About

I’m Jeff Hertzberg, and a long time ago, I figured out how to make great bread with only five minutes a day of active time investment. My BreadIn5 books, with over one million copies in print, will show you how. The secret? Homemade stored dough, refrigerated for up to two weeks. You’ll mix enough dough for many loaves, so you can take a piece from the fridge whenever you need it. Mix once, bake many…

(photo by Stephen Scott Gross)

In 2000, I called in on to a radio show (Lynne Rosetto Kasper’s The Splendid Table on NPR) to describe a super-fast bread recipe that I’d developed as an escape from my punishing schedule as a medical resident. The recipe produces artisan loaves with active preparation time of only five minutes a day. An editor from a major US publisher was listening to the radio show & asked for a book proposal. After many other adventures, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day was released in 2007. Within a month of release, Artisan Bread became the number one bread cookbook on Amazon.com.  The books have been covered by the New York Times, The Associated Press, and the Today Show, among others. With over one million copies in print worldwide, there are translations in China, Germany, Taiwan, Japan, and a version in Britain.

I grew up eating great bread and pizza in New York City, where I went to medical school. I think moderation and variety are the keys to a healthy diet, and I continue to work as a medical director and consultant focusing on health-improvement programs.  I was lucky enough to turn an obsession with bread and pizza into a second career as an author.

The Books:

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The first book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2007) showed that baking homemade bread could be easy enough to become a daily ritual for everyone. That includes people struggling to balance work, family, friends, & social life (pretty much all of us). The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day–2013’s update on the original–was written in response to reader requests for more recipes and techniques.

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The second book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2009), takes that same super-fast approach but applies it to healthier ingredients like whole grains, fruits, & vegetables.  A dozen of the recipes are 100% whole grain, and for the first time, they included a chapter on gluten-free breads. They published the The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2016) with even more whole grain recipes, a super-fast sourdough starter, weight measurements, plus more pictures and tips to create great hearty loaves with many types of flour.

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Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day (2011) features pizza and flatbreads from all over the world

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Requests for a gluten-free version flooded this website , so Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day followed, in 2014. It recreates all the breads from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day without the gluten.

Holiday and Celebration Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2018) is a whole book devoted to traditional breads for holidays from all over the world.

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BreadIn5, and the orange “5” design are registered trademarks of BreadIn5®, LLC.

387 thoughts to “About”

  1. Hi Jeff and Zoe,
    I would firstly like to thank you both for producing these books. They have very much helped get me into the kitchen and enjoy baking. One change I have used over the last month in the master recipe has been substituting black salt for the recommended salt. It tastes really fantastic in the bread. I let the mixture of the black salt, yeast and water stand for 5 to 10 minutes before mixing in with the flour since when first mixed with water it gives off quite a strong smell that soon disappears and cannot be smelled in the dough or the finished bread.

    1. Hi Paul,

      Does the black salt you are using smell of sulfer? If so, I actually have some in my pantry. This is such an interesting concept, thank you for sharing it with us.

      Cheers, Zoë

    2. I may be reading things incorrectly, but it seems to me:
      in your original book the method appears to be to prepare the liquid ingredients and add the dry ingredients then.
      In the second edition, healthy bread in five minutes a day, it seems that you want to prepare the dry ingredients and then add the liquid ingredients.
      Which order do you prefer?

      1. HealthyBread’s in that order only because its recipes call for vital wheat gluten, which should be distributed with the dry ingredients before liquids are added, otherwise it clumps. Recipes without VWG can actually be mixed either way.

      1. Hi Zoe/Jeff, Have you ever tried baking bread in a Romertopf clay Dutch oven? If so, can you offer some tips? I use the recipe from your book that comes on the flour bag, except I let the dough sit out longer (3-4 hours+)after first mixing (before fridge), and also I let the ball sit out for a couple of hours before baking. I bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 10-15. Results are great, except the loaves come out sort of flat (little rise). Also, if I were to buy one of your books, do you recommend the first one or the ‘new artisan bread’ one? Thanks for sharing your knowledge…

      2. Hi George,

        This is a post about baking in a clay cloche, although not the same brand, it should behave the same.

        Is the spot where the bread is rising warm? It may be over proofing with a 2 hour second rise. If it is warm, try reducing the second rise to 60 to 90 minutes. It may also be the shaping, which can help the end result. Here is a video on shaping wet dough: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/03/08/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough

        I recommend the New ABin5. It has everything the first book had, but much more information and lots more pictures.

        Thanks, Zoë

  2. my friend gave me your recipe for artisan bread, but not cooking time and temp. Could you please help me. My daughter is looking forward to trying this bread tonight or tomorrow. Thank you so much

    1. Hi Kristen,

      I’m not sure which artisan bread recipe your friend gave you, so let me know and I can get you the information you’re looking for. If you are not sure of the name of the recipe, just tell me the ingredients.

      Thanks, Zoë

  3. Hi Jeff and Zoe,
    I got your book Healthy Bread in 5 about a month ago but just trying my first master recipe tonight. I am only using half of the recipe as I want to test it first. If this first batch turns out to be a success, will definitely venture and try all the other recipes as well. I do have one question though, which of the recipes would you recommend to make a Ciabatta bread. My family loves Panini (only sandwich my teenage son eats) but would love to use a healthier bread without the preservatives.I read the book from cover to cover and found the recipe for the foccacia, would that work for Ciabatta? Would definitely let you know how my first attempt with making the master recipe turns out. I am looking at it across the table while typing ;-). so far it seems to be rising!

    Eileen

    1. Hi Eileen,

      I would use the master recipe from HBin5 to make a Ciabatta. It seems we’ve never done one on the site, so I will make a note to post about how to make a Ciabatta soon.

      Thanks and enjoy the bread!

      Zoë

  4. Hi!

    I was just thinking: somewhere (can’t find where, but I am sure I read it somewhere…) you recommend not washing the bowl you keep the dough in after you finished your batch, because what is left inside will help develop flavours more quickly. Anything against adding fresh flour and water after every time I take some of the dough to bake a bread, this way creating an infinite dough?

    1. Hi Rik,

      It is difficult to mix up a new batch of dough if there is too much dough left in the bucket. We recommend doing it when there is no more than a pound of dough left.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Actually, I’ve done it Rik’s way just for variety, and it definitely works. A little more work though.

  5. I have been making your bread for about 2 years now. Are their any variations you can use/create with the very same recipe, ie., parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, onion?

    Thank you so much!

    1. The books are filled with variations including those you mention. Or bat around here on the site, but this is only a fraction of what the books have. Click on the book images above for the amazon links.

  6. any reason why the top of the bread that I made was hard? the inside was nice and soft and yummy though. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. Hi Sonia,

      Do you mean crusty vs soft? Our master recipe is meant to produce a crusty loaf, but I’m not sure that is what you’re describing? Give me a little more detail and I will try to figure it out.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Hi Sonia,

        That is usually a temperature issue, are you using an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is true to temp? The other cause can be baking with gas ovens.

        Thanks, Zoë

      2. Hello Zoe, You replied to someone (Sonia, Aug. 19, 2012, 10:34 p.m., hopefully below) about “hard” crust breads mentioning something do do with cause “except if using a gas oven.” Makes me wonder what is different about using a gas oven? I have a gas convection oven. How does this dough react with convection?

        Thank you.

  7. I have 5 questions, Is this a sourdough recipe? Why don’t you add sugar and oil to the master recipe? Does the temperature in the fridge matter because my dough felt extremely cold? All I have is pre-sifted flour that I bought in bulk can I use it, are there any different instructions for it and last my bread is heavy could it be that the sitting time for the cold dough should have been longer than 20 minutes or is the bread suppose to be heavy I don’t find that it is very fluffy on the inside.

    1. Hi Giselle,

      1. Here is some information about using a sourdough starter with our recipe: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/11/30/sourdough-starter-in-our-recipes The dough made the regular way is not a sourdough, but as the dough ages in the refrigerator it takes on sourdough characteristics. The longer you let it ferment, the stronger the flavor.

      2. There are many other recipes in the books that have sugar and oil, but the master recipe is based on a classic lean dough, which doesn’t need either.

      3. Some refrigerators do run very cold, one of mine is like that, and the dough does well to have extra time to rise before the bake. Which bread are you making? I imagine it is a baguette or other small loaf if the rise time was only 20 minutes?

      4. Here is a post about dense interior crumb: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/02/10/qa-dense-crumb

      Hope that helps, Zoë

  8. One of my questions was concerning
    pre-sifted flour, do I add 1/4 cup of extra water to the basic recipe as was stated on your FAQ page under Flour varieties: I am from Canada.

    1. Hi Giselle,

      Sorry, missed that one. Even though the flour has been sifted, it probably has been sitting for so long that it is compacted anyway. I would try the recipe as written the first time.

      Thanks, Zoë

  9. I’m not much of a baker so I was anxious to try these breads. First time using the basic recipe my dough was really really dry – so I added a little more water. Second time – new bag of flour – my dough is almost a batter. Do I just keep adding a little flour at a time and return to the fridge or do I bake this batch in pans instead of free form?

    1. Hi Pam,

      You can do either. If you want to add more flour, you can add it and let the dough sit for about an hour or two before shaping.

      What kind of flour are you using? Was the first batch a different kind from the second? Are you using the scoop and sweep method of measuring?

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Thanks Zoe. I just use the grocery store brand of flour and I scoop and sweep. To confirm before my third batch – the consistency before resting should be loose but not sticky?
        Pam

  10. Hi, I want to buy my husband one of your books for his birthday (unfortunately it occurs before your newest book comes out). Which book would you recommend? We currently mainly eat wholemeal or half and half (half wholemeal, half white) but I do love white bread from time to time. We also are trying to reduce our salt and sugar intake. We have a kitchen aid so not sure whether that would make one book more useful than the others?
    Thanks heaps

    1. Complicated– there are many more wholemeal recipes in our second book, Healthy Bread in 5 (https://bit.ly/3wYSSN), the first book less so (https://bit.ly/cNtfJI). Problem is that HBin5 requires vital wheat gluten and I don’t know how available that is in Australia. The upcoming new version of the first book has a 1/2-1/2 wholemeal variation that you’d like (https://amzn.to/17Rw23Y). the pizza book isn’t loaf breads at all…

      KitchenAid can be used for all.

  11. I might go with the first one for now and then we can get healthier as he gets more practiced. Thanks heaps for getting back to me so quickly.

      1. Just wanted to let you know he LOVES the book. We’ve been eating bread from his first batch all week. Thanks for such a great book and such great recipes. We love it!

  12. Hi. I notice you have 3 books, ABin5, HBin5 and pizza/flatbread in 5. Which book has the gluten free breads in it please. I’m from the UK and notice a picture of another book and didn’t know if that’s what I needed to buy – a bit confused and want to buy book. I notice amazon uk has yr book that’s due to be released ABin5 but again didn’t know if this or HBIn5 was the one I need to buy. Thanks and I’m excited to get baking. Do your breads also state calorie and nutritional info please?
    Regards & have a lovely day. Viv

    1. Hi Viv,

      Our latest book The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day has g-f recipes, so does HBin5 and the Pizza book. The British edition does not have any g-f recipes. Our recipes do not state the nutritional info, but here is a site that helps you to figure it out for any bread: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/12/14/nutritional-information-for-whole-wheat-flaxseed-bread-or-any-other-recipe-in-our-book-using-the-usda-national-nutrient-database

      Thanks, Zoë

  13. First let me tell you, I am purchasing my first book by you. I have made your rye bread and it was great. I am going to try the pumpkin bread today.
    I am interested in all healthy bread and lower carbs and calories.

    Thanks

    1. Hi Marsha,

      That is wonderful, thank you! I would recommend you get our second book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, it will suit your interest in healthy breads. None of our breads are really low carbs or calories, so it is just a matter of portion size.

      Thanks! Zoë

  14. Hi! So interested in buying your new bread cookbook… However, I can utilize only a very small part of it. We are strictly gluten free. I need to know how many gluten free bread recipes are in the book, what kinds of bread are they and what is the main flour source?

    Thank you!

  15. can you freeze the boule dough? I make baguettes with the boule recipe. Also, what does pshyllium husk do for gf baguettes? thx

    1. Hi Lorraine,

      Yes, you can freeze the dough, each recipe recommends how long. We generally recommend in 1-pound balls for about 3 weeks. I’ve never baked with psyllium husks. What kind of dough are you using?

      Thanks, Zoë

  16. Hello Zoe,

    Question about the first rise:
    How many hours can the dough rest sitting out covered with plastic wrap before shaping and rising the second time?
    I didn’t have time to get to my dough last evening. Is 24 hrs too long, would it need some feeding in the mean time?
    Thanks

  17. I just made my first recipe of your basic bread. Though it is delicious it didn’t raise much in the oven. I did everything you indicated and baked it at 450 for 25 min. Could my oven be too hot?

      1. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM MY BREAD DIDN’T RAISE AT ALL…LEFT IT COVERED UNDER A BOWL.. CRUST WAS VERY DRY AND HARD AS A ROCK….WHAT DID I DO WRONG? THANK YOU.. DID USE A STONE!

  18. Thanks so much Jeff. I had missed the FAQ tab. It answered my question, and answered even more that I didn’t know I would be asking!

  19. Hi, I have all 3 of your cookbooks. I’m thinking about getting “The New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.” Are all the original recipes in it plus new recipes or did you take out some of the originals? My husband LOVES the deli rye bread!! He said it’s the best rye bread he’s ever eaten!

    Also, I read that you’re working on a fourth cookbook. What will that be about?

    1. The only thing we’ve taken out is one of the salads (the one on page 93), otherwise I think it’s all in there. Certainly the rye, and a new variation with that dough. More on what’s new at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/22/the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-launched-back-to-basics-updated

      Well, NewArtisan was technically our fourth book. As for the fifth, our publisher has asked us not to say what the subject will be, but we’ll probably be announcing that fairly soon in 2014.

  20. I made the buttermilk bread recipe from your book. My bread has been in the pan resting for almost 90 minutes and it doesn’t seem to be rising much at all. The initial rise went as expected and the dough has been refrigerated for 3 days. Should I expect to see a rise prior to baking similar to that seen in regular bread recipes? Should I let it rest for a longer period of time? Exactly how much should it increase in size while ressting? Thanks

    1. Compared with traditional recipes, our method gets a much larger percentage of the total rise from “oven spring”–the sudden expansion of gas-pockets that happens when bread dough goes into a hot oven. And relatively less from “proofing”– the rise you get after the dough’s shaped but before it goes into the oven.

      So bake it off and see what you think, and try an even longer rest if you want a more open structure. 2 hours?

      1. I let it rest for almost 3 hours, baked it in the Bake-A-Round glass tube (which stayed cold for a while after I put the cold dough in it)and the bread is delicious. The structure of the bread is very nice, not too open. Also, I used bread flour and increased the water by 1/3 cup.

      2. Great–so long as the final result has nice open hole structure, it doesn’t matter to us whether the holes open up during oven spring or proofing–so, sounds like you’re doing well.

  21. A friend of mine mentioned your books and I was intrigued…however I live at high altitude in Albuquerque, NM and wondered if any of your books are meant for or include information for baking at high altitude.

  22. I have been trying a couple of different recipes out of your book and I’ve noticed something odd after refrigerating the dough. My dough collapses on itself and starts tasting beery by day 3. By day 5 even the baked bread tastes beery. I have excellent results overall with fresh, never refrigerated dough. The possibilities that come to mind – could my fridge be too cold? or is it possible my container is at fault? I’ve been using a le creuset stock-pot (Enamel on steel). (I know an odd thing to use to store dough, but the sizing is perfect.) I really appreciate any insight and help!

    1. Hi Heather,

      This is due to the fermentation that happens naturally in the dough. Some people are more sensitive to the alcohol taste. I always put a hole in the top of my buckets, which allows the gases from the yeast to escape. You can do this by placing a toothpick under the lid on one side, so it doesn’t close too tightly. You can also try our lower yeast version of the recipe, which will slow down the fermentation and create a more subtle flavor. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2007/12/19/low-yeast-version-of-our-master-recipe

      Thanks, Zoë

  23. Hi Jeff and Zoe,
    I just found out about your website, and it’s great!! I am trying out your master recipe today, and very excited about making pizza 🙂 Where can you get those plastic containers?? Thanks!

    1. Hi Cindy,

      If you go to the left side of our website you will see an Amazon Store, where we list all the equipment we use. Let me know if you don’t find it.

      Cheers and enjoy! Zoë

    1. In general, we’re skeptical of any of the health claims made around sourdough, soaking, etc. That said, when our dough is stored, you build-up natural by-products of fermentation. Those by-products are what give traditional sourdough (and ours, later in the batch-life) its distinctive flavor. If it turns out that those by-products of fermentation are conferring a health benefit, then it might be true that our method benefits from that too.

      But I’d be uncomfortable making any health claim.

  24. My mind is blown. I have made the master recipe several times, and the master recipe for the pizza and just made the American Sandwich loaf….mind…blown. Its so good. The last couple weeks I have been making Artisan Bread in 5, and now my picky eating 6 year old will ONLY eat the bread I make. If I give him anything else he says “no, I want real bread”….the best part, is that it is one of his demands I can easily meet because the whole thing is so easy! I bought the dough wisk and again my mind was blown and the oven thermometer after my first batch wasnt quite right and found that my oven was a whole 25 degrees too hot! Now all my bread is perfect….I guess ill be giving away my bread machine….Although I dont know who to give it to because I have told everyone about this book!! I am a military mom, married to a military man and so I love how easy and fast this is. Love. Love. Love. Love. Thank you.

  25. I can’t wait to get your book and try these all out!
    I have the cuisanart cs0-300 (combo steam oven) which is amazing for making bread. Have by chance adapted the above recipe for a steam oven??
    I will adapt myself if not!
    Thanks, Stephanie

    1. We always use steam in the oven, so you won’t have to change anything, just omit our way of making steam and use your oven’s. Assume it gives you the option to use steam only at the beginning of the bake.

  26. Thank you to both of you for creating a wonderful new world for home bakers.
    We just bought The New Artisan Bread in Five…

    Re: baking loaf bread.1. Does the Lodge jumbo chef’s platter, ljscp3, measure: 12″x15″ work for your basic bread recipe? I cannot find dimensions of loads in the recipes
    We have a small oven.
    2.Does the Lodge loaf pan l4lp3, measuring 10 1/4″x 5 1/8″x 2 7/8″ deep work for a pullman loaf? Will the dough bubble over the top and create a mess?

    1. That first one is much bigger than what we specify in the book. It’ll work, but the loaf will be very short (and it’ll get done quicker than we specified)! To re-create the look of our loaves, use the size specified on page 78 (Step 1).

      A Pullman loaf calls for a covered pan, so I’m not sure you’re on the right track here…

  27. Zoe,

    thanks so much for the prompt reply! I live in coastal Souther california (Coronado), so the normal temp in my kitchen is probably around 70. I definitely need to work on my shaping technique, my loaves aren’t as nice as Jeff’s in the video. thanks again!

  28. My book has been sitting on the shelf while I search for an alternative to plastic storage containers for the dough while it’s refrigerated. Do you have any suggestions?

    1. Hi Jamie,

      You can use any container that holds 5 quarts. I’ve used large bowls, soup pots and glass jars (don’t use a screw on top). The shape doesn’t matter, just the size.

      Thanks, Zoë

  29. Hi,

    I’m new to this idea but I’m willing to try.

    Which one of your books should I buy? Would I need all 3 for bread making?

    Thank you,

    Guy

  30. I am hoping to make your No-Knead Artisan Free-Form Loaf (recipe from the Gold Medal Flour bag) very soon. I am concerned about covering the glass in my convection (electric) oven. The oven door has a gasket around the door for a good seal and I am afraid the cover would prevent the snug closure. Is it necessary to cover? And I don’t have a pizza stone, is there an option for that? Thanks so much, I am fascinated by this method of break making.

    Lou

    1. Hi Lou,

      No, it really isn’t neccessary to cover the glass in most ovens. It is just in ovens that are older and don’t have tempered glass. The towel is put over the glass when adding the water and then removed before shutting the door.

      Thanks and enjoy all the bread! Zoë

  31. Thank you for your reply. Please respond to my not having a pizza stone. Is there an alternative?

    Thanks again,
    Lou

    1. Hi Jeff,

      I also have the same question. is it possible to bake without bakinh stone? i have this book in my hand for almost 3 years but not trying even one of the recipe because of baking stone. i dont live in usa so difficult to get, and also the vital gluten.
      please reply.

      1. You sure can bake without the stone. A heavy baking sheet is best (something like below), but actually, any will do. You can make the recipes from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day without VWG, but you have to decrease the water. By about a quarter cup (you’ll need to experiment). See this recipe for an example of one that’s worked: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/09/18/whole-grain-loaves-without-vital-wheat-gluten-and-highlights-from-the-mill-city-bread-festival

    1. There is not a substitute– if you leave it out of the whole grain recipes, the dough won’t store as well, and the results will be denser– plus you’ll have to decrease the water or the dough will be too wet. You’d have to experiment, there’s no hard and fast rule as to how much decrease.

      But it’s definitely possible to do it that way.

      1. which is better to use vital wheat gluten or whole-grain bread improver? or are they interchangeable? Thanks.

      2. Hi Jo,

        They are not the same. Bread improvers are usually an acid that is meant to strengthen the existing gluten in the dough, but it doesn’t add any gluten. Vital wheat gluten is additional gluten that will give the dough the needed structure. You can try the enhancer, but I don’t think it is going to provide enough strength and your dough may be too wet.

        Thanks, Zoë

  32. Bonsoir….. je suis très intéressée par vos livres, pouvez-vous me dire s’ils existent en Français et où je peux me les procurer ?

    Merci …..
    Michèle

  33. Have one of your books and have been baking the breads. The crust is very good but the crumb is to wet and sticky. How can I fix it? My husband thinks great but I know it should not be that sticky.

  34. The book I have is Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a day and the recipe is the master recipe on page 54. As I said my husband likes it but I have to toast it to dry it so its not so sticky.

    1. Which flour-brands are you using? Non-standard brands absorb water unpredictably. Are you also using vital wheat gluten as we call for? It absorbs a lot of water. If neither of those are the culprit– just decrease the water a little in the batch. 1/4 cup?

  35. Thanks for the great recipe. I’ve been using it for several months now and have given my old Panasonic bread machine to my nephew.

    I have one question however: I’m a tightwad and yeast is expensive, even by the jar. Could you suggest a tweak for your recipe where I could use half as much yeast or less? I would think all I would have to do is extend the initial rise time by X hours, but I could be wrong.

  36. I just got the new ABI5 & was excited to see a Cornell formula included. I have always loved baking the old recipes.

    Is there any adjustment I need to bake it in a regular bread loaf pan instead of with the stone?

    Thank you kindly.

    1. A loaf like that might do better as a free-form– lots of stuff in there that might be a bit difficult to bake through. If I were experimenting, I’d try the usual temp but longer bake. 15% longer? If it were over-browning on top, I’d use a lower temp next time for longer still.

  37. I have tried a number of recipes from ABinFive. I am finding all the recipes I have tried to be so dense. I am using unbleached all purpose flour. The latest recipe I tried is Soft American Style White Bread on page 204. The only thing I did different was use 1 cup of whole wheat flour for APFlour. The bread is so heavy and dense and the tops are barely browning. I brushed with butter before putting it in the oven then brush more on half way through. I am cooking it until it has an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. I let it rise even longer this last time because I was worried I didn’t let it rise enough the first time I tried to make a loaf this morning. This was refrigerated dough that was about 5 days old. I am just wondering if this is just how the dough is supposed to be or if I am doing something wrong. I live in Canada if my flour type makes a difference. Thanks for your help!

    1. Hi Michelle,

      Flour in Canada generally has a higher protein content, which means you may need to add up to 1/4 cup more water. Without the extra water your dough may be too dry and you’ll end up with a denser bread.

      You should also check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Are you brushing the loaf with butter to avoid a crusty loaf? The fat will also prevent the bread from browning as much.

      Thanks, Zoë

  38. In your book, “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”, you say that to use my stand mixer I should use the “paddle”. My Kitchen Aide has a dough hook. Should I use the paddle or the hook? What’s the advantage of one over the other?

    1. Hi Paul,

      Our dough is wetter than traditional bread dough and won’t get any traction with the dough hook, especially if you have one of the larger models. The paddle is the way to go.

      Thanks, Zoë

  39. Would you make any changes to flour/yeast, etc amounts if you used whey instead of water? I get a lot of whey from cheese making…works great in one loaf recipes and makes the bread delicious.

    1. Hi Lucille,

      I’ve done it many times after making yogurt. I usually replace 1/2 the water in the recipe with whey. No other changes are needed. If you replace all of it the dough may not store as well for as long.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

  40. Dear Chef,

    I don’t buy cookbooks, but yours is one I will purchase, because it works, and I appear like a good baker! Now I need to safe money to buy a baking stone 🙂

    Thank you so much for opening up a whole new world!

    Fanny

    1. hi fani
      i also dont have baking stone.. so never tried even once the recipe. so tell me how u bake those breads pls? thx

  41. Help !!

    I moved back to Panama a few weeks ago, and I can NOT make the master recipe !!! I tried cutting back the water, since I cant get unbleached flour here, but still at 2 1/2 c water I have added a total of 8 c of flour.. and its STILL a soggy mess.. ugh

    Please if you can help me get this started! Need good bread here.. and yours is fantastic ! Erica

    1. Hi Erica,

      It sounds like you have very soft (low protein) flour, which means it won’t create the structure you are looking for. Is there a “bread” flour available? What is the flour labeled?

      Thanks, Zoë

  42. I love your book and wanted to try and add olives to the loaves. At what point would I do that. I’ve tried to fold them in at the end and it was delicious but they all seem to be in the middle of the loaf.

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