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 purchased both of your books. Regular and Healthy 5 mt Breads. I tried one batch of your dough with white not whole grain flours per instructions. Worked okay. I rather not work with yeast, so I was anxiously awaiting this book because I like the ease and convenience of your methods, but I prefer sourdough starter to yeast. I have an active starter which I have used successfully with other artisan baking methods. I used a large, ONE QT Crock to make as much starter as I could. The recipe calls for 3 cups/2lbs/910 g. In each case, my starter only weighed up to 642 on my scale…not 910 grams once in the bowl with salt and water. I added more water since I am presuming the amount of levain is part of the liquid…or is it? This bread will fail.
Today, was my second attempt at the SD recipe. Same problem. Starter was almost 250 g short of your requirements. If it collapses…I’ve lost my air. How can I make sure I have enough SD starter to rise your recipe? Thank you.
Hi Maureen,
Our method is based on making a lot of dough all at once, enough for four loaves of bread, that’s why the batch requires more sourdough starter than usual. Before you make the batch of dough, just feed your starter with more flour and water for a couple of days and it should provide you with plenty of starter for the batch and more to feed and keep for another time. Here is how we do it: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2020/04/20/easy-sourdough-starter-with-new-troubleshooting-tips/
Thanks, Zoë
I wish I could get a question answered directly from you or someone in your company via email about the starter amounts…without posting it on a blog. It is hard to explain my frustration for all to see…I just need more info on SD batch method. Your chapter is only like 5 pages or less with little to no explanation about anything a reader needs to know. I understand SD is tricky but I really want to use your method with it. I will still do it traditionally, because I do have success with that method. Also, I like using both white and whole grain in my breads and your info on doing that is very difficult to understand. I’m definitely not a chemist. If I mix both flours…everything in your method changes.
Hi Maureen,
I hope my previous answer cleared up some of the concerns about the amount of starter to use.
Playing with the types of flours can be a bit of an experiment, just because they absorb water differently. So, if you replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat, it will require a bit more water, but the amount will depend on how much you’ve replaced. If you want to play with different flours in the recipes, I always suggest you make a half batch or less, until you achieve just the loaf you love. Here is a post that may help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/02/10/qa-flour-and-water/
Thanks, Zoë
Hello, I have been having trouble getting the correct texture of bread dough, in order to have ability to use the “cloaking method” and not knead. Mine is very loose and shapeless. I just realized that the flour I use, Einkorn, has less gluten overall. Otherwise I completely follow your instructions.
I am wondering if I can solve this problem by a) adding some higher gluten flour or b) adding some kneading into the process. If either of those optTions or something else is the answer, I’d really appreciate having some specifics on how to do it!
Hi. You can absolutely add more high gluten flour and/or reduce the amount of water in the batch. The kneading alone won’t make up for the overly hydrated dough.
Thanks, Zoë
I found your site today through the yeast company that I get my yeast from. Forgive me for forgetting the name but at almost 71 my mind does not work as good as it did. I am trying to create a cookbook for our local Food Bank that I want to give to the people who come to it. I want to do something for others where I was blessed before. I would like to I received a email from Red Star Yeast and I am trying to create a
cookbook for our local food bank for the young women who never learned to cook when they were younger. (You would not believe how many young women never learned to cook.) and I was wondering if I could get
permission to put the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day recipes in my book. This would be a great help to these young women and mothers in learning to feed their family by making things themselves. This book
will never sold for any purpose.
Jackie, unfortunately, our publisher can’t allow us to give permission to reprint our recipes– copyright law and all that… Jeff
Sorry to write again. I sent in a question, Jeff asked a question; I answered and now I can’t find it.
Using GF Artisan in 5; Live in high altitude – dough won’t raise when I’m going to bake. Thanks.
Ah, that’s very helpful. We have tested regular, wheat-based dough at that altitude (Denver), and found it didn’t make any difference. Are you using a stand mixer, or doing it by hand?… that tends to help. Which of our recipes are you using, from which book and page number?
Hi Jeff
I’m using a Bosch with the bread hooks. The dough seems to rise in the container, but when it’s time to rise before cooking, it doesn’t rise enough and the the finished product is dense but tasty. GF in 5 page 69. Thanks!
Hmmm. Are you making any substitutions? Leaving out xanthan gum/ground psyllium husk? Using brands of flour other than what we call for? Any other swaps?
Have you tried the same dough for flatbread (chapter 8 of that book)?
I haven’t made any substitutions. I ordered all from Bob’s Red Mill. I even bought the large plastic containers. I have been putting the dough in a Banneton mold for the dough to rest and cover it with a plastic cap.
I’ll try the flatbread recipe and let you know. Thanks SO much for responding.
Yeah, that level of altitude may be a problem here. I bet it’ll still make good flatbread.
I am purchasing a FibraMent Baking Stone. This is a thicker stone than the baking stone you recommend but I want one that is larger and thicker so it might last longer. I also like they are an American Company and made in America. Also they come in an array of sizes. So with that said, how do you think I need to increase the heating time.
The manufacturer says 30-45 minutes on their website…
Zoe, have you any tips for using the dough in the pizza oven? Saw your series so I guessing you tried! I revisited my books and the manual and there is only one specific section that says use the pot (which I have done in the kitchen oven). I also used the dough for a baguette in the kitchen and it turned out great. I have had the pizza oven since 2013 and use it for everything. Bread was a big failure. But having this dough ready to bake has been so much fun. Now, I am planning on trying outside in the pizza oven. No pots! Boules are good. Tray of water? Any advice will be great. 500 degree bottom? How long with door closed? I can easily do four at a time. Wise? Here’s hoping…
Patricia, we’ve done extensive demos with outdoor pizza ovens at very high heat. It works great, but takes a bit of practice, and every pizza oven is different. Our experience is with a wood-fired one that was probably at 800 or 900 degrees F, and it bakes in under 90 seconds. Keep the crust thin, and don’t use too much topping. Expect to turn the pizza at mid-bake because there will be uneven-ness…
I froze four 1 pound dough balls from the master recipe in the Artisan Bread book for 6 months in a deep freezer. Each ball was individually wrapped in Saran wrap. I thawed them out for 48 hours in the refrigerator and there is an inch of dark, blackish liquid in the container. Is this normal? Are these dough balls bad?
New Artisan Bread Book page 53.
Yeah, it’s really OK (from the standpoint of the liquid). The issue is the rising power at that long of a storage period (see page 45). It’s definitely worth a try to use it though. Even if it’s lost a lot of rising power, it’ll probably still make nice flatbread.
Hi, can I substitute “00” flour for AP or bread flour for the master recipe, and if so what other changes should I make?
Yep, there’s a recipe using “00” in our Pizza book– https://artisanbreadinfive.com/pizza It’s on page 73
do you have a health white bread version, some can’t handle the WW flour?
Can you be more specific? What do you mean by a “health white bread”?
white bread in 5 min
So, our basic recipe made with white flour. Breads made with white flour are not inherently healthy, and should really be limited in your diet. Marginally they’ll be a little healthier if you add nuts, or bran or fruit, replacing some of the simple storage with more complex starches and even some proteins. But I’d never categorize white flour as health food! Which of our books are you working from, maybe I could direct you to some recipes that include some of these.
I’m making master recipe from Healthy Bread in 5 M/Day. I’d like to bake in a dutch oven, how should I proceed?
Use the technique covered here: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/03/11/baking-bread-in-a-dutch-oven/ Works the same way for whole grain loaves
Hi, I just finished reading your gluten free artisan bread book. I am so excited! But I was wondering if I can use sourdough instead of yeast. Thank you!
We haven’t tested it, but some readers have told us they’ve been successful with it…
hello. can you please tell me if you have recipes that have no fat or oil, I can’t have it, and I would like to start baking bread. thank you. Patricia
Our Master recipe– on the home page right now, has no fat or oil. Most of our lean-dough recipes are that way. Brioche and challah, not so much.
I live in Santa Fe, NM – altitude is 7,000 ft +. We all have problems with baking here. I am also gluten-free. Can you make some recommendations for your gluten-free bread recipes for this part of the world? The comments you left for Colorado were not for gluten-free baking. Thanks.
Karen
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to test the GF recipes at high altitude–all I can suggest is to try the same recommendations we made for wheat bread (see the FAQs page).
What about the 2013 “New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” book page 215 that is strangely void of much text. Not the usual oven temp, loaf size. cooking time , use (or not) hot water foe team etc… I am assuming preheat to 450 and bake 30 minutes for a one pond loaf and yes 1 cup water in a tray….
That recipe was intended to be dropped into any of the pizza or flatbread recipes in chapter 7, but you can make it as a loaf bread with the directions from Chapter 5 that you cite. The only difference is the olive oil and it doesn’t change the baking directions.
Gluten free Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day
Brioche
Page 216
I have a question regarding cornstarch measurement, is 4 1/2 cups correct? It seeems like a lot of cornstarch?
Thank you,
Brian
Hi Brian,
Yes, just keep in mind that you are making a large batch, so it’s multiple loaves.
Thanks, Zoë
what if I don’t have a refrigerator that will hold a six gallon container?
Hi Valerie,
The container is 6 quarts, which fits into most refrigerators, but you can always make a half batch if that fits your space better.
Thanks, Zoë
I may be in the minority but I do NOT care for sourdough bread. Is there a Bread in 5 receipe that does not have sourdough flavor?
Hi Noreen,
If you bake the bread in the first couple of days or freeze the dough to bake later, then you won’t get those sourdough flavors.
Thanks, Zoë
I am Vegan, NOT gluten-free. Probably MOST vegans are NOT gluten free, so it is frustrating that i can’t find one non-vegan recipe that is veganized on your website or book that is made with wheat flour. I would like to make something simlilar to soft whole wheat sandwich bread recipe on page 132 in New H ealthy Bread book., but alas 5 eggs. (Honey is not a problem for me, although many vegans do not consume honey.)
I wanted to know if you have tested any of your non-vegan recipes with vegan ingredients.
If i want a tender whole wheat loaf is it best to use the variation of 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp honey (or just 1/2 cup ho ey) in place of equal amount of the water? (Pg. 92-93) Would using soy milk, almknd milk or oat milk in place of the water have a tenderizing effect also?
I would like to try some of the enriched doughs, but I’m curious if you have any data on which egg substitutes would be best with your method with a whole wheat dough?
Hi Audrey,
We didn’t test the recipes with egg substitutes but I know some of our readers have used them and have been happy with the results. Whenever you are experimenting with a recipe, I always suggest starting with a smaller batch, to make sure you are happy with the recipe. I have used soy, almond, and oat milk with good results. It is true that honey and oil are tenderizing, but can’t always be swapped equally for butter, so again, you’ll want to experiment.
Enjoy! Zoë
I make my own yogurt often and am left over with quite a bit of whey. Is there any good bread recipes that could use whey?
Hi Doug,
I have used whey in several recipes and usually use it for 50% of the liquid called for in the recipe. You may want to try a half batch and make sure you like the results.
Enjoy, Zoë
Book: GF Artisan Bread in 5 minutes
Bread: European Peasant Bread
I now have a Wolf Steam/Convection Oven with an automatic bread setting. Highest temp is 440 degrees.
Can you help with times and any recipe changes? I am currently baking a 1.5 lb loaf that I proofed for 90 minutes. Baking if for a total of 1 hr 10 min. (I have found 45 minutes is not quite enough for a 1 lb loaf). I will hopefully be able to adjust time if necessary.Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Lisa,
Gluten-free bread tends to need more time to bake through or it can be gummy. If you are baking at 440°F you may need to add some time to the baking.
Enjoy, Zoë
Questions on Chocolate Babka, from the newest book ” the best of….” pg 226
Today, I was making the chocolate babka out of the enriched dough as written in the book. Typically I have seen most of the enriched doughs are very wet and therefore very hard to handle even when cold. This one is way to wet. Adding more flour may make it a bit tough, but do you have any suggestions on what should be done. I weigh out all my ingredients for maximum accuracy. By the time I roll the dough out, put the filling on it roll it up, the dough is really sticky even with adding flour everywhere. Then the roll needs to be split in half to do a 2 strand braid. This now makes it impossible to handle and can only be scraped up using a bench scraper. Please help. I really want to use this recipe.
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for trying the bread. When you make the dough are you using a scale or measuring cups? If by cups, are you scooping and sweeping the flour or spooning it into the cup. This can make a big difference in how wet the dough is. Also, what brand flour? You can use as much flour as needed to make the dough less sticky when rolling. It is a soft dough, but shouldn’t be quite so challenging to work with when chilled.
Thanks, Zoë
Zoë – Three questions, please:
1. Will adding more yeast to a recipe make the loaf expand more?
2. If I make a batch of rolls like Parker House or the pull-aparts, what is the best way to
later warm them so they don’t dry out?
3. Raspberry Star bread calls for a cup of Quick Raspberry Jam. Can one substitute regular
raspberry jam instead?
Hi Carole,
Adding more yeast really won’t change the rise. That is probably more about the amount of time you’re resting the dough before baking or the kind of dough.
The bread is best baked and eaten on the same day. You can bake and freeze the rolls, then heat them in the oven covered in foil to keep the moisture in the bread.
You can absolutely use store-bought raspberry jam for your star bread.
Thanks, Zoë
I want to use recipes from the Holiday and Celebration book as Christmas gifts for my neighbors. Can you advise which recipes would be the best as I want bread that has at least a few days shelf life. I was thinking of the Swedish Tea Ring, Finnish Pulla and Kugelhopf.
Hi Donna,
Because these recipes have no preservatives, they are really best the day they are baked or perhaps the next day. You can bake and then immediately freeze them after they cool off. Then defrost and finish garnishing or deliver slightly warm from the oven.
Thanks, Zoë
My husband has requested jalapeno and cheese bread for Thanksgiving. Can I just throw diced jalapenos into your Vermont Cheddar Bread (New Artisan Bread in 5 book page 176)? Would I do it when I mix it up originally? If later, how do I do it without deflating it too much?
Any hints on amount of jalapeno would be appreciated too. Please don’t say “to taste.” My husband’s tastes burn my mouth. 🙂 I don’t know what would be appropriate for the non-wimps of the spicy world! 🙂
Hi Maria,
You can throw a 1/4 cup diced peppers into the cheese bread dough when you add the cheese. That will be a mild amount, so you can always add more if you don’t find it too spicy.
Enjoy, Zoë
I just made your Caramelized Onion and Herb Dinner Rolls from The New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, page 181. The rolls baked up beautifully but the caramelized onions, which were golden brown when I spooned them onto the rolls prior to baking, are charred. How do I keep the onion topping from burning?
Hi Marilyn,
You can try placing the rolls on a lower rack in the oven and if you see them starting to darken more than you like, tent them loosely with oiled foil.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi…I have been a fan for years and have had great success with my bread. This morning I mixed up the recipe for Limpa bread. I followed the recipe exactly and I have a concern. The dough is so runny that if I put it on the peel it will not hold its shape and will spread out to a thin blob.. What should I do? I decided to try baking a loaf in a loaf pan. It is in the oven, so I don’t know how it will turn out. Help
Thanks,
Bert
Hi Bert,
Have you made this loaf before and it turned out differently? Is there a difference in the flour you used this time? Do you bake with a scale or cups? Give me more details and we will try to figure out what went wrong. You can always add more flour if it is way too wet.
Thanks, Zoë
Page 139 in best of book sez to cut breadsticks 1/8″ wide. Is that correct?
Hi Don,
Yes, you will get a very thin and delicate breadstick. If you’d prefer a thicker one, you can do that too, but just make sure they are all the same size so they bake evenly. If you go with a larger size, it will take longer to bake.
Enjoy! Zoë
Hi… I have your gluten free book (love it) is there a recipe in there possbily could be used as a crescent roll? Also, first time I am going to try your suggestion, you mentioned once time Better Batter works in your recipes – I ended buying it this past week to try and save time on mixing flours. thank you for the help or suggestions – do you think the rolls also a possiblity to add pumpkin – I love the buttermilk ones
Hi Fran,
You may want to try the Challah dough, which is slightly enriched. I would start with a small batch of dough to make sure you like the results, especially if you are using the Better Batter flour. If you are going to play with adding ingredients, like pumpkin, start with a small batch to make sure you like the results. I’d try replacing some of the liquid with the pumpkin.
Thanks, Zoë
THANK YOU!!!
Good Morning,
I have been using your recipe book since may of 2021 and am happy with what I can produce.
I have tried the hard roll Broetchen recipe and am trying to get the crumb lighter more open. Mine come out a bit dense, tasty but dense. The first time the dough was too wet and they went flat, the second time I added flour until they were not as wet and oven spring was good but more dense than the ones I know from Germany.
Any suggestions on how to improve?
Thank You
Hi. You can try letting the dough rest a bit more before baking. The dough should be light and wobbly before you bake it. If the room is cool, then this can take a bit longer than the time suggested.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi,
I’m a professional artisan bread Baker. I received your Gluten Free book several months ago and have been struggling to get success with your master recipe.
Looking in your book, specifically at the “pan loaf” recipe, you show a loaf of bread that I can only assume is Before and After the final proof. The ‘after’ picture shows a big puffy pan loaf, and you suggest a 90 minute proof right out of the refrigerator. After 90 minutes out of my fridge, the bread is hardly warm enough for the yeast to do anything. After 4 hours, it’s risen only a tiny bit. As far as I can tell, it will never rise to the size of the loaf pictured in your book.
I use a scale. I follow your recipe verbatim. I have great success making a wide range of other breads, included yeasted, sourdough, and prefermented bread.
I am at a loss for this recipe, as it always comes out so sense. It seems like the final product could be used as a weapon, or a building material. It doesn’t look anything like the bread you have so beautifully pictured in your book.
Where am I going wrong? Is there anything I can change other than my expectations?
Hi Max,
GF baking is such a different beast from traditional wheat breads. Are you making any substitutions in the flour blend? The various flours and how they are combined makes a huge difference and some substitutions we didn’t find successful.
The other thing I can recommend, especially for loaf breads is trying the NO Rise, No Rest trick on page 68 in the sidebar.
Thanks, Zoë
I have never baked bread before but after watching your video on Great Courses and getting your book, I am definitely hooked!! and my family loves it!!!
Question: Can challah dough or brioche dough be used to may dinner rolls? If so, anything that I should know to make them come out right?
Thanks
Hi Adrian,
I’m so thrilled to hear this, thank you for trying the recipes! Challah and brioche make great rolls. here is a post that may help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/01/17/easy-dinner-rolls/
Thanks, Zoë
Hi, discovered your glutenfree book today. My question is if you´ve flour mixtures without corn/cornstarch because besides gluten I cannot eat this.
Thanks a lot,
Sabine
Hi Sabine,
In the book there are a list of substitutions for the flour mixes. If none of those work for you, then you can experiment with other starches, but make a small batch to be sure you like the results.
Enjoy, Zoë
I recently purchased The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Unfortunately, I had to return the book because all of the recipes contain vital wheat gluten, a product my body will not tolerate without side effects.
I am interested in purchasing the Artisan Pizza and Flatbread book and need to know if the book’s recipes also contain the vital wheat gluten.
Thank you for your feedback. I recently also purchased the New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and look forward to expanding my horizons with new recipes. Love love love the recipe of original Artisan Bread……
Hi Linda,
I’m sorry to hear that, there is information in the New Healthy book about making the recipes without the vital wheat gluten. The pizza book has no vital wheat gluten in it, so that should work just fine.
Thanks and enjoy! Zoë
Zoë – What is the maximum weight of dough you would recommend when using a 10” banneton basket?
Hi Carole,
That’s a large banneton, so you can get a two pound loaf formed in it. Maybe a bit more if you are hoping to bake a really big loaf.
Enjoy! Zoë
Hi – I love your books and method! If I am making any of the enriched breads in either New Artisan or Healthy Bread, would I adjust the water if I have King Arthur flour or another higher protein flour for the white component? I have a good handle on how it works for the master recipe but just wondered about enriched!
Hi Angela,
Great question! The extra protein can actually be a benefit in the enriched doughs, so I would try them without making any adjustments and see how you like the results.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi, can you use an instant pot to bake bread? If so, how long and what setting? Thank you
Hi Deb,
The slow cooker setting seems to work! The timing will depend on your machine and the size of dough you are using. You can follow our directions for crock pot bread.
Thanks, Zoë
Thanks Zoe, my concern was not having water in the pot. I assume the instant pot has similar baking instructions as the slow cooker?
Deb, this is an issue with these electric cookers of both types. Some manufacturers say not to operate it unless there’s water in the pot, and obviously this won’t work if you’re trying to bake bread. The safest advice we can give is that if the manufacturer says not to use it this way, don’t.
I made the master recipe from the Best of Artisan Bread in 5 min a Day book and it is beautiful! But now that it’s made and cooled, what is the best way to store it so it stays fresh until we can eat it?
Well…
Fresh bread made without preservatives or dough conditioners goes stale pretty quickly. Freezing it in a well-wrapped plastic bag works, and even, if it’s sliced.. it’s not bad. If you’re using it relatively quickly, you can start slicing it, put the cut end down on a non-porous surface like a plate or countertop, and it will stay well for a day or so at room temperature. If you store it in a plastic bag at room temperature, the crust will get very soft, and in any case I wouldn’t do that for longer than about 24 hours
Hi there
I have your gluten-free artisan bread in five minutes a day and have a question about your pizza and flatbread recipe … page 172.
I need to substitute the cornmeal … what would you recommend?
Also, I plan to substitute your egg whites with ‘aquafaba’ which I have successful substituted for egg or egg whites In another bread recipe.
I would be very grateful for your advice.
Best wishes
Patricia
First thing I would try is just to proportionally increase the other flours to make up the amount of cornmeal by volume. About the aquafaba… We don’t have any experience with it in terms of an egg swap, sorry!
Thanks for getting back so soon!
I’ll let you know how it works with the chickpea water ‘aquafaba’.
Cheers
Patricia
I have some kernza wheat and want to know if I can use it with my Five Minute Bread book recipes, in particular the basic boule recipe.
Any suggestions for its use?
If it’s milled as white flour, then it should work. If not, you can use it in the whole grain recipes from our books. But it may absorb water differently than the standard wheat, and so you may need to make adjustments, possibly major ones… In the liquid amounts in the recipes. We haven’t used this grain, so no idea whether it’ll be increased water requirements, or less.
Thank you! I will let you know what happens.
To followup I have experimented with the kernza flour I mentioned previously. The last two batches I have substituted the kernza for whole wheat flour in a recipe I adapted from your first book. I use four and a half cups of all purpose flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour. This has been my go to recipe for about 12-13 years and it has worked well for me. Substituting two cups of kernza flour for the whole wheat flour is working well. The bread is softer than the whole wheat recipe and it sort of a nutty flavor. The dough is stickier and a little harder to work with, but the results have been good.
Thanks for the feedback on this Jay. Makes sense, given that Kernza is a wheat variety that is perennial. It does have gluten, which means it probably will behave about like whole wheat in our recipes.
My husband and I have been making your breads for years! We decided to try the Oatmeal Maple Bread from “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” on page 162. It always turns out very crumbly and is difficult to slice or use because it crumbles so much. Are we doing something wrong?
That one is a bit crumbly– you probably can fix this by increasing the water a touch (couple tablespoons). The other option would be to slightly decrease the oats–variation in oats that are commercially available is probably the reason we get this report from folks who try the recipe.
I am a newbie and just got your book the New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I really know nothing. Are there videos? And I need a glossary. and where do I get Vital wheat gluten (whatever that is).
Two ways to get to videos. One is to type the word video into our search bar here on the website. The other is to go to our YouTube where we have lots of videos, the most useful are probably not the clips from TV appearances. YouTube.com/breadin5. The videos for the white flourr recipes will be helpful.
Also 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/
About vital wheat gluten… We tested ours with Bob’s Red Mill brand, and I believe it’s available in most supermarkets, or certainly on Amazon. They may be labeling it as vital wheat gluten flour not just vital wheat gluten.
Good morning and Happy Holidays… I have the GF artisan bread – by the way the Better Batter did work out great in the buttermilk honey bread which I turned into rolls – no better book out there!! In case anyone wants to know better batter workded well for me for Thanksgiving… quick question.. I want to make gluten free savory rolls – it is like the cinnamon rolls – but using a savory filling to fill it up and roll them with… what would be the best way to go about doing this – I want the tenderness that the cinnamon rolls provide but not the sweet flavor can you help me out?? thank you.. I found a recipe that calls for rolling the dough with pesto, parmesean and sundried tomotoes.. thank you.
You can use the rolls recipe on page 227, but use a non-enriched dough from the book, like the Master, and swap the caramel filling for your pesto, parmesan, and tomato mixture. The olive oil in that mixture (I’m assuming it’s in there) will keep the plain dough nice and tender.
PERFECT!! Thank you! Happy Holidays!
Great, so glad that worked well for you!
Hi,
I have been using recipes from your book “The New Artisan Bread…” with generally great results for about six years now, but lately I have run into a problem. The loaves frequently “rupture” now – especially the free-form ones. The breads still taste great, but they tend to look like mollusks. I have wondered if the yeast is somehow more active now (I opened a new brick of SAF recently), so I have tried reducing the yeast by a third, with no apparent change. I also thought I might be “over-cloaking” so I tried “under-cloaking” and didn’t see much difference. Should I extend the rest time before baking (I usually rest for 90 minutes, but have tried shortening the resting time)? Anyone else having this issue? Any ideas or suggestions you might have would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Very odd–if you haven’t made any changes, the explanation will be very hard to come by. Change in oven temperature? New oven? Are you slashing differently (less deeply)? If you’ve always used SAF, the new brick isn’t the explanation. Different flour?
Ordinarily I’d say extend the rest time, but you’re already doing a good long one. Worth a try though.
Thanks, Jeff.
I have not really changed anything, which is why I reached out. I guess my family will continue to enjoy delicious, if somewhat lumpy, bread until I figure it out.
Hi Peter,
I have found that the issue you described is typically due to dough that hasn’t rested long enough once it is shaped. Your dough may be particularly cold or the room not as warm. Try adding a bit more time (maybe 30 minutes) and be sure you are scoring the top deep enough, so there is a controlled opening as the bread springs in the oven, instead of a random tear.
It can also be due to the shaping of the dough, so here is a video that may help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/04/16/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough/
Thanks, Zoë
Still loving my original copy of ArtisanBread in Five Minutes.
My question is whether I can bake two loaves at once.
Thanks!
Sure, check out:
https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2011/01/23/larger-loaves-what-adjustments-are-needed/
Scroll down to the bit about multiple loaves…
Hi:
Just purchased and reading through the gluten free cookbook.
Question on the 8-quart storage container on amazon you link to from your equipment page. The lid for these containers does not look vented to me, which you mention as a good option in the book. Does the one on amazon have vents? If not, do people who use these just open the lid a crack in the fridge to let the gases escape? Is there another product with vented lids you suggest I look at?
Thanks.
It’s actually 6 quarts, not eight, but your question is a good one. The vented container I have was something I got from Ikea years ago, and it’s probably not available there anymore. Truth is I’m not sure where to get this anymore. You can solve the problem by putting a pinhole in the plastic lid, or, as you suggest just leaving things open at crack for the first 48 hours or so.
I have been using a 6 quart bucket for years with no pin hole in top. I just do not snap the top on tight and it works fine.
Alan
Sometimes my bread sings when just out of the oven. Sometimes not. Any idea why?
Hi Rich,
The bread won’t sing if it has too much moisture still in the bread. Does the crust turn out to be softer when it doesn’t sing? This can happen from under baking or very humid environment.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi There – question from your book Holiday and celebration bread in 5 minutes a day. Page 225. I’m confused between step 2, 3 and 4. It’s not clear to me at which point does it go in the fridge? I completed Step and it’s risen for 2 hours. Now do i chill? I’m confused.. please clarify. thanks, Mara
Hi Mara,
Yes, after the initial 2-hour rise you can put the dough in the refrigerator. The dough can be used as soon as it is chilled after several hours and can be kept and used for up to 5 days.
Thanks, Zoë