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.

6,639 thoughts to “Ask a Question”

  1. Hi. First, I’ve been enjoying your method for several years now and I want to express my gratitude for simplifying my bread-making and for being so accessible and offering so much information on your website.

    Second, I wonder if you could recommend the best of your recipes for making slider rolls.

    Reply

    1. Hi Botany Bill,

      Thanks for the note. I like to use the challah recipe for this type of rolls. Use about 2 ounces of dough to make a small bun.

      Enjoy, Zoë

      Reply

  2. Hello,
    I really love bread made from sprouted wheat flour such as the Ezekiel brand. Does your method stand to incorporating such an ingredient to produce a loaf such as Ezekiel’s?

    Reply

    1. Hi Paris,

      You can find information about sprouted wheat in our newest book The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. We talk about substituting the flour in any of our recipes, but we don’t have one specifically mimicking Ezekiel bread, so you’ll have to do some experimenting.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  3. Oddly, my kidney diet requires/suggests sparing use of whole grains, so I’m usually using your original Artisian Bread in 5 Minutes a day. However, I do like whole grains and occasionally substitutes a little for unbleached white flour. I bought some mesquite powder/flour online but I can only find “hearty” bread recipes. T was a xpensive and I don’t want to waste it. Can I just substitute one cup of mesquite flour for white unbleached like in the recipe for Deli Rye bread in your first cookbook? Thanks. I’m enjoying baking bread for the first time in 20 years and you save me from having to buy expen$ive store bought artesian bread or the styrofoam stuff. ❤️

    Reply

    1. Hi Leslie,

      Yes, that should work just fine. Mesquite doesn’t have any gluten, so if the dough seems a bit too wet, just add a little more flour until it looks like the dough you are used to working with.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Eileen,

      We have pumpernickel breads in both our New Healthy Bread in Five and New Artisan Bread in Five books. Our recipes use Rye flour and caramel color. The one in the healthy bread book uses more whole grains as well.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  5. In your book you mention that there is a video on this site on “shaping bread”. I cannot find that page.

    I have made your basic recipe 3 times now and am not happy with the results. I weight everything, and the first rise seems to go well. I shape the dough gently so as to not deflate, follow the directions on slashing and then allow to rise. Not much rise and seems to flatten out in the oven. I do use a stone and steam. The bread is heavy and the crust is always bumpy…not smooth.

    Reply

  6. Hello. I just read your post about Better Batter flour mix and that it can be substituted for Flour Mix #1. If I want to use sorghum in place of some of that four mix (Better Batter), will I have to adjust xanthan gum? I was just thinking about it, and I realized that, given that the xanthan gum is already in the flours, its proportion would be accounted for in everything except a sub (in this case, sorghum). Or perhaps, it’s too small an amount to matter?? Thank you in advance for any help.

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy,

      It depends on how much Sorghum you intend to use. If you are using a cup or more, than I would increase the xanthan by about 1 teaspoon per cup. This will take some experimenting. I would start by making a small batch until you get a dough you are happy with.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  7. For 5 months i have been baking bread from your Master Dough recipe in Zoe’s Craftsy video. I weigh the flour in grams, use Gold Medal ap flour as directed. But this month, Feb. I end up with really wet dough. It looks shaggy after mixing just as in the past. But when i go to bake the next day, it is too wet. It’s one sticky mess. I live in the Pacific Northwest, and the home is cool at 65 degrees. If i use mor flour to shape I lose my artisian crumb. Its tasty, but not the loaf we enjoyed in the past. I’ll reduce yeast next to give a go. Any other suggestions?

    Reply

    1. Hi Eva,

      Have you made more than one batch that turned out this way? If so, it can be a batch of flour that is lower in protein. Typically in the winter the flour would be dry and therefore produce a stiffer dough, not a wetter one, so this is curious. It may also be a matter of shaping the wet dough. Here is a video that may help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/03/08/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough

      Reducing the yeast will produce a nice dough, but it won’t effect the wetness problem. It will take longer to rise, but it will produce lovely artisan hole structure.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  8. interested in making Irish brown bread with coarse whole wheat. Plan on using King Arthur brand. Can i substitute this flour for the whole wheat in the Master Recipe in the New Healthy Bread book without any additional changes other than the change noted in the book if using King Arthur flour?

    Reply

    1. Hi Bob,

      Coarse whole wheat will behave differently than any of the whole wheat flours we mention in the book, since it won’t produce as much gluten as the other brands we’ve discussed. You’ll likely need less water, so I would start with 1 cup less water and add it only as needed to get a dough that resembles the dough you have made from our books before.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  9. The New Healthy Bread in 5 a Day 100% Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread calls for a pan 8 1/2 x 4 1/2. If I need to use a pan 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 how large a chunk of dough would I use and how long should it bake? Would a better bread be produced by using the stated size pan? Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    1. Hi. You could add another 8 ounces of dough to the pan to fill it nicely. You’ll want to increase the resting time by about 30 minutes and baking time by about 10 minutes.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  10. I have just acquired The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I am acquiring all my equipment and my question is regarding the broiler pan. I do not have one. Is that required or can I supplement another pan to hold water – say a small round cake pan. I have a very small apartment oven . Thank you for your response.

    Reply

  11. Hello. Let me first say that I am REALLY ENJOYING your book. It’s been years since I had a good tasting bagel (and never had a gf one until now). I do have a couple of questions:
    In the bagel recipe in your gluten free book, it first says to preheat a stone. Then it says to put the bagels on the “prepared baking sheet.” I didn’t see anything about a baking sheet prior to that step. Then it goes on to say, that you put the stone in the oven…. I decided that you must have meant that I should preheat the stone, then put the bagels to rest on a baking sheet with parchment, and then put the baking sheet onto the preheated stone that is already in the oven. Is that correct? If not, can you please clarify? Thanks.

    My next question is about the bagels, but it also relates to other recipes in the book. I went a bit crazy (so excited to have great tasting gf breads), and I made a lot of things (bagels, boulle, and a flatbread with zaatar). What is the best way to save these? We cannot possibly eat them in the next few days. Wrap, freeze, and reheat in oven? Any suggestions? Thank you again for this wonderful book.

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy,

      Yes, you are absolutely right. You’ll place the baking sheet right on top of the baking stone. You can also bake the bagels directly on the baking stone, but its easier to get them in and out of the oven if you use the baking sheet.

      I’m so glad you are enjoying all the bread. The GF breads do tend to stale faster than our wheat based breads, so you want to freeze any that you haven’t finished. You can toast or reheat in the oven when you are ready to eat.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi James,

      We have a tortilla recipe in our Pizza and Flatbread book. It is one of the few non-yeast breads.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  13. hi zöe,
    i bought full strength flour instead of all trumps high gluten flour. will i need to adjust my mixtures

    Reply

  14. Got “The New Artisan Bread…” for Christmas and have been making several loaves a week since. Mostly loaves turning out well, family chows down the bread, etc. But, while the bread generally tastes good, I notice a slight bitter aftertaste on my tongue after each bite. Any ideas what this might be and how to avoid? I use the Gold Medal all purpose flour, good (no taste) tap water, etc. I do use a store brand yeast – might that make a difference? thanks for your thoughts.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ben,

      This may be the fermentation that is building up in the dough. Does it have an alcohol taste? Some people are more sensitive to it than others. My husband can detect it and I can’t. You can use less yeast and that will help. Using less yeast means you will need to let the dough rise longer before using it. Here is a post that will help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2007/12/19/low-yeast-version-of-our-master-recipe

      The gases will also build up in the container if it isn’t vented well enough, so you need to make sure that there is a tiny hole in the lid or that it is open a hair so the gas can escape.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  15. In “Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” (Oct 2014), the Bagel recipe on pg 164 is confusing. Step 5 says to place the stone in the oven, but it’s already there from step 1 and it never tells you when to put the bagels in the over. Are we supposed to place the (metal ?) “baking sheet” (from Step 4) with the bagels on them in the oven on top of the stone ? And why can’t we put the water in the broiler tray earlier ?

    Also, please provide a pointer to a “lean dough” recipe in your book that fits for these bagels.

    Thanks,
    Alan

    Reply

    1. Hi Alan,

      You’ll place the baking sheet right on top of the preheated baking stone. You can also bake the bagels directly on the baking stone, but it’s easier to get them in and out of the oven if you use the baking sheet.

      You can use the master recipe or any other recipe that doesn’t contain too much sugar.

      Thank you, Zoë

      Reply

  16. Hi,
    I’m very happy I discovered your book. Baking was like a myth to me, thanks to your book it turned into reality!
    I was wondering whether you’ve tried low carb breads using coconut flour, for example?
    Thanks,
    Liliana

    Reply

    1. Hi Liliana,

      We do have a coconut bread in our gluten-free book, but most of that book is not geared towards low carb baking. Since most of our recipes are based on wheat or other starches, I can’t say that we’ve really covered this area of baking. Peter Reinhart has a book that covers this subject well.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  17. I have experience the same thing, specially when I know I have used some “extra” yeast trying to assure a good rise. Thanx for the tip Zoe

    Reply

  18. I just don’t seem to get that tight skin around my dough. When I score it, it’s not too good. What should I do to make a more taut outer surface on my dough?

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Al,

      Did you watch the video about shaping the dough? That should help you form a tighter ball. You may also need to pinch the ends together on the bottom so it does’t lose it’s shape.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  19. I’ve learned it is better for me to weigh my flour, and while I’m at it I use a thermometer to make sure my water is the right temperature. But when I didn’t know what weight to use for Durum flour for the Italian bread I threw caution to the wind and just used measuring cups and guessed the water temperature. First of all, the dough did not rise like the other doughs had. Secondly, it seemed very dry when I pulled out my first loaf’s worth. Can I add more water? Should I?

    Reply

    1. Hi Wendy,

      Yes, you sure can. If the dough is already risen and chilled, it is easiest to add water in a stand mixer using a dough hook.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  20. Any suggestions as to how to freeze dough—in a ball, wrapped in parchment? Or can it just be frozen in a freezer zip lock bag? (Does the frozen dough just pop loose from whatever wrapping when it’s still frozen or will it tend to stick to the wrapping)?

    When storing dough in the frig, what would be the result of plugging the air escape hole after a day or two, and does the answer depend on what kind of flour was used to prepare that dough?

    Reply

    1. Hi Kathleen,

      In the books we suggest to divide the dough into smaller balls (1-pound pieces) and put them into zip lock freezer bags. The bags need enough space in case the dough still rises when it first goes in the freezer. If the dough is chilled before freezing, it won’t rise much. If you are going to freeze the dough for more than a few days, I would double up the bag.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  21. Hi, I was wondering if you have any recipes that can use liquid whey that I’ve strained from my homemade yogurt. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Molly,

      I have used whey in our recipes after making yogurt. I replaced 50% of the water with whey and had great results.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  22. If i keep a couple ounces of my “Master Recipe” to create a quick sourdough starter (suggested in the book “Artisan Bread in 5” you can just mix your next batch in the same container with the bits of leftover dough) can I keep my few ounces by adding some flour and water weekly or every 2 weeks as you would with a standard starter? How often would I need to feed it, and about how much flour and water per ounce?

    Reply

  24. Hi Zöe,
    I want to make a pullman loaf about 2.5 lbs. Can it proof it overnight in the fridge? How long should it be before I put it in the oven?

    Reply

  25. I would like to make the Chris Kimball Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from your original ABin5, page 78. I don’t have wheat germ or rye flour on hand, but I do have teff and oat flours. Could I substitute these flours – teff for rye and oat for wheat germ? If so, would I have to make any adjustments to the water required? And could I reduce the yeast and salt to 1 tbsp. each? Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sharon,

      The flours your have will behave differently than wheat germ and rye flours, but if you are just replacing a small amount, it should work. You may need to add a few tablespoons more water, because oat flour absorbs more water than wheat germ. I’d make a small batch to make sure you like the results.

      Here are posts on adding less yeast and salt:
      https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2007/12/19/low-yeast-version-of-our-master-recipe
      https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/02/10/qa-salt

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  26. Hi! I’d like to bake some whole wheat bread using recipes from “New Healthy Bread.” Can I use Trader Joe’s White Whole Wheat Flour?

    Reply

    1. Hi Robert,

      What an interesting question. I’ve never tried it. Typically dumplings are not made with yeast. But, we are all about trying new things, so it may be worth a shot. If you get to it before me, let me know what you think.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Christine,

      You can, but you have to be careful to wrap it very well. The second you cut the bread it will start to stale, so you want to cut, wrap and freeze very quickly.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  29. I am making the Vollkornbrot from Healthy Bread and wondered if I have to bake it in a loaf pan as the recipe states. What would happen if I didn’t put it in a loaf pan? Thanks!

    Reply

  30. First off – I have recommended your book to dozens of my friends because your technique makes it possible for me to control what my family eats! I mixed up the pizza dough on page 72 of Artisan Pizza and Flatbread and it was soupy! I compared the water to flour ratio and it seems like the water volume might be off. Would you please verify the water:flour ratio?

    Reply

  31. the recipe for bread with oat flour uses a loaf pan. is there any reason i cannot use this dough to make a boule instead?

    Reply

    1. Hi Matthew,

      Most of the recipes are interchangeable from loaf to boule and the other way around. You will have to adjust the rising and baking time depending on the recipe and size of the loaf.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  32. Is there a substitute for all purpose flour that will work for bread? There are many recipes in the whole grain section I’d like to make (starting with the seeded oat on page 208) but don’t eat processed foods (i.e. All purpose flour).

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      It sounds like you’d enjoy our New Healthy Bread in Five book. There are more 100% whole grain breads. If you are adapting other recipes to whole grain flours, you need to add more water. This will depend on what flour you are substituting and how much. We also suggest you use vital wheat gluten, especially for storing the dough for any amount of time. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2016/10/30/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

      I suggest you start with small batches until you get the loaf you like. Here is an article on VWG that may be helpful.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  33. I need help ! I need a bread recipe that is gluten free and yeast free, also no,maple syrup,sugar,molasses or dries fruits. Is this possible?? It is for a 7 yr old boy with a autoimmune disease. I did try a soda. Bread recipe, used stevia but was not palatable, maybe not enough to do the job.can you be of any help?

    Reply

    1. Hi Liz,

      You may need to increase the baking time slightly, just because all that dough may effect the temperature of the oven initially. The biggest concern is will they all fit on the stone at once? As long as they fit, you can bake as many as you want. No need to add more water.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      2. Hi Liz,

        Our master recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five is very similar. You could just make the dough a little wetter and you’d have something very close. It is typically so wet that it is hard to handle and is best baked in a cloche or Dutch oven. I’d add about 1/4 cup more water to the dough.

        Thanks, Zoë

  35. Hi, your technique of baking bread so fast and convenient is amazing.

    I made the master recipe in the new artisan bread in 5 mins book. I did everything correctly, bread turns out fine etc..However I realised the bread becomes hard the next day. Is this normal? Seems like the bread can’t be kept for 2 days.. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Correct! Bread made without dough conditioners or preservatives (which you find in commercial bread) doesn’t store well at all. Certainly not for 2 days–it does get hard. We give suggestions in the book for how to use stale-ish bread. Or freeze it?

      Reply

  36. Jeff/Zoe,

    I have been reading about using lava stones to create steam in your oven. Is this useful and practical? If so could you please tell me where to get lava stones for use in your oven and how to use them. Thank you for all the help you given me, We no longer buy bread at the grocery store .
    With appreciation,
    Dunyia

    Reply

    1. We’ve read about that for years, but it seemed like a bother, and we were happy with the three methods we cover in the books, so we never acquired the stones or tested with it. I’m sure it works well, but the question is whether it’s any better than the simpler alternatives. Just don’t know the answer to that.

      Reply

      1. Jeff, I’m wondering if the lava rocks, being somewhat porous, might not put out more steam for a longer period of time since they presumably would hold more water in the crags and crannies, making the water more accessible for the heat to produce steam. Just a wild guess.

        Rita

      2. I think that’s the theory, I just don’t know if it matters in practice or not. Could be.

      3. Jeff,

        Thank you for your help. I will stick with the methods I have learned from you. They have worked well.. I hope you know how much I appreciate your help. Yours and Zoe recipes fill our home with wonderful bread and gifts to others.

        Dunyia

  37. My bread is too dense. It doesn’t rise much. I have adjusted water-more/less, increased yeast, used both measured and weighed dry ingredients, handled quickly and nothing seems to work. I like a bread with more open texture and not so heavy and dense>???

    Reply

    1. Judy: Can you tell me which of our recipes you are using, specifically, which of the books, and which page number and recipe title? Also, check the FAQs page above, under “Questions.”

      Reply

  38. I have all of your books and have had great success with the recipes I’ve made so far. I recently purchased the Emile Henry Bread Loaf Baker and was wondering if I would need to make any adjustments in the oven temperature and baking time when making any of the recipes from your books (i.e. Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, page 132-133)?

    Thanks, Ellen

    Reply

    1. So long as you pre-heat the Baker as we specify in “New Healthy…” on page 41, then no, you shouldn’t have to adjust. But remember to remove the lid for the last third of the baking time. And as we say in the last paragraph, you COULD increase the vessel’s preheat by 50 degrees for a super-crisp crust, but turn it back down as soon as you load in the dough.

      Reply

  40. Hello, I just purchased the Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in 5 minutes book and am trying my hand at baking gluten free, dairy free, and hopefully egg free bread as I have intolerances to all 3. I also do not use white sugar or corn syrup as a rule. So my question is for the Brioche recipes have you tried flax eggs or chic pea water (the water from a can of unsalted chic peas) as a replacement for eggs? Do you think they would work? I have used flax eggs in pumpkin breads (GF) and GF Banana bread, cookies it doesn’t work so well. People have suggested the chic pea water for things like cookies that are more fragile.
    I have heard you can use Brown rice syrup 1:1 replacement for corn syrup and I only have coconut palm sugar as a granular sugar substitute. What do you think?
    Oh yes and if the recipe calls for butter I would substitute with Vegan butter which is a mix of oils and some emulsifiers. Best I can do with the food intolerances. I am new to the food intolerance thing, just a year so still trying to get the hang of it.

    Reply

    1. We’ve tried using flax mixed with water as an egg substitute, see our post on this at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/06/01/gluten-free-baguettes-egg-free-and-a-king-arthur-gluten-free-flour-giveaway

      We haven’t tried chickpea water; can’t comment on that.

      I’m guessing that the granular coconut palm sugar is going to work just fine, but we haven’t tried that either. The butter swap is likely to work well in recipes calling for a quarter-cup or so, not so much for more than that. The consistency will change (too loose), and you’ll need more flour, which throws off everything in the GF recipes–so plan on experimenting. Good luck!

      Reply

  41. Camping and survival publications point out that moisture in porous rocks can turn to steam and cause the rocks to dangerously explode if heated, for example, if they are used to surround a campfire. I expect that the same thing could happen if porous rocks, like lava were put an oven and heated.

    Reply

  42. My post has not appeared, therefore I will repeat it.
    I have just made my first mix and the rise was wonderful. The following day when I took the mix out of the fridge the volume had dropped by a quarter. No matter how floury my hands were I could not shape the mix as it seemed too soft. I have read and reread the instructions and I cannot see where I am going wrong. I would be most grateful for any advice that you may have to put me out of my misery.
    Many thanks,
    Hugh

    Reply

    2. I apologise for the lack of detail in my post. The book is “The New Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day”. The page is 81 and refers to the “Master Recipe”. Again, my apologies. Hugh

      Reply

      1. No problem. To your questions:
        1. It’s normal for the volume to drop like that
        2. Sounds like the dough’s too wet, likeliest causes are measurement technique, or the particular brand of flour you’re using. If going by volume, make sure you’re measuring the flour this way: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/04/28/how-we-measure-our-flour-using-the-scoop-and-sweep-method

        Measuring by weight using a digital scale is faster and more accurate though. Something like https://amzn.to/cvBlHe

        Or, it’s the brand of flour. If you’re not using a standard flours like Gold Medal, you have to adjust the water (see page 82).

        Then, did you make ANY changes in the recipe? Most importantly, did you skip the vital wheat gluten without adjusting the water as on page 82? Other changes?

        Finally–you can salvage the dough by working in a little flour, then letting it sit on the counter for 2 hours.

  43. thanks to you I have been baking bread for the past 4 yrs and nothing compares to that home baked fresh bread! in the past months our family became vegan. I still make the master recipe bread but my kids really loved the challah bread recipe. It is perfect for sandwiches and a great alternative to that store bought soft bread. Since we’re not using eggs anymore, is there an alternative recipe? Can you suggest any that would give us that soft, sandwich like bread, vegan version? I have egg-replacer that is used in vegan cooking but I don’t know if its suitable for bread. Thank you, I appreciate your help.

    Reply

    1. People have told us that the egg substitutes work reasonably well–I can’t imagine the flavor will be the same though.

      That said–the eggs aren’t what makes the bread soft and sandwich-like–it’s the fat: oil or butter, paired with some sweetener, so if you don’t care about egg flavor, just leave the eggs out and increase the water a bit–you’ll have to experiment. It’s about 2 ounces per egg.

      Reply

  44. Hello. Reading your intriguing bookk published 2013. Both recipe for baguette and baguette rolls call for a 25 minute cooking time. Seems unlikely for a roll vs a small loaf. Is this correct? Thank you.

    Reply

  45. This is the 2nd time I have tried to use a Boule/Rustic, or Country type boule recipe in a dutch oven: I have to substitute some of the flours, as I cannot have oat flour or tapioca. I used as starter of 2 oz quinoa, 2oz sorghum flours, 1 t yeast, 1T water, 1t sugar, then after 30 min added that to 12 oz of similar flours of GF #1 to GF mixture 2 (in proportion to your peasant bread), but added 2 eggs, 5T of psyllium, 1T yeast, salt, ACV 1 c + 2T H20, and 1T honey: normally you would let the dough rise 2 hours, but with a starter yeast, I didn’t know how long to let it rise. I started the dough out in an 8″ skillet, lined with parchment, and put all of the 2# dough onto the parchment. Knowing I probably only had to let the bread rise about 40 min max, due to the starter, I preheated the dutch oven, to about 495*, then when it came time to transfer the dough to the preheated oven, and grabbed the parchment paper, dough and all, the dough just collapsed and deflated- 2nd time I have tried this, and it deflated from a very nice round domed shaped loaf to a rectangular mass of dough. So, what am I doing? Letting the dough rise too long? I will admit, I was using a mixture of a couple Gf recipes. The starter came from ATK book, but I used your combination of mixtures for the peasant loaf. But you make your peasant into baguettes, and I wanted more of a boule…drats! the taste is good, but it will look so sad, again. I shall see, as I will bake 15min at 475* then lower to 425* for another 15min, then take of lid, at 425* for another 15 min, and test til done at 200*.

    Reply

    1. Well, you’ve made a lot of substitutions, so all bets are off. And while natural starters should work with GF, it’s not something we tested for in our books. Not sure how to advise, except to say that when we tried things like this, it usually meant 10 or 15 repeat experiments. There’s no way to help you without actually doing it.

      Reply

  46. Hi, I made the Oatmeal Date bread from the new healthy bread. It was very dense. Wondering if it was the oats that I used. It called for steel cut oats, and the ones I had were quick cook steel cut. I think it is smaller pieces. Should I have maybe used less? I Lethink it sit out for almost 2 hours before baking and it didn’t rise much.
    Melissa

    Reply

    1. Well–it is a dense loaf. What I’d recommend is to mix it exactly as written without swaps and see what you think. Frankly though–doubt it’ll make much difference.

      2 hrs is definitely enough.

      Reply

  47. I have a Miele Combi/Steam oven that has bread settings and I have had great results with baking bread using the Master Chef programs, without a stone, as the oven injects bursts of steam. I assume this metho d will work with your recipes? I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

  48. Hi,
    Love your bread recipes. I make the 5 minutes health bread all the time. I have dough that’s 17 days old in the frig, can I still use it?
    Thanks,
    Vincenza

    Reply

    1. So long as it doesn’t have mold on it (see page 62 of The New Healthy Bread in Five Min/Day, https://amzn.to/1NdVkgj), your fine from a health angle. But you may find it over-dense and over-sour. Matter of taste though.

      Reply

  49. I read in your comments that a 5 qt.stand mixer should be used instead of the 6 qt. in order to mix well.I already own a 6 qt. and do not want to mix by hand(shoulder problem).Would the dough hook work instead of the paddle ?

    Reply

    1. Not exactly–I use a 6-quart mixer, but it doesn’t work quite as nicely with our wet dough as the 5 quart mixer–the dough tends to “climb” the paddle. Just stop it and scrape down with a rubber or plastic scraper.

      I’ve used the dough hook and it’s fine too–just takes a bit longer.

      Reply

  50. Hi,
    I ordered your GF book and it will arrive today. I started a GF sourdough starter and am wondering if I can incorporate it into your recipes? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tested that but it should work, with some experimentation. See our sourdough post (type sourdough in the Search Bar above).

      Reply

      1. Thanks for sharing the post! My GF Artisan Bread In Five dough is rising right now and I did incorporate my GF sourdough starter as described in that post. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

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