if at all possible , even the Challah) .
    But now I wish to incorporate seeds .. Will they sprout ?
    Can seeds still be added in the initial water if I will not bake for 7-14 days ?
    Thank you !
    BTW , I baked Master recipe in Creuset pre heated Dutch oven , even removedto finish on rack , as directed , and got first ever soft crust , cooled to become chewy crust , never crisp ? Why ??

    Reply

      1. Thank you !
        I just re- read that post , I see I did something wrong.. I followed the recipe in book, so i only pre heated everything to 475 F. , as usual, and dropped it to 450 the minute I put bread in ( I do to compensate for the drop from opening my oven door). Loaf was 205 F (instant read) at end of time given , so I took off parchment and put back only on oven rack for a few minutes till 208 F.
        I also have a baking steel in oven ( so I preheat ++ longer to even out temp ) , but I just left it on bottom and baked the Creuset on middle rack .
        Either of those my problem do you think? To account for the soft leathery crust ( sort of like old fashioned kimmel or rye ) thx again !

      2. Hi Cate,

        Try the oven a bit hotter and see if that helps the crust. My oven is a bit larger than most and so it needs the extra heat to compensate. Jeff has a smaller oven and gets a better color even with a lower temperature. Do you use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is running true?

        Thanks, Zoë

  46. For the European Peasant Bread recipe (page 94 in the artisan book), can I add more whole wheat flour and less all purpose flour?

    Reply

  47. I just bought your new Artisan Bread in 5 and just whipped up my first batch of the Master recipe. I’m so excited! I was wondering if I can use metal bowls for my storage container, or if you’d suggest plastic or glass? I am trying to find a good container online with a lid that was at least 8 qt? I saw a couple metal ones that looked good (figured glass is a bit of a hazard with all my kiddos wanting to help too). Thanks for your helpful tips!

    Reply

    1. Hi Emily,

      Are you planning to make a double batch? If not, you are fine with a 5 quart container, which is easier to find. If your bowl is stainless steel, it will work just fine. Other metals will impart a flavor and may discolor the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Yes, I was thinking of doing some double batches since we are a family of 6 and go through quite a bit of bread! Thank you for the tips!

  48. Zoe , one more question please .
    I’m trying for old fashioned Montreal Kimmel / Deli rye. Have read all the AB5 posts about rye flours , I have both Light and Dark Rye ( dark=organic finely milled but includes all parts, light= no bran etc ) . So, I used the light rye in Jeff’s Favorite recipe ( I.e.the one not in my books , those called for 1 cup )
    I did 1/2 cup light rye , 6 cups AP flour ( albeit Canadian)
    Did I use the right flour ? Or was I supposed to use 1/2 cup only if I had to use a dark rye ? Apologies, now confused

    Reply

    1. No, either should work, this shouldn’t matter much. So long as the dough looked about like what you expect compared to the other recipes in the books.

      Reply

  49. Zoe, I have all your bread books, including the revised Artisan breads. Love them all.
    Have never baked with VWG before.
    I love whole grain breads….preferably 100% or nearly so.
    I have 3 whole (different) batches of whole grain doughs in the fridge, for a nice long ferment.
    I noticed though that they literally SPRUNG to action, rising much quicker (lots of air bubbles) than what I am used to. I’d like to slow it down quite a bit. I noticed that you recommend 1 teas VWG per cup of whole grain flour, but your recipes call for 1/4 cup (12 teas) of VWG. That’s quite a bit more than the 1 tsp per cup. Was there a reason for that, and would I slow things down a lot by going with half the amount? (Most of your recipes are in the 7 cup range for flour….meaning that 7 teaspoons of VWG should be enough. Could you comment on this? Would even a very little bit do anything at all? (like would 1 TBS have any effect on a whole batch of 100% whole grain bread?) Thanks so much in advance.

    Reply

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