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.

6,645 thoughts to “Ask a Question”

      1. Dear Zoe and Jeff:
        Many thanks for your book, it has been an enormous help.
        However, I have two questions for you: Firstly , the dough tends to become a bit “winey” after 2 days in the fridge. Secondly, the dough flattens out in the oven and I am forced to use a mold. Am I doing anything wrong? The bread is great , by the way.
        Best wishes.
        Alex.

      3. Hi Zoe,
        I need to make Challah for my granddaughter who has an egg allergy. Can you suggest a modification to the Challah recipe so that I can do this.

      4. Hi Mickey,

        This is a tricky one, since eggs are such an elemental part of challah. However, many of our readers have written in to say they have used egg replacers with success. The one I have heard the most about is Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer.

        You may want to do a small batch as a test run and make sure you like the results.

        Thanks, Zoë

      5. I have the original book which says 6 1/2 cups of flour but after watching you demo a recipe I bought a scale. Now I need to know how to convert the “cups” to ounces. How many ounces us 6 1/2 cups of ap flour? Will you please post the conversions for those of us with the original book? Thank you

      6. It’s on our FAQs tab above; click on the entry:
        Weighing ingredients instead of using cup measures: How do you do it?

    2. Hi Z and J,

      I may get your Healthy Bread book, but b4 I do what is different from New AB in 5. R recipes unique and do u have to use special flours other than white and wheat. What recipes use fruit and veggies as describe on Amazon.

      Thanks Nick D

      Reply

      1. No, the flours are basic: WW, AP, rye, a few others, but you can stick to the 1st two. The book isn’t mostly 100% WW–I think there are about a dozen that are. Here’s a sampling from the chapter called “Breads with Hidden Fruits and Vegetables:”
        TURKISH PEAR COFFEE BREAD
        Tabouli Bread with Parsley, Garlic, and Bulgar (the combined one) 210
        Herbed potato and roasted garlic bread
        CARROT CAKE BREAD
        Artichoke and thyme focaccia
        Pain au potiron (savory loaf with peppery pumpkin cubes and olive oil)
        Aloo Paratha, stuffed Indian flatbread with potato, curry, and peas
        PIZZA ZUCCHINI
        ST. PAT’S DAY CLOVER LEAF BUNS W/PUREED BROCCOLI
        Pesto and Pine Nut Bread
        Beet Red Buns
        Avocado (guacamole) bread

    3. I made a huge mistake. I forgot to let my egg dough rise at room temperature before putting in the fridge.
      I tried to bake a small loaf the next day to see what it would do but it didn’t rise much and lacked flavor.
      Is there anything I can do to correct this error and “save” the rest of the dough?

      Reply

      1. Yes, but you’ll have to violate USDA guidelines on handling of eggs outside the refrigerator. Basically, you could leave it out on the counter until it rises. It’ll be hours and hours. And hours. We have a link to the USDA guideline in our books, tell me which one you have and I’ll direct you.

    4. Hi Again Zoe,

      I am trying to better understand the factors involved in bread making. For example, more sugar, dairy, and oil in a recipe, seem to result in a softer crumb. But one problem I have consistently had with your recipes in the original Five, and with others, is that the bread has a tendency to fall apart, much like a cake might. For example, using the bread for a meat sandwich usually results in me holding the meat in my hand while the ketchup covered bread ends up in a pile of pieces on my plate. An ambitious sandwich like a hamburger is a complete disaster.

      So what are the factors in bread which will make my bread more elastic, and less crumbly after it is baked?

      Thanks so much for your great work. You two are changing bread making in this country.

      Mike

      Reply

      2. Zoe,
        I have been using your recipies for 2 yrs now, and am beginning to experiment a bit. Although I have learned lots..I still do not understand the chemistry / physical process that determines the structure of the crumb. Possibly you could include this on the web page? You have made a “bread baker” out of me, a non-cook. Thanx
        Alan

      3. Hi Alan,

        That is a great idea, we’ll try to put something together. In the meantime, I just watched a great class on Craftsy that goes into the science of bread baking. It is just enough to give an understanding of all the different ingredients and how you can play with them to achieve the bread you want. Here is the info if you’re interested: https://www.craftsy.com/ext/ZoFranois_10283_CP

        Thanks, Zoë

    6. Your pretzel recipe (first book) is fantastic. It got me wondering: what is the purpose of making the water basic? And have you ever tested what happens if you boil the pretzel dough in acidic water?

      Reply

      1. Hi Howard,

        Lye is traditionally used in the boiling bath, it effects the color of the dough. I have never tried an acid bath, but I don’t think you’d end up with the classic pretzel color or flavor. If you try it, please let me know what the results are.

        Cheers, Zoë

  2. I can’t tell if I left Jeff an email regarding his post about eliminating the VWG altogether.
    From his post, I can’t seem to glean what it is that he is changing. Can you please expound?
    Are you reducing the flour a bit? Or increasing the water? How exactly shall I accommodate the use of less VWG. I don’t plan to eliminate it altogether, I simply would like to reduce it to the recommended amount of 1 tsp per cup of whole grain flour (which appears to me to be only 5-7 teas….about half the amount in most of your recipes) If I do go that route….halving the VWG, how exactly shall I plan to alter the other ingredients. Your help would be very much appreciated. THANKS!!

    Reply

  3. Hi,
    Im not sure if my question was posted right, or got missed, buy I was wondering if I can add more whole wheat flour to the European Peasant Bread on page 94 in the artisan book. I am assuming I would need to adjust the water. Also, I saw that on the olive bread in the same book, you use a cornstarch wash. What does that do?
    Thanks,
    Melissa

    Reply

    1. Hi Melissa,

      You can add more whole wheat flour, but you will also need to increase the water. If you want to do more than a couple of cups of whole wheat flour, you may need to add some vital wheat gluten to the dough, especially if you want to store it for more than a few days.

      https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/09/18/whole-grain-loaves-without-vital-wheat-gluten-and-highlights-from-the-mill-city-bread-festival no added vital wheat gluten

      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 with added vital wheat gluten

      The cornstarch wash is the traditional way to get a shiny crust, but we actually find that brushing with water is almost as effective.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thank you Zoe!
        I actually just ordered the healthy bread book a few days ago so that should be great!

      2. Hi Melissa,

        That’s perfect, you will find more whole grain options in that book.

        Cheers, Zoë

      3. Hi again! For the whole wheat with out gluten that you put the link in this comment thread, I was wondering about adding ground flax seed. If I put in 2 or 3 tablespoons do I need to adjust the water?
        Melissa

      4. Hi Melissa,

        No, that little shouldn’t effect it, unless you are making other changes as well.

        Thanks, Zoë

  4. One more question Zoe,
    Can I make the Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread (pg. 169 artisan) into rolls? Not sure how long to bake them for.
    Melissa

    Reply

    1. Hi Melissa.

      You sure can. Rolls usually bake in about 20+ minutes, but more or less depending on the size.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Robin,

      Yes, you sure can, it works just as well as the Master recipe from our Artisan Bread book.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  6. Book: “the new artisan bread in five minutes a day”
    The stored refridgerated dough is starting to separate, drier dough at the top, and wetter at the bottom. Can I occasionally stir to correct?
    thanks, Jim

    Reply

  7. your recipe calls for 1 3/4 cup(225 grams)tapioca starch and
    potato starch 1 1/4 cup (225 grams) how is that possible if that they the same amt of grams when the potato starch is 1/4 cup less.

    Reply

  8. hi,
    your recipes for Challah in the book “The New Artisan Bread in five minutes a day: The discovery that revolutionizes home baking” (Kindle edition) says that the dough should rise and collapse after initial mixing. Can I know why the dough should rise and collapse?
    I followed this recipe to make an enriched dough, but didn’t wait it to collapse and the resultant bread is a bit denser than my hand-kneaded enriched bread. Is this normal for no knead enriched bread of is it because I didn’t ensure that the dough collapse?

    thank you for your reply!

    Reply

    1. Well… it doesn’t have to collapse, but if it did we didn’t want people to be alarmed.

      Our stuff is a little denser than typical, and if you want to address that–decrease the water a little, maybe two tablespoons or so. It might not store quite as well. It’s the moisture that makes it storable.

      Reply

  9. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I tried making a dough with just leftover dough. The first batch rose when I used about a half a pound of dough from a earlier batch. It rose slower, which I expected.

    I tried to start a second batch with a half pound of that dough. This time I let the dough sit out for a few hours. I thought it would be better at room temp. I forgot about it until just before bedtime. I made a dough without added yeast and left it sitting out overnight. It was out for about 5 hours. When I woke up it had not risen.

    I considered adding yeast, but i noticed some air pockets and thought maybe it needs more time and a warmer environment. I turned my oven on to preheat to bake some dough I have in the refrigerator. I put the dough next to the oven and crossed my fingers. There
    has been no movement for an hour.

    My question is could this dough have been saved with yeast?

    Reply

    1. You can always get spent dough to rise if you can work yeast into it. I’ve done it by making a slurry of yeast and water (1/4 to 1/2-cup?), working that in, then working in flour to bring the consistency back to what it was.

      Reply

  10. I was reading your No-Knead Artisan Free-Form Loaf recipe an wondered what is the “scoop and sweep” method. Also what is a pizza peel? Thanks,
    Doby

    Reply

  11. I think my question got lost somewhere. I am using the New AB in 5 and wonder if I can mix dried fruits and/or seasonings into the bagel dough. Thank you!

    Reply

  12. I’m making a sandwich loaf.I have two lbs of dough in my loaf pan but I have to go out and won’t be able to put it in the oven after a 2 hour rise. Can I put it in the fridge and bake it later? I know it will continue to rise a little should I put it in before it fully rises? How long should I wait to bake it after it comes out of the fridge?

    Reply

      2. In the “Tips and Techniques” chapter– search on the words:

        Try the “refrigerator rise” trick.

        It’s about halfway through the chapter. I assumed you have “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.”

  13. I am baking for one– do you have a small-batch recipe that will yield a much smaller amount? (I can’t make and eat whole batches for myself– too much weight gain!) 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply

      1. I am using the “New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day”, basic recipe on page 53.

        I was just wondering if there was a basic way to decrease the recipes so it would yield a smaller amount.

        Thanks!

      3. I scaled down the recipe to only use 1 cup of flour (and 1 tsp of yeast) but it didn’t rise at all. Is there a certain amount of yeast that must be present for the bread to rise?

        Thanks!

      4. No, not at all. I can’t explain this. By any chance, did you forget to scale down the salt (which inhibits yeast at high doses)?

        If not that, then I am stumped.

      5. I took the original recipe and scaled it to this: 1c flour, 1/2c water, 1t yeast, and 1/4t salt. Today I am trying again, but cutting the above recipe in half. We’ll see what happens… Thanks for your help!

  14. Can you tell me the difference between the New Artisan bread book and the original. I have the original and wonder if it’s worth buying the New one. Are the recipes the same or different. If they Are different, I would buy the Healthy Bread version instead.

    Reply

  15. Help! I used the Master Recipe on pg. 25 from the original book, “Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes a Day”. I used fresh yeast, and Pillsbury unbleached flour. Following the exact instructions, my first loaf was AMAZING. Picture perfect and yummy. My 2nd loaf a few days later was just ok, smaller and a bit dense, (but tasted great). I let my 3rd loaf rest for an hour before baking, thinking that this would solve the problem. It STUCK to the peel, in fact it was very wet on the bottom, so I had to kind of roll it off. It didn’t rise much in the oven at all so and I’d say it was a failure. (still tasted good though!) So for the 4th and last loaf I let it rest for a good 1 ½ hour, I used parchment paper to solve the wetness (and it was WET on the bottom again!) It was even difficult to get the parchment to slide onto the stone. The loaf was a dismal failure. It did not rise at all, it looked like an oversized hard roll. I have an oven thermometer and I know my temperature is correct. I am baking at 450 degrees. I measured the flour by dipping and leveling, I dissolved the yeast first in the warm water. I used a 6qt container and have a hole poked in the lid. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply

    1. My guess is that your measurement technique is leaving you with too little flour, relative to the water. So just decrease the water a quarter cup and I bet you’ll like it a lot more…

      Reply

  16. You certainly get a lot of questions.
    I want to use a loaf pan to shape the bread for sandwiches. A round loaf isn’t the best for that purpose.
    Instructions?

    Reply

    1. Which of our books do you have, which recipe? Please give me the book-title and page number and I can direct you.

      Reply

  17. Just found your New AB in 5 and HB in 5 and am HOOKED!!! I’ve made my first batch of the Master recipe on pg 54 in HB in 5 and have a few of questions.
    I make my own Greek style yogurt and always have the whey I drained off on hand in the frige. Can I use this (warmed, not straight from the frige), to replace the water, or do a combo of the two?

    I would love to do 100% whole wheat instead of using some AP flour. Any ideas as to what I would have to do to pull this off?

    Any ideas on how I can do an onion or garlic bread with pieces of onion or garlic baked into to loaf?

    Thanks so much for your help!

    Reply

    1. The whey’s great, and can swap for water if you like the flavor (or go half and half whey).

      For ideas on WW, see our other book: Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (on Amazon at https://bit.ly/3wYSSN).

      An then, see page 118 about the Onion Rye…

      Reply

  18. I purchased the Kindle version of Artisan Pizza and Flatbread book yesterday. Checked out this website and found the “Corrections” page. The Kindle version was not corrected; I checked one of the recipes and the incorrect volume of warm water was not updated. I don’t know how to make corrections to the Kindle book. Since it is an eBook, could you kindly update it?

    Reply

    1. We’ll pass along to the publisher, thanks. So, just to confirm, you mean that none of these corrections are in the Kindle:

      Page 52, first line: To freeze a prebaked pizza crust… (page XX) should read (page 48)

      Page 72 (Ingredient list for Crisp-Yet-Tender Pizza Dough Even Closer to he Style of Naples): Lukewarm water amount should be 3 3/4, not 4 3/4.

      Page 95 (Rustic and Hearty Rye Dough), last line: Use 8 cups whole grain flour, not dough.

      Page 174, Step 2 (Thick-Crusted Sicilian-Style Pizza with Onions): Dough thickness should read “a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle,” not “a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle.”

      Page 251 (Intro paragraph for Challah Dough): Omit (450 degrees F) from Line 6

      Reply

  19. Just getting started with Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes A Day (after the new ABin5 changed my life), and wondering why no chia seeds? I’ve read that they are also very healthy and can be added to almost anything…

    Reply

    1. Long story… We tried them, ground up as a swap for xanthan or psyllium in GF breads, and we didn’t love the results. So… we kind of dropped chia as an option–but I bet it’s fine in regular wheat-based bread. Swap them for any seed we use, or in the dough–whatever.

      Reply

  20. Hi! I am looking at the “Herbed potato and roasted garlic bread” in the healthy bread book page 103. It calls for raw potatoes. I have leftover mashed potatoes. Would that work?
    Melissa

    Reply

    1. Absolutely, but I’m not sure about the quantity, since mashed potatoes have some extra liquid. Could decrease the liquids in the recipe a bit? Not sure how much. 1/8 cup?

      Reply

  21. I am going to bake your Deli Style Rye Bread, page 111 in your New Artisan Bread Book. Can I use my cloche to bake the bread in or should I use your method of baking on a stone and adding steam? I plan on using a cornstarch wash on the loaf. Is there any difference with using a cloche versus traditional steam method?
    Thank you!

    Reply

  22. I tried the master recipe for the first time today and was so impressed with the outcome! This method is totally amazing. Thank you Zoe and Jeff!
    One question: I used a 4 quart plastic lidded container because that’s what I have. The initial rise lifted the lid totally off and some of the overflowing dough got rubbery. I incorporated it in and it didn’t seem to affect my first loaf (although I don’t have a comparison). Is this OK to repeat in the future or should I scale down the mixture?

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      So glad you are enjoying the bread!

      We tend to recommend at least a 5-quart container, but generally 6-quart is a more standard size. The Master recipe will just barely fit into a 4-quart, but as you found, it may overflow slightly. However, some of the other recipes are larger and will not fit. If you want to stick with this container, then you will likely need to scale down on some of the larger recipes.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  23. Do you have to buy specialty parchment paper? I haven’t easily found any that is rated for 450°F.

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      Most of the parchment paper is not rated for an oven that hot and I’ve never had an issue. I use it for pizzas at 550°F and it turns nearly black on the edges, but otherwise no issue at all.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  24. I have 4 of your cookbooks and can’t find a recipe using sprouted flour. Have you done any bread baking with sprouted flours?

    Reply

    1. Hi Joe,

      We are playing with recipes using sprouted wheat now and will let you know what we find.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  25. Hi! Do you have any recipes or helpful hints for making hamburger buns? I’ve never made them but thought I might try sometime.
    Melissa

    Reply

      2. The whole wheat brioche recipe that you suggested says 2 1/4 cups gluten. Is that correct? It seems like a huge amount.

      4. Thanks Zoe! I have a used copy of the healthy bread book. I wrote down all the changes! Do you have a video or step by step instructions for braiding challah? I’m confused by where it says to flip over and braid again. (pg. 259 step 9 healthy bread book).
        Melissa
        p.s. thanks for the help! It’s so nice to be able to talk to you guys!

      5. Hi Melissa,

        The flip is a very traditional bread braid technique and one that makes for a very even braid. Having said that, a top to bottom braid works nearly as perfectly and so you can try both. Here is a post that may help. We don’t seem to have any posts of us doing a middle/flip braid.

        Top to bottom: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/02/24/braided-peasant-bread

        6 strand: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2012/08/29/how-to-six-strand-braided-challah

        Thanks, Zoë

  26. I have just a general question that isn’t specific to any of the recipes in HB5MD and NAB5MD. After I take a piece of dough out of the frige, I shape it, let it rest, covered in plastic wrap for 90 minutes, according to the directions. My frige is SUPER cold so the dough is still quite cold when I put it in the oven. Should I leave it out longer to warm up more? It does settle and increase in size before I bake it.

    We absolutely love the bread I’m making! So glad I found your books!

    Reply

    1. Hi kj,

      If your refrigerator is super cold, it may help to let the dough rest a bit longer before baking. If the directions say 90 minutes, then try 2 hours next time and see if you have any improvement.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  27. I’m making “Judy’s Board of Directors Cinnamon-Raisin Bread” (pgs. 330-331 in NAB5M or pgs. 209-210 in AB5M). Is there any benefit or noticeable difference in plumping the raisins before spreading them over the dough? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Yvonne,

      I almost never do this extra step, because the moisture in the dough tends to plump them anyway. It won’t hurt and it will make the raisins even softer, but I like it equally both ways.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  28. With the last pound of my master loaf (about a week old) I tried to make soft dinner rolls from pgs 88-89 of the new artisan bread book. The first step is to preheat a baking stone, but the stone isnt mentioned again in the recipe. I prepared the rolls on the baking sheet with parchment paper. But after resting, slashing and brushing with oil, it wasn’t clear in step 4 if the parchment paper should be slid off the baking sheet onto the stone or if the baking sheet should sit on top of the stone. Or possibly the stone isn’t needed and that was a mistake? I ended up sliding the parchment paper onto the stone. The rolls came out with a hard crunchy crust. The other part I wasn’t sure about was putting water in the broiler pan. I have only ever made the Boule which does call for steam, so I figured that step was left out accidentally and I used the steam. It wasn’t until I flipped back to read the reason for cooking with steam (for a crunchy crust) that I recognized maybe it wasn’t a mistake since this is a “soft” recipe. Do you have an answer for the stone and am I right about the steam?

    Reply

  29. Hi Again Zoe,

    I was using the master recipe in AB5. Thanks for the new recipe. I look forward to trying it, perhaps this weekend. Assuming it works, and I expect it will unless I mess it up, I still don’t understand what the factors are that encourage the development of the gluten, and make for a more elastic loaf.The master recipe in AB5, and this recipe differ in several ways. This recipe has many eggs, some honey, and some oil that the AB5 recipe doesn’t have. Which of these things makes this one more elastic, or is it something different in the methodology, or something else I missed.

    Thanks again,

    Mike

    Reply

    1. Hi Mike,

      What flour are you using for the master recipe? I am surprised that recipe was falling apart on you, it has the most gluten structure of all. It could be that your dough is a bit dry? This can be from the flour you are using or the way you are measuring. Have you seen any of our videos to compare our dough to the one you are making?

      The enriched recipe will be a bit more tender and lighter than the master recipe you are currently using and suited to burger buns. If you fold the dough over on itself a few times before shaping it, you will develop even more gluten and it may help the structure of the dough. If you do this, it requires that you let it rest a bit longer, since you are working the dough more than we normally suggest.

      If you are interested in the science of bread baking, here is a wonderful course that I just watched. He does a great job of explaining the basic science behind the ingredients and the methods of bread baking. I found it very interesting and thought it would be helpful for our readers who want a slightly deeper understanding: https://www.craftsy.com/ext/ZoFranois_10283_CP

      Thanks! Zoë

      Reply

  30. I’m in the middle of my second attempt at the GF master dough. The dough is very stiff, heavy and not rising a lot in the fridge (after 24 hrs). I measured out 1 lb. to make loaf. Very heavy and stiff.
    What should the texture of the dough be:
    a) after mixing before putting in fridge; and
    b) leaving to rise before baking.

    Reply

    1. Hi Nedra,

      Which of the GF master recipes are you working with? We have GF recipes in 4 of our books and they are all a bit different.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  31. I’m using Mixture #1 GF all-purpose flour (p.60 GF Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes.), Master Recipe: Goule (GF Artisan Free-Form Loaf).
    Dough rose a bit on the counter, and put into the fridge for 24 hours. No a lot of rise. Now one lb being proofed before baking — very little rise, dough heavy and dense.

    Reply

  32. No substitutions, using psyllium, and using a kitchen aid stand mixer. I will definitely check out the video.
    My bread has been resting for about 2 hours, and not a lot of rising there…sigh.

    Reply

  33. I watched the video Zoe. I noticed that there was something more than water being added. Was that the egg/egg white that is mentioned in the book? The dough looks as stiff as what I got. What is the time from shaping the boule on the parchment to smoothing is out, cutting the cross and putting in the oven?

    Reply

    1. Hi Nedhra,

      The dough made with psyllium will feel a bit stiffer than the dough made with xanthan and it may seem to be more “crumbly” when you shape it. You’ll need to use wet hands to shape it and then let it rest for the amount of time suggested for the shape you are making from the book.

      The dough I made in the video is the egg white version and if you can tolerate eggs, I would recommend trying that with your dough. The eggs act as an extra leavener, so it may lighten your loaves a bit.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  35. I have been making the Master Recipe from the New AB in 5 for over a year now and love how versatile it is. Would it work to substitute all or some of the salt with garlic salt?

    Reply

    1. Hi Nancy,

      Yes, it should work just fine. You may want to start with a half batch and make sure you like the flavor. Please let us know how it goes, I bet there are lots of people who will want to try it.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

      1. I substituted 1 T of garlic salt for the regular/kosher salt in the Master Recipe and it initially gave a hint of garlic to the bread but after a few days in the fridge the flavor intensified nicely. I made soft dinner rolls with the few day old dough with some fresh rosemary and they were delicious.

  36. Sorry to keep asking questions but I am preparing for the two Farmers Markets I sell at and am experimenting. I LOVE the cinnamon raisin bread and wonder if I could substitute Nutella for the cinnamon and raisins. If so, any change in baking time or temperature? Thanks again for your responsiveness to all of our questions!

    Reply

      2. Hi Drew,

        You can put the nutella in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it will soften nicely.

        Thanks, Zoë

      9. Zoe, I made the Buttermilk loaf with 3/4 cup softened Nutella and it exploded a bit in the oven. A side crack appeared and the dough oozed out while baking. Any thoughts?

  37. Hi, I have the Kindle Edition of The New Artisan Bread…. I’ve been making the Oatmeal Maple Bread using mostly the weight in grams. If I follow the recipe as written my dough turns out overly wet and overflows the loaf pan. I looked up the weight of tap water in an app and it says 2.25 cups equal 532.323 grams, not 625 grams as “printed”. I’m guessing I should go by 2.25 cups since this recipe also has oil and maple syrup in it?

    It still tastes great, by the way. Its just really messy.
    – A baking fan

    Reply

    1. Hi. The water is 2 3/4 cups (625g), is that different than what you have on the kindle? That still doesn’t solve the issue of your wet dough. Is it wet after it has been refrigerated overnight or when you first mix it?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Water always seem to weigh a little more than I expect.

        Here is a weight reference according to the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 28

        Basic Report: 14411, Beverages, water, tap, drinking

        (Sorry for the long URL; I’m not sure how to post one here.)

        https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4384?man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&qlookup=&offset=&sort=&format=Abridged&reportfmt=other&rptfrm=&ndbno=&nutrient1=&nutrient2=&nutrient3=&subset=&totCount=&measureby=&_action_show=Apply+Changes&Qv=1&Q8208=1&Q8209=1&Q8210=1

        1 cup (8 fl oz) water = 237 g
        2 3/4 cups (22 fl oz) water = 651.8 g
        625 g = 2.64 cups

        I hope this helps and doesn’t muddy the water. (Ooops!)

      2. IIRC, there are quite a few weight ounces throughout history (e.g., Tower ounce, troy ounce, something called the “Paris troy” I believe, who knows what else), but the surviving “fluid” ounce measurements are the imperial fluid ounce and the US fluid ounce.

        Both are *volume* measurements, not weight. The imperial fluid ounce is 1/160th of an imperial gallon, the US fluid ounce is 1/128th of a US gallon. Historically the imperial gallon was defined in terms of an equivalent weight of distilled water but they redefined it in terms of a volume in liters, some time in the 1970s I think. I believe the US gallon has been legally set at 231 cubic inches for a long time.

        For distilled water, an imperial fluid ounce (28.41g) is within 1/10th of a gram of the dry weight/mass ounce (28.35g for those of living in non or not-fully metric countries). A US fluid ounce of distilled water weighs *more* than a dry ounce, 29.57g, slightly over 4% more.

        For any other liquid, the density of the liquid comes into play … Either system’s fluid ounce of cooking oil is going to weigh less than the corresponding ounce of water, for example.

        The difference isn’t enough to bother a lot of cooking, but for converting a multiple-loaf dough recipe, you can end up too dry or too wet.

        If that isn’t enough to make your head hurt,
        the imperial fluid ounce is 1/20th of the imperial pint, while the US is 1/16th. So an older UK cookbook referring to cups or half-pints takes some care to get converted into weights.

        Even when you are lucky enough to be working from a cookbook with ingredients in volumes and weights, I suggest you check the math if your dough doesn’t seem right. I have one cookbook where they seem to have done water conversions from US fluid ounces to grams by multiplying by the dry ounce weight.

        Cheers,
        Alan

      3. Thanks Alan,

        This is pretty interesting stuff and yes, enough info out there to make one’s head hurt. I think you did a great job breaking it down.

        Cheers, Zoë

  38. Thanks for your suggestion, Zoe. I tried the bread you suggested, and it worked perfectly for my buns and bread. I am still left with the same question however. The recipe you suggested uses 3 sticks of butter and 8 eggs, and sugar that the master recipe in AB-5 doesn’t use. I would eat that on my shoe. What is the factor that is giving the bread the elasticity to make a good sandwich or hamberger bun. I hope I don’t have to eat all of that butter and eggs just to get a good hamberger bun. My heart won’t stand it even if it would be wonderful while it lasted.

    Thanks again,

    Mike

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael,

      You can try the buttermilk bread or the challah as well. They are both enriched, which gives a more tender bread for hamburger buns. The lean doughs may be a bit crusty and denser, which may or may not be to your liking as a bun?

      Hope that helps?

      Zoë

      Reply

  39. Well, looking more closely at your recipe, it does say 2 & 3/4 cup, not 2 & 1/4 cup as I thought it read…with reading glasses on, no less. So I’m not sure why my mixture always comes out so wet. I’m usually using King Arthur AP flour which should require a bit more water than Gold Medal AP, I think. I can’t easily find wheat bran, so I’m using oat bran instead. I wouldnt think that should be so significant, but maybe it is. For the oil, I use a roasted nut oil, either hazlenut, pistachio or walnut. The dough seems a bit loose when mixing, but otherwise ojay. When I put it into my loaf pan the 1st attempt (all the water as written) it overflows the pan by the end of the proof before baking. In a kitchen about 70 degrees F. So if I used wheat bran and regular vegatable oil would it turn out different?
    I guess I’ll just have to experiment as the roasted nut oils are delicious in this recipe. My favorite is the pistachio.
    Thanks for your reply!
    -Baking Fan

    Reply

    1. Hi Baking fan,

      I can’t tell from your reply if the dough is wet after it has been refrigerated overnight or are you baking with it before you’ve refrigerated the dough?

      The type of oil and the bran should not be making any difference at all.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. I usually refrigerate it overnight. And just using the metric grams setting on my scale, not ounces.

        Perhaps my loaf pan is too shallow (2.75″ tall). When I use the full measure of water as I did the first time I made the recipe (625 grams), the dough overflows the loaf pan during the proofing and baking. I’ve cut back the water on todays batch to 566 grams. The dough had been in the fridge for about 9 hours and I proofed it 90 minutes. Its in the oven right now and didn’t raise high enough to overflow the pan. It seems fine. I might bump the water measure back up a tad, just not the full 625 grams.

        I’m mystified as to my results with the full measure of water. That hasn’t happened with other recipes in the book.
        A Baking Fan

      2. Hi Baking Fan,

        Is your baking pan 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inches? Are you using 2 pounds of dough?

        Thanks, Zoë

      3. Hi Zoe,
        My pan is 8.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.75″. The dough weight was about 1.79 pounds. My refrigerator is set to 37 degrees F. I proofed it 90 minutes.
        I’ve used less water in all tries of the recipe since then, so I don’t know if there was a miss measure of something in that first try. Perhaps I’ll try it again but make a parchment paper collar for the loaf pan to prevent the oven mess.
        Thanks,
        Baking Fan

      4. Hi Baking Fan,

        I am stumped. Unless there are any other clues you can share, I just can’t figure out why it is pouring over the top, it is so unusual for our dough. It sounds like you are doing everything just right.

        Sorry to be of so little help on this. Please let me know if you try it again.

        Zoë

  40. I have a question about the matter recipe on pg 54 of HBI5MAD and one general question. I saw that you can increase the amount of salt by up to 50% without changing anything else but any more and it mucks with the yeast. I’ve upped the salt in the master recipe to 1 1/2 tbsp but my family says it’s still too bland. Any suggestions on how to increase the salt and how to manage the yeast?

    Also, a recipe DOESN’T contain any eggs, butter, or milk, is it still good after 2wks in the fridge?

    Thanks!

    KJ

    Reply

    1. Hi Kj.

      You may want to try up to 1 3/4 tablespoons salt and see if that is to your liking. I think that little bit more salt will make a rather large difference.

      You can store the doughs that have no dairy or other perishable ingredients longer than 2 weeks, but it will have lost some of its rising power, so you may want to stick to flatbreads.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  41. I have been baking for some time with your method ( I use two of your books) and so far have had great results.
    However, the Sweet potato and Spelt bread (from Healthy Bread in Five, page 177) was a disaster! 3 and a half cups of sweet potato seems to have been far too much. The bread hardly rose and the interior didn’t bake through. Should the potato be cooked first, or the amount reduced?

    Reply

      1. Hi Zoë,
        Thank you for replying so promptly. I will test the recipe again with the lesser quantity of water (but make half a batch this time!) and let you know the results. Also – I wish the recipe had given the weight of the sweet potato -it would be so much easier to be accurate by weighing than by trying to get the volume right for the grated form!

        Susan

      2. Hi Susan,

        Yes, it is a great idea and we are working on providing weights for a future edition of the book.

        Thanks, Zoë

  42. Hello! I love your ‘New Artisan Bread …’ I’ve just found Bob’s Red Mill’s “1 to 1 Baking Flour.” Can I use it in your Gluten-Free Master Recipe, pg 268 as a replacement for all the flour? The recipe’s flour adds up to 5.4 cups, so would I use that amount of the ‘1 to 1’?
    Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Patricia,

      I have not found any gluten-free flour mix that works without some tweaks. Most need a bit more xanthan gum to create enough structure. I would start with a small batch to make sure you like the results.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  44. We LOVE the original Boule recipe! I make several loaves EVERY week! Our grandson (5) says Nana makes the BEST bread in the world! (Thanks, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day!)
    We live in Florida, and I would love the BAKE the bread outside on my Weber Grill during the summer. Could I do this by cooking the bread on the indirect side?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jan,

      I am so glad you are enjoying the bread with your grandson and hopefully someday he’ll be baking with you! 🙂

      You can bake on the grill. Here is a post that gives you some info, you have to scroll to the bottom to find it.

      Thanks! Zoë

      Reply

  45. hi! Quick question…I froze about a pound of the European Peasant bread dough that was almost too old. I thawed it overnight and baked like usual. The inside was like a hard jell. Would freezing it have done that? My I oven temp is slightly off but I don’t usually have a problem with it.

    Reply

    1. Hi Melissa,

      The older dough will lose some of it’s rising power and freezing it also reduces that power. You can let the dough rest longer to try to get a better oven spring, but it may be best used as flatbreads. You can also use that dough to start a new batch of dough, since it has so much great flavor!

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  46. Hi! Going to make the master recipe tomorrow, but wanting to switch from a multi-seed mixture to something more simple, like sea salt, olive oil and rosemary. And reccos on amounts? Is olive oil a bad idea? Is it even possible for olive oil to be a bad idea ever?!? Thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. Hi. Are you making the master recipe from the Healthy Bread Book? If you use salt, go very lightly, it can get too salty very quickly. Just a few large sea salt flakes go a long way. Olive oil will inhibit the crust from developing, so just use a little and then serve it with the bread. Rosemary is great, but it can scorch.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  47. Hi – I’ve made the 10-grain bread from the HB in 5 book, with good results. Could I add a handful of the 10-grain cereal to one of the “regular” Bread in 5 recipes – say, the master recipe or the peasant bread? Any suggestions would be appreciated – thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Renee,

      Yes, you sure could. You can replace about 1 cup of the flour with 10-grain cereal and add a couple more tablespoons water to the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  48. I have both you Five Minutes a Day bread books. I love Squaw bread and can’t find a recipe in either book. Does Squaw bread not lend itself to the slow fermentation process? Thanks.
    Rory Safreed

    Reply

    1. Hi Rory,

      Yes, I am sure it will work, but we’ve just never developed a recipe for it. So many wonderful breads to recreate.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  49. I’m gluten sensitive and now suspect that I am also yeast sensitive. I have had good experiences with GF breads made from sourdough starts or ‘ferments’. I’d like to make my own. Can any of your GF bread recipes be adapted to use this type of sponge?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jacki,

      Haven’t played with a gluten-free starter yet, but some of our readers have and say it works nicely. When I do give it a try, I will post here.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  50. Hi, I made a sourdough bread dough from the Ain5 Master recipe. How long do you think the dough will keep in the fridge?

    Reply

    1. Hi Melissa,

      I have had good luck with a 5 day old sourdough bread. Beyond that and it doesn’t have as much stretch.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

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