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.
I have made your basic white dough many times. I leave it out of the fridge for two hours then refrigerate until we need it. After only three days I find that it smells so sour that I worry about using it. I have made sourdough bread before, keeping a jar of starter in the fridge, so I’m use to that smell. I expect this dough to be a bit sour, but I can’t imagine using it after longer than a few days.
Is it really ok to use at 3-4 days and for longer when it smells so sour?
Can you please explain the food safety/bacteria/etc around this?
I believe that the reason sourdough starter is fine when left is because it is so acidic so the climate is no good for the bad bacteria. I can’t see how this would be the case with this dough.
Which of our books are you working from, and what recipe and page number?
Hello, I would like to purchase a book for making bread, that is based on a Slow cooker only. Shipping, I am based in Malaysia. I will be travelling and this is my way to prepare 80% of my meals. Simple is a must as I will have only camping equipment. Overlanding, if you know what that is. Thanks for your time. dave cadwell
We have a number of recipes in all our current books for bread made in a slow cooker, but just one or two recipes in each book. Is that going to meet your needs?
Hello
I just read the blog about the apple brioche. Is there any way of using the metric system (kg/gr/etc. even for liquids) instead of cups? It would make life a lot simpler for readers around the world.
Thanks
Yours
FIlip
There is, and all of our books except the very first one (from 2007) have at least some metric equivalencies. The most recent books are well populated with this material. But mostly, we haven’t systematically put this up on our website.
is it possible to substitute 00 flour for all purpose flour in your pizza dough recipes? Is there a general conversion factor I could use.
I would like to use 00 flour with your Olive Oil Dough.
Thanks
See our pizza book (https://amzn.to/eo10NJ); on page 73, we have a recipe for an authentic Naples-style dough made with 00 flour, and you can get a sense of the moisture ratio. That said, there’s a MAJOR typographical error on page 72, where we give a table for making the Naples-style crust with bleached all-purpose flour. That recipe takes 3 3/4 cups of water, NOT 4 3/4 cups. If you’re measuring by weight, those are correct in the table.
There isn’t a problem with the 00 recipe on page 73.
Yes, I have your book. In general if I want to substitute the 00 flour for all purpose changes would you make?
It just takes a little less hydration, and we haven’t tested it with olive oil, but it should work nicely. This will take a bit of experimentation though… compare page 61’s hydration, and page 73’s. I think you should be able to assume the olive oil is like the water, but not certain (in terms of absorption).
I have a pretty stupid question. I was looking thru the Holiday and Celebration book and reading the recipes. In many of the recipes it will say to use a dough from another page but it never says if I am to eliminate any of the other recipe ingredients. If I am using the dough for Easter Bread do I always add the raisins? Or there was a strong dough that had lemon zest or cardamon – do I add those and continue on with the other recipe?
Yes, because we wanted to carry those flavors into the new recipe. You can experiment with that though.
Hello!
I’m very new to your community. I’ve fallen in love with the Master Recipe and ease of baking it.
I just wondered why you don’t have a tab on your website to look through your recipes. I would love to just browse what you have on the site, but I don’t see an easy way to do so. Not a vital request, but would be incredibly handy as I get better at baking from your book.
Thank you!
Well, the truth is, that it’s for the same reason we don’t index our website. It’s designed for supporting our books’ readers, and doesn’t work all that well as a standalone. That said, you can find any recipe that’s on our website by just typing it into the Search Bar and pressing “Return.”
Hi, we’ve made the gluten free flour mix 1, followed by the master recipe in page 64 – both from the gluten free artisan bread in 5 book. After several attempts with different yeasts is still doesn’t rise. What am I doing wrong.
Many thanks,
Sue
We’re using a danish dough whisk.
Old yeast? Hot water? Too-cold water? What brands of flour are you using? How are you measuring? Since you’re hand-mixing, are you careful to mix and emulsify very, very throughly?
But more importantly, let’s start with what you mean by “doesn’t rise.” Do you mean that the finished baked bread has no air holes, and is basically a solid brick? Or is it spreading laterally, with good hole structure, but not rising vertically?
Hi Jeff,
I’ve used brands including doves farm and bobs red mill to make the master recipe #1. I bought a few different brands of yeast, allsons and doves farm, all newly bought in September and October 2019. The water is around body temp. Once I’ve made a batch of page 64, left in the tub for 2 hours there’s no height difference after 2 hours. I tried baking some baguettes but they resembled bread sticks as they were so thin. I know everyone’s mixes differently but approximately how long should we hand mix for? I made a batch of the dough yesterday, it’s currently in the fridge at the same height it was after mixing. Can we mix this more or is it beyond use now?
Many thanks
sue
I measure by weight, uk in grams.
You can try mixing it more now–
But you didn’t answer the most important question: when you say the bread “isn’t rising,” I need to know whether you’re getting a solid brick without air-holes, or whether you’re getting those holes–but the bread is spreading sideways rather than upwards.
It’s not the yeast, but if you’re swapping from Bob’s Red Mill, all bets are off. Though you say you had no-rise situation with Bob’s as well?
Hi Jeff,
We’ve only used Allsops and Dive farm yeast. The bobs mill we used was flour.
Batch one – allsops yeast- mixed and left for two hours, it didn’t rise upwards in the tub but there were airy holes throughout. Rolled into baguette shape and covered and left for the time shown in the book. It stayed in the same size and shape. It was very wet which made it difficult to handle. Cooked and although over cooked outside, still appeared uncooked dough inside, no change in shape or size.
Batch two as above but less wet as we reduced the water.
Batch three – dove farm yeast – mixed and left for 2 hours, we reduced the water so it was less wet. After the two hours, as it hadn’t risen upwards in the tub we chucked it out.
Batch four – as above but it is currently in the fridge. It has air holes and looks like a good dough mix, not brick like at all. As I haven’t taken this batch out of the tub I don’t know if it was spread sideways.
Many thanks
Sue
Hi Jeff,
I’ve just taken it’s out of the fridge and mixed it and it seems very wet. Although I could see holes when looking at it through the tub, when putting the whisk in it feel quite dense. After whisking it, looking at it through the tub, there aren’t how any air holes in it. I’ll leave it out of the fridge for two hours and see what happens.
Many thanks
Sue
Well given that you are getting “airy holes” throughout, it’s clear that the yeast is fermenting the carbohydrates and producing carbon dioxide to leaven the bread like its supposed to–it’s just that you’re getting sideways spread rather than upward rise (gravity isn’t doing us any favors here). Given that, a few comments:
–your dough sounds too wet. You didn’t say if you were weighing the flour, and if you’re not, your flour measurement might be off (too little flour), resulting in a too-wet dough. Could consider trying less water. Start with two tablespoons less.
–GF doughs, especially stored ones, don’t rise as high as non-stored dough, and for sure not as high as wheat doughs. So this may partly be a matter of your expectations. It’s difficult to get a tall domed sandwich loaf, especially free-form. Which brings me to…
–Consider using a loaf pan rather than trying free-form
–Consider making flatbreads. I think these are superior for GF anyway–the carmelization in the crust (which is a much greater proportion of the effect in flatbreads compared with loaves) will make the result seem more like breads we all grew up with. It’s the crumb that tastes so different in GF.
Hi Jeff & Zoë
You changed my bread making life with your recipes. I own the hard copy and the online one of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minuted a Day book.
I am thinking of buying the Emile Henry Bread Baker, is it suitable for most of your breads?
Also, I’m not a confident baker so wondering if it’s ok to add dry fruit and honey to the basic recipe? I’m thinking sultanas, dry apricots and Medjool dates.
Thank you very much
Kind regard
Daniela Pelosi
I have the Emile Henry bread baker and it works great for the free-form lean-dough loaves baked at 450F, but doesn’t add anything to the enriched breads, or to loaf-pan breads.
One other thing–it’s a bit fragile, chipping and cracking off parts of the handle if jostled. And I’m not sure it offers much beyond what any other covering would (crockpot, lasagne pan–see page 20-21 in your printed copy). About adding dried fruit, see the recipes on page 127, 151, 167, 296, 300, 303, all of which use fruit, nuts, honey, or combinations of those. It’s not a big deal–easy enough.
Hi Jeff, thank you so much for the prompt reply, appreciate it. Going to check those pages now…just baked the European Peasant Bread, delicious! Thanks again
My question is: “Can a Raspberry Braid, made with Brioche dough, be assembled, placed in the refrigerator and, baked-off the following morning?”. Page 312 – Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
Yes but..
It’s going to lose some of its nice defined shape, and become a little more of a blob. The flavor will still be excellent though. Try it on family before you try it on company!
Hi I am working from the master recipe beginning on page 81 in the new healthy bread in five minutes today. I watched the video on master recipes and the two hour rise. It’s been three hours and my dough has only risen to about 3 1/2 quarts in the 6 quart bucket. Do I go ahead and refrigerate it or do I wait for it to reach the levels that you show in your videos. Or is the collapsing the thing to watch for? Do I let it rise until it collapses?
Love your book. I just started baking bread’s with whole-grain’s home milled. Your book has already answered questions that I had.
Just go ahead and store the dough–it’ll continue to rise. And don’t worry about the level it reaches, this will all come out in the wash!
Hello Chefs,
I was wondering if you could help me figure out a few things?
1. I’ve noticed that in most of your recipes the ratio of flour to liquid is about 900g to 3 cups. Is there a golden ratio for mixing all-purpose flour with other flours (like buckwheat, teff, barley, etc)? I found that sticking to the 900g total with about 200g of other flour plus 3 cups liquid seems to work, but I wonder if there’s a general limit after which the magic goes away?
2. Have you tried making piroshki with your dough? Any recommendations? I feel like super strong dough would hold up to the filling, but it might be too stiff overall.
3. In one of your books you were asking for suggestions of where to find suluguni cheese for khachapuri. Just in case you’re still looking for an answer, there’s a solid chance to find it at Russian/Slavic stores that are often listed as “European/International deli”. Adigeyski cheese that’s often used together with suluguni in khachapuri is also likely to be there. For example, in Minneapolis you could check out Minsk Market, Arkadi’s Market, or Euro Gourmet. Hope that helps 🙂
PS Your books are awesome! I own two already, and am hoping to get my hands on the healthy bread one eventually =)
Kind regards,Elena
Thanks so much for the kind words Elena! In answer to your questions…
1. There is no golden ratio–we found that altering things with non-standard flours took a lot of experimentation, there was no getting around it.
2. I thought piroshki was made with a pasta-like dough, not leavened at all–so no, we’ve never tried that.
3. Thanks about the suluguni! Jeff
Can you use cassava flour in place of white rice flour in gluten free baking?
We weren’t successful with cassava, no.
Congrats your recipes are really good! I have a general question re hydration: I generally get to 65% hydration using King Arthur wp or bread flour any suggestion on how to get to 80%+ as you indicate in your post? Many thanks.
Alex
We gave corrections in the books for the hydration when you’re using King Arthur or other high protein flours; are you seeing that?
Hello. I would love to try adding raisins and walnuts to the Whole Grain Rye Bread recipe or any other basic Master Recipe loaf. Do I need to soak them or can I just add them into the mix? thanks!
Just add them!!
Can I bake my Artisan loaf at 10 pm and let it stand till noon the next day to cut into it?
Thanks!
Sure, but it’s not going to be exactly the same as if you are it 2 hours later which is ideal. Beginning to get stale at that point.
Thank you! I will go to Plan B!
Hello,
I’m using the Gluten Free Artisian Bread book, master recipe number one. What is my next best option in replacing potato starch? I know it is not listed as a replaceable ingredient, but I am not able to eat potatoes, so what is the best option for my gluten free bread?
Thank you!
Unfortunately, other than the substitutions we list, our tests did not yield an acceptable substitute. You could try proportionally increasing the other ingredients to make up the difference and experimenting with that, but my guess is that the dough that results from it will only be good as flatbread. Nothing wrong with that, of course…
I tried using the american white bread dough to cook them in english muffin rings in a cast-iron pan. They fit perfectly in the kids’ lunchboxes, but I’m having trouble with the timing. I’m thinking you want to heat the pan fairly high, add oil, oil the rings, put the rings in the pan, add about 3 oz of dough, and cover. I added steam but pouring in about 1/4 cup hot water and covering it. I then flipped them with the rings on and added steam again. They had a great texture and the top and bottom were nicely brown but it was a bit doughy. Any thoughts on the method or timing?
Thanks,
Michelle
Sounds like the exterior is finished before the crumb (interior). If you can stand more browning, just increase the bake-time, but if not, you’ll just have to use a lower temp and bake for longer, until this under baked center goes better.
But I’m surprised that you’re pouring water in the pan–that might be the explanation. Why don’t you just omit that step. We didn’t use steam or water in this post:
https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/11/01/english-muffins-on-the-stove-top-with-gold-medal-flour-and-red-star-yeast/ … or in this one:
https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/01/25/the-easiest-and-tastiest-homemade-english-muffins/
My background
A couple Christmas’es ago my wife gifted me Peter Reinhart’s ‘Bread Baker’s Apprentice.’ I built my starter and baked my first loaf of bread.
That starter, now 3 years old, and I collaborate multiple times a week producing sourdoughs for us, family and friends.
Given the formulas I currently bake take 2-3 days to produce a loaf, I am looking to shorten that multi-day cycle. (example Baker’s Field’s Table Bread – feed levain day 1, mix, fold, ferment overnight proof day 2, bake day 3)
Recently my daughter-in-law gifted me your book ‘New Healthy Bread’ I am enjoying the ability to pull dough out of the fridge and two hours later have loaves cooling on the rack while their aroma warms the condo.
Three questions:
– your recipes define done as ‘richly brown and firm’ – what internal temperature target should the finished loaf attain?
– any tips for transitioning my current formula’s to your 5 minute process?
– do you conduct classes here in the Twin Cities?
Glad our method is working for you, nice to be in good company (Peter’s books are the gold standard for traditional methods in yeast dough). To your questions:
1. For lean doughs, 205F to 210F, and for egg-enriched it’s 180F to 185F. But be sure you’re in the middle of the loaf or it isn’t accurate.
2. Our Chapter 11 method isn’t all that different from traditional sourdough maintenance and use, except we do store the finished dough. I guess it’s also true that we compress the earlier steps as well. My advice–try our Chapter 11 method, see what you think, and what you’re willing to cut out (and whether you think the fuller versions of this method add flavor or texture).
3. We used to teach a lot, but in recent years, no. Check our Events page from time to time: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/events/
Thanks Jeff – appreciate the feedback
Follow-up to question #2
Chapter 11 – pg #390 – using sourdough instead of leavening
example:
add 1.5 cups
decrease flour 34/c
decrease water 3/4c
I follow the volume substitution – +1.5c starter – 3/4c flour -3/4c water
but looking at the example via weight substitution the equation doesn’t seem to balance
the master recipe (pg #81)
-3/4c = 75g(bread) or 100g (whole wheat)
-3/4c water = 170g
total weight decreased = 240 or 275
starter added = 455 g
delta = +215g or +180g
if I am weighing rather than measuring volume should I decrease more flour & water as I substitute starter into the formula?
You’re right, the weight and volume don’t balance out. Honestly, this was an approximation, because we had no way to know exactly the hydration that our readers’ levain would have–so this level of precision wasn’t what we were going for. If you’re getting too wet a result, just add more flour, if the opposite–water.
When mixing and rising on the counter, you state to use a lidded, but not airtight food container. Later it is to be placed in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When placing the bowl in the refrigerator, should the lid then be airtight? I’m using the New Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day book.
Diana C
After two days, you can fully snap on a plastic lid, which do not hermetically seal. At that point gas production is pretty low. That said, never use a sealed glass or ceramic container with a screw top lid, because those can burst.
Can you explain what the difference in bread flour and all purpose flour in making breadeeeeeeee
Depends on the recipe. Which of our books are you working from, and what recipe and page number?
I have the New Healthy Bread in Five minutes. On page 354, Pumpkin Pie Brioche, it states 2 cups of lukewarm water after vital gluten and then 1 1/4 cups of luke warm water after the spice list. Is this correct. I went on site and saw an abridged recipe which was taken from this recipe and 1/14 is only used. I will follow this webiste recipe for now since I am baking for Thanksgiving. Would appreciate comment if I should correct my book. Thank you Have 3 of your books, Healthy, christmas and bread in five. I hvae never baked so much bread in my entire life Love it all
So sorry, you’re not the first to notice this error, and we put a correction up, here on the website a while ago, at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2016/10/01/corrections-to-the-first-printings-of-the-new-healthy-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-2016/
So yes, please correct your book by crossing out the line in the Ingredients table that calls for 2 cups of water. And thanks for the kind words!
Jeff, Your respose in regard to how to adjust water and flour when using sourdough starter was excellent and very practical. Just what a part time baker needs. Keep it up & Thank You
Thanks Alan…
Hi guys, I have been trying to bake freeform loaves of Rye and Pumpernickel bread. I am using the recipes from my kindle version ( page # unknown) on Healthy Bread. I am using strong bread flour, KA Sir Lancelot or Gold Medal All Trumps(ugh). From what I understand these flour should require more water. However the dough comes out wet. I am using vital gluten. I thought maybe I wasn’t mixing it long enough to develop the gluten. So I tried kneading it on my bench. It was very wet and I used a lot of flour on my bench and a bench scraper to try and get it to stretch. I did not see to help. I don’t get terrible results baking in a Dutch oven, but that limits the size. I tried a French oven to get an oval but it doesn’t get a great oven spring. I also use loaf pans. I must proof in a banneton and slash right away then bake.
What can I do?
Sounds like your dough is just too wet–could be a measuring problem. Are you weighing the flour? (More accurate).
But maybe the easiest fix is to stop increasing the water. A drier dough will hold its shape better.
I’ve been baking from AB5 for a many ears now. The bread has been remarkable. Constantly receiving great comments when i share a loaf.
A few thoughts, especially for new followers:
It is not an exact science, there are too many variables. Room temp, flour brand, altitude, measuring method, etc. Experiment, find what works for you and your individual variables.
For example: I use Costco 25 lb bag AP, usually some Bob’s VG, and SAF Instant Yeast. I also live at 8500 ft outside Colorado Springs.
My go-to basic recipe is 870g flour + 40g vital wheat gluten (combined equals 910g, same as book). However, I reduce the water from 690g to 650g. Plus salt and yeast. This gives me the texture I want, and it’s not too wet. My internal temp normal only goes to 190-195, but that cooks it through with no mush.
Thanks for the book, the concept, and all the responses. Readers, don’t be afraid to adjust. Have fun!
Cool, thanks for all the tips, Mike!
On page 143 of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day you say to use a semolina flour labeled “durum” and on page 12 you recommend Bob’s Red Mill which I find in the store but seems to be a courser flour and is labeled for pasta recipes. Should I use a “00” durum flour for my bread?
In the books we recommend durum for very specific recipes. Those the ones for which you should use it. As far as I know, the only two durum products widely available in the US (Bob’s and King Arthur)– are not labeled “00”.
Hi Jeff, I am trying to respond to your answer. I can’t seem to get it to post. I am trying again from my phone this time. I do weigh my ingredients in grams. I am following recipes. I can get bread to rise in pans but freeform spreads.
I don’t increase watet
Got it.
The best thing to try here is to slightly decrease the water, maybe by 2 tablespoons, and see if this holds the shape better without giving you a dry, dense loaf. It might be a bit of a fine line here…
Hello,
I’v made many extremely delicious breads from your Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes book. I now have the NEW Artisan bread in 5 min book, and am very interested the loaf breads pictured in the coloured photography section. I wish to have the more formed bread shape that will result from using the pan.
My question is regarding the location of the recipes for these breads. Do you have a summary (recipe names, and ideally the page numbers) of the bread recipes for which I can use my bread pan?
The specific book I have is:
The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: Revised and Updated with New Recipes, First Edition, 2013
If you could help me avoid going through each recipe one by one looking for those compatible with the bread loaf pans, I would greatly appreciate it.
Learning to make bread has been a great pleasure (particularly as somebody who does not cook at all), and I don’t believe that I would have even attempted it had it not been for your excellent book. I look forward to making the loaf breads in the near future, as well as trying many more of your other recipes over the years to come.
Thank you kindly, and have a good day,
Susanna
Hi Susanna,
Almost all of our doughs can be baked in a loaf pan. Here is a post on baking in a loaf pan that may help you to use any of the doughs in that book.
https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/08/28/the-best-school-lunches-start-with-homemade-bread/
Thanks you and enjoy all the bread! Zoë
Hi
Love your books, am about to make Brioche, live in Canada and don’t know how to get Platinum Instant Sourdough Yeast. Web ordering costs more for delivery than the product itself.
Can I substitute some other kind of yeast/starter?
Hi. You can use any kind of yeast. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2018/10/02/brioche-apple-fritters-with-red-star-yeast/
Enjoy, Zoë
Thanks, Zoë,
I am a massive fan of you Insta account, and never miss a post!
Thank you Renata,
That’s lovely! Zoë
Zoe – I know you recommend weighing ingredients so I was wondering if you know how to tell if one’s scale is still weighing accurately? It dawned on me that a scale might not continue to measure accurately through time.
Hi Carole,
Great question, I usually use a stick of butter, because they weigh 113g or whatever is stated on the packaging. It may be a few grams heavier if wrapped in paper.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi Zoë and Jeff, in New Artisan Bread (2013) the rolls on pages 88-92 all refer to preheating a baking stone, but then none of them require its use – they all seem to use baking sheets or muffin pans instead. Can you confirm if the baking stone is actually not used?
Hi Grant,
It is not required, but I almost always leave the stone in the oven to create an even heat even when the door is opened. I just place the baking sheet directly on the preheated stone. This does require a longer preheat, since the stone needs to be at full temperature. If you don’t use the stone it will preheat faster.
Thanks, Zoë
I’ll be baking boule in a low temperature small oven (Delonghi Sfornatutto Maxi only goes as high as 220°C). I will use a cast iron Dutch oven since there’s not a lot of space for pizza stone + broiler tray.
How long should the preheat + bake times be?
Using “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” Revised Edition 2013. Page 53. Thanks much!
Hi Cecilia,
You’ll want to preheat the Dutch oven for about 25 minutes, once the oven is at temperature. You may need to add 5+ minutes to the baking time or when it is a nice deep caramel brown.
Enjoy, Zoë
Thank you so much! I’ll give that a try.
Bread is fantastic. Not getting the crackling you describe when taking load out of the oven.
What is the time adjustment for two small loaves baking at the same time?
The, Secrets Out, lottery ad on you site is extremely annoying.
Hi Anver,
It sounds like you need to increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. And/or increase the rise time if the loaves are coming out dense. Sounds like maybe they are not baking all the way through, so you don’t get the singing.
We don’t charge for this site, so we have to have ads to make it pay for itself.
Thanks, Zoë
Can I swap Carbalose flour 1:1 in your recipes?
If you’re not familiar with it, Carbalose is a mostly wheat flour that lacks most of the carbohydrates of standard AP flour.
More info here: https://www.tovaindustries.com/carbalose/faq.html – I don’t have any affiliation with the company – I follow a low-carb diet but miss bread.
Thanks!
Hi Diane,
This is a new product to me, I have never heard of it or used it. Sounds like a worth while experiment. I suggest you make a half batch and see how you like the results of the bread and how it handles. Most low carb flours lack structure, but it seems like they put VWG into the mix to make up for it, so it may just work.
Let us know if you try it. Zoë
Hi Guys I am making panettone from the holiday book. I came out awesome! A question the panettone I see in the store are made god knows when. How long will my bread last if I want to give it as a gift?
Hi Drew,
I am so thrilled to hear this! If you wanted to make the bread more than a day or two ahead of giving it as gifts, you may consider baking and freezing the loaf, then give it to them just after it defrosts. Freezing slows the drying out of the bread.
Thanks and enjoy! Zoë
Thanks will do
I have a Kitchenaid Steam Oven, where it can inject steam automatically and at certain times, but I’m unsure if i should use steam the whole time throughout the baking process for a Boule/Baguette or if only part of the time. I’m guessing that if there’s steam the whole time, it won’t achieve the desired browning.
I’m referring to the recipe on 64 from the GF Artisan Bread in 5… book.
Hi Jay,
What fun, you should certainly try that function. The steam is really only helpful at the beginning of the baking, so do an injection of steam for the first 10 minutes, then let it finish baking without any steam.
Enjoy, Zoë
Hi:
I am going to make your Brioche Filled with Chocolate Ganache recipe from your first book. I am curious about why you have constructed the Chocolate Ganache the way you did, instead of the classic chocolate/cream composition. Can the classic version be used, or is there a reason for using corn syrup in your recipe (in terms of consistency, flavor etc.)? Thanks!
Hi Candace,
You sure can use a more traditional ganache, but it may break when it is baking, so it just won’t look as good, but it will taste great.
Cheers, Zoë
Can I grind white rice to use as flour in the gluten free recipes?
Hi Sue,
I tried several different type of white rice flour and the stone ground rice flour from Bob’s Red Mill resulting in the best bread. If you can duplicate that flour, then it should work.
Thanks, Zoë
Have you ever subsitiuted whey for the water in the Master Recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day? Would it change the texture very much? We make cheese of various kinds and are always looking for way to make use of the leftover whey since it is a good source of protein.
Thanks so much!
Bethany
Hi Bethany,
Yes, I typically use 50% whey and 50% water in the recipe otherwise it doesn’t store as well.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi Jeff and Zoe.
I’m following the directions for the Finnish Pulla, on page 248 of the Holiday & Celebration breads cookbook. The ingredients call for 3 large eggs & vanilla extract, but those two things are not included in the directions anywhere. Do I assume that they should be added in step one, mixing them in with the milk, yeast, salt & sugar? Please let me know. Thank you.
Hi Kristin,
Thank you for pointing that out. They just need to make it into the bucket and mixed in, but the order isn’t that important.
Thanks, Zoë
I have problems with the free form bread. I am following the Master Recipe: Boule. I follow all the instuctions, nut my loaf always comes out lopsided with dough escaping from a bottom edge. Wish i could send you a picture.
Hi Sara,
What you are describing can be remedied by letting the dough rest longer before baking. Let the formed loaf rest for an additional 30 minutes and make sure you are slashing it with about 1/2-inch deep cuts.
You can also check out our videos on YouTube to see how we shape and slash the dough.
Thanks, Zoë
I’ve loved this recipe since coming across it in Mother Earth News in 2009 and have never had a problem until today. Made the dough last night. It seemed dry but I set it in a warm place to rise and left it overnight. This morning it still looks the same, lumpy, dry. I’m at friends who have only conventional white flour, which I’ve never used. Is this a problem?
Hi Carrie,
Which recipe is it and what kind of flour are you using (brand and type)?
Thanks, Zoë
Hi Zoë
This is the classic boulé recipe, and I used White Rose white flour. So I went ahead and baked it anyway. It came out quite dense and slightly smaller than my usual bread. It was so dry when i mixed it, i added extra water but it still didn’t get soft and fluffy, like my usual dough. I think it’s the flour but am curious about what you think, before I try making your challah recipe with it.
Hi Carrie,
I couldn’t find any information about the protein content of that flour, but based on your description, I think it is a higher protein content, so it absorbs more water. This is why your dough is dry and it doesn’t have the stretch you are used to and why it didn’t bake up as well. Just adding a bit more water will fix the problem. It won’t be quite as noticeable with the challah and the extra protein will help the shaping of the challah braid. I’d only add a few extra tablespoons of water next time and see how that works.
Thanks, Zoë
When I make the master recipe the bread almost always bursts through the slashing in the oven. When I do a long refrigerator rise I get a better result, but but even then about 25% of the time they still burst. Where am I going wrong? I am using the The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book.
Hi Danya,
You need to let the loaf rest longer before baking. If your refrigerator is particularly cold, it may take your dough longer to reach the proper rise before it is ready to bake. The fact that it is busting out at the seams means it hasn’t fully risen yet. How long are you letting it rest, once it is shaped, before baking?
Thanks, Zoë
I have been going by the book with a 40 min rise. Next time I make one I will try longer and see what I get.
Another couple of questions. I have tried adding ingredients to the boule like your olive bread and the spinach & feta bread. In the olive bread where ever there was an olive a small air pocket formed so that when the bread was sliced the olive fell out. The second time I made it I tried drying the olives well before adding them hoping for better results but no luck. How do I get the olives more incorporated into the crumb? The spinach and feta was a beautiful loaf we were so excited to try but we really couldn’t taste the feta or spinach. Is it the brand of ingredients we used?
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. I do love your book and my family is thrilled I make delicious bread so often, even though it bursts. Their favorite is the onion rosemary focaccia.
Thank you, Danya
Hi Danya,
I would have suggested you dry them out, just as you did. You could try chopping them smaller. Two things are happening, the olives are releasing liquid, so they are shrinking and they are also creating steam, which causes the pocket of air. Drying them out and making them smaller would help.
Spinach isn’t an intense flavor on its own and feta is just salty, so it isn’t going to be a powerful flavor combination, unless you have a lot of it. You can try increasing the amounts slightly, but too much and the dough will get soggy. You can also try sautéing the spinach with garlic first to perk up the flavor a bit.
Enjoy! Zoë
Im looking for a recipe like emerils portuguese sweet bread … but using your refrigerator process. I’ve had great success with everything in the new artisan bread in five minutes a day. The brioche is excellent and comes close in crust and crumb but is not sweet enough.
Here’s a link:
https://www.emerils.com/121472/portuguese-sweet-bread
Hi Jay,
The brioche is probably the closest, so you can just add a bit more sugar to the dough. I’d try about 1/4 cup more and see if that gives you the flavor you want.
Enjoy, Zoë
Hi. On your website I believe read that you used 150g per cup AP flour – and then I was looking at your master recipe in the ‘new’ ABin5 book and that appears to be using 140g per cup. In converting a favorite family ‘master’ recipe I have used the 140g per cup measure at 75% hydration. However, the 4 cups flour load recipe also has 1/4 to 1/2 cups potato flakes.
Using 1/4 cup PF included in the overall 560g of flour – my risen dough looks a little more cellulity than may be desired. Slashing the top is rather scary as the dough seems loose.
Recipe: PF+Flour at 560g/2 T. butter/2 tsp. salt/2 tsp yeast/4 tsp. sugar/ 1-3/4 cup water
So, wondering what you would advise overall. I am new to ABin5 but think your work is brilliant and should be bread making 101 so that folks never need fear successful home production of bread. What a gift… wish I’d had this method 40 years ago. Thank you.
Hi Wendy,
Thank you for the lovely note. Your recipe sounds really interesting. If the dough is too slack to hold its shape, you’ll need to decrease the hydration a bit. It may however just be a matter of shaping. Have you had a chance to watch our wet dough shaping video? https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/04/16/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough/
1 cup of flour = 5 ounces or 140g
I am curious where on our site it states that a cup of flour is 150g, which is too much.
Thanks, Zoë
Hello—
I have the first Ain5: The Discovery…2007 and
The New Ain5:Revised and Updated,2013…my question is this: has the 2013 book everything that the 2007 book has….I’d like to give the 2007 to a friend, but just give me the word and I’ll keep both books if you advise doing so.
Sincerely
NancyConnor
Louisville KY
Hi Nancy,
We changed a few of the recipes in the new edition to make them better, IMHO, and added a bunch more. So, I think you are safe to give away the old copy.
Enjoy, Zoë
Can you freeze your baked breads for a few days? I am trying to stock up for gifting
Hi LaTisha,
Yes, you sure can. Bake them, let them cool, wrap really well and freeze.
Enjoy! Zoë
Hi, I’ve been baking Gluten bread for years And always used a proofer in the winter. I can’t find any mention of this on your website or book gluten-free artisan bread.
Hi Cathy,
No, we don’t use a proofer, but if you have one you should try it out. We try to keep the recipes as simple and require little in the way of equipment.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi! I am using the new artisan bread in five minutes a day book. The recipe is page 286 GF sweet brioche. It calls for 4 cups of cornstarch. I wanted to confirm that is not a typo. Thanks!
Hi Andrea,
That book had issues with the gluten-free chapter, you can find the corrections on our corrections page in the about tab. Having said that, the brioche does use a high quantity of cornstarch. If you are looking for a gluten-free brioche, I would go with this one: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/11/05/apple-cider-gluten-free-brioche-doughnuts/ You can also make it with water instead of the apple cider.
Thank you! Zoë
Thanks, Zoë
Did you need to use a 6 qt container? It takes up so much of my fridge space!
If I make a smaller batch, as I don’t eat this fast, being single, can you use a smaller plastic container?
Hi Cathy,
Yes, if you make a half batch, you can get away with a smaller container.
Enjoy, Zoë