I’m Jeff Hertzberg…

(photo by Stephen Scott Gross)

… and 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. I’ve been thinking about this for many, many years (from the first edition)…

Like most kids, my brother and I loved sweets, so dessert was our favorite time of day. We’d sit in the kitchen, devouring frosted supermarket doughnuts.

“Those are too sweet,” my grandmother would say. “Me, I’d rather have a piece of good rye bread, with cheese on it.”

Munch, munch, munch. Our mouths ­were full; we could not respond.

“It’s better than cake,” she’d say.

There’s a certain solidarity among kids gorging on sweets, but secretly, I knew she was right. I could finish half a loaf of very fresh, very crisp rye bread by myself, with or without butter (unlike my grandmother, I considered cheese to be a distraction from perfect rye bread). The right stuff came from a little bakery on Horace Harding Boulevard in Queens, New York. The shop itself was nondescript, but the breads ­were Eastern Eu­ro­pe­an masterpieces. The crust of the rye bread was crisp, thin, and caramelized brown. The interior crumb was moist and dense, chewy but never gummy, and bursting with tangy yeast, rye, and wheat flavors. It made great toast, ­too—and yes, it was better than cake.

The handmade bread was available all over New York City, and it ­wasn’t a rarefied delicacy. Everyone knew what it was and took it for granted. It was not a stylish addition to affluent lifestyles; it was a simple comfort food brought ­here by modest immigrants.

I left New York in the late 1980s, and assumed that the corner bread shops would always be there, waiting for me, whenever I came back to visit. But I was wrong. As people lost interest in making a second stop after the supermarket just for bread, the shops gradually faded away. By 1990, the ubiquitous corner shops turning out great eastern, central, and southern Eu­ro­pe­an breads with crackling crusts ­were no longer so ubiquitous.

Great European breads, handmade by artisans, were still available, but they’d become part of the serious (and seriously expensive) food phenomenon that had swept the country. The bread bakery was no longer on every ­corner—now it was a destination. And nobody’s grandmother would ever have paid six dollars for a loaf of bread (more now!).

I’d fly back to New York and wander the streets, bereft (well, not really). “My shop” on Horace Harding Boulevard had changed hands several times by 1990, and the bread, being made only once a day, was dry and didn’t really have a lot of flavor. I even became convinced that we could get better bagels in Minneapolis—and from a chain store. Things were that grim.

So I decided to do something about it. The Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book series has been my attempt to help people recreate the great ethnic breads of years past, in their own homes, without investing serious time in the process. Using my straightforward, fast, and easy recipes, anyone will be able to create artisan bread and at home with minimal equipment. Our first problem was: Who has time to make bread every day?

After years of experimentation, it turned out that I did, and with a method as fast as this, you can, too. I solved the time problem and produced top-quality artisan loaves without a bread machine. I worked out the master recipes during busy years of career transition and starting a family. My lightning­-fast method helps you find the time to bake great bread every day. I developed this method to recapture the daily artisan bread experience without further crunching everyone’s limited time—and it works! As I say, mix once, bake many. To turn it into a book was another adventure:

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: 

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.

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, there’s a chapter on gluten-free breads. The updated New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2016) has 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.

Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day (2011) features pizza and flatbreads from all over the world. It’s probably my favorite book– I love pizza!

Requests for a gluten-free version flooded this website , so Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day followed, in 2014. It recreates many of 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. It’s been out of print for a while, but drop me a line if you’d like a copy–I still have a few.

______________________________

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

389 thoughts to “I’m Jeff Hertzberg…”

  1. I have your first two books love them both and truly enjoy making (and eating the bread). I found recently that I am prediabetic and need to cut way back on the carbs. Can your recipes be converted for almond, soy or coconut flour? Or do you have other ways to cut back on the carbs.

    Reply

    1. Hi Gpd,

      There is a lovely almond coconut bread in our Gluten-Free book, but is also has flours and starches. There is no way for us to convert to the flours you ask about, since our dough is stored in the refrigerator for a number of days and those flours don’t provide enough, if any, structure. I’ve tried it and they just turn to mush. I think they are better off used as quick breads. I know that Peter Reinhart has a book that is designed for diabetics and he does a wonderful job.

      The only way we’ve found to cut back on carbs is to eat smaller portions, but that’s different than what you are asking.

      Here is a lovely post on the almond coconut bread from our book: https://www.mydarlinglemonthyme.com/2015/01/gluten-free-almond-coconut-bread-loaf.html

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. America’s test kitchen released a Gluten Free baking magazine where they analyze and test gluten free baking. They say gluten free flour has less protein than regular flour and when they added protein, by using powdered skim milk, their flour reacted more like regular flour. Have you done any testing using higher protein additives? Most people with gluten freen allergies are also allergic to milk but if the issue is “protein” how about soy flour or?

      2. Hi Kaaren,

        This is an interesting concept. We did play with soy flour, but we didn’t end up using it, because a lot of people are also sensitive to soy products. The higher protein bean flours were also too intense tasting and didn’t make for a tasty bread. If you find a combination that you like please let us know.

        Thanks, Zoë

  2. Hi… I have your first two books and the new gluten free bread book…. I know that publications often have mistakes in printing… Where can I find corrections or errata for your books…. I have been searching the web with no luck. Thanks Rochelle

    Reply

      1. Thanks so much for sending me the list of corrections… However, I didn’t see anything for the Gluten Free Artisan Bread… Currently waiting for my orders to be fulfilled from Amazon… There are so many different flours that my local stores don’t carry…

        I do have one other question regarding Gluten free bread… Reading some posts where they recommend using carbonated water (seltzer) in place of water in some recipes…. Have you tried any GF bread with seltzer? … What do you think about that and how will it effect the bread?….

        Thanking you in advance…. Rochelle

      2. Hi Rochelle,

        We’ve not found any errors that are worthy of the list! Phew!! If we find any, we’ll put them up ASAP!

        It is an interesting question about the seltzer, but we didn’t try it since we store our dough for so long and the effects of it would not likely last in those conditions. If you do try it, please let me know how it goes.

        Thanks, Zoë

  3. Hi Zoe… back again with another question…. Got a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer for a Hanukkah gift…. However it is the new 7 quart professional…. I read your notes where you recommend the use of the 5 or 6 quart stand mixer… Love my mixer but want to know how to compensate for the larger stand mixer…. BTW I just love your books and am going to take the Craftsy course as well…. Finally got all my flours and prepared the master mixtures last week. and today I am going to test waters with your Challah recipe… Will let you know how it turns out with my 7 Quart Kitchen Aid…. Any suggestions regarding my mixer would be appreciated…. sincerely Rochelle…..

    Reply

      1. I have all your books and am using AB in % mins revised. I want to know what to do in order for substituing the honey with sugar. I hope I will hear from you before Yom Kippor’s break fast

  4. Hi Zoe… My above comments are related to gluten free bread… Also, I’m looking for a gluten free light and soft sandwich bread… Which recipe do you recommend ?…. Thanks again, Rochelle

    Reply

    1. I’m the one that’s tested the bigger mixer–though actually the 6-quart, not the 7.

      For GF doughs, I’ve found that the smaller mixers just do a better job. You might have to switch to the dough hook rather than the paddle we recommend in the books but experiment and see what you think. For the sandwich bread, try the recipe on page 85 of the GF book.

      Reply

  5. Thanks Jeff… Since I can’t return my 7 qt mixer, I will try the dough hook per your suggestion when I make the bread on page 85 and let you know how it turns out… Thanks again….

    Reply

  6. Hi Jeff. I just got your book on gluten free artisan bread and was excited to try the recipes. I made the master dough with amt of water recommended and let it rise for two hours. Dough was very dry and did not rise in the over. I have since added more water to make it wetter but I don’t know if this was ok to do. What should I do? I don’t have a mixer so I had to mix by hand. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. We tested with Bob’s Red Mill flours and found that other brands could radically chance the hydration requirement. Did you make any substitutions?

      Reply

      1. Hi jeff. Im loving ur gf bread recipe bk! Question: im planning on using nuts.com flours as they have a lower gluten level. Any ideas on how that will effect ur dough? Moisture level etc. Also any odeas on how to fix it??

      2. Hi Julia,

        None of the flours we call for in the gluten-free book have any gluten at all, so I am not sure what you mean by “lower gluten level?” We have tested all the recipes with Bob’s Red Mill flours, since we found them to be the most consistent source. Nuts.com seems to sell all the same flours, but we’ve not tested with them, so I am not sure if they will behave the same?

        If you are planning to use actual nut flours, then you will have trouble with the recipes, since they provide no structure in the dough and make the breads quite dense.

        Thanks, Zoë

  7. hi again

    Am working my way through all new recipes in the new book! Yum.

    Question one: the oatmeal bread and the granola bread are a bit too sweet for my taste. If I reduce the syrup (honey/maple) do I need to adjust anything else – like liquid?

    Question two: does Bob’s Red Mill unbleached white flour work more like KA or more like Gold medal?

    Question three: today I did 2/3 of recipe for basic bread and the water was easy and the salt and yeast were easy – but I did 1.5 pounds of flour (2/3 of 2 pounds) and it was VERY wet – I have made this bread many times so I know what it supposed to look like, so I added more flour. But have I missed something in figuring out 2/3 of 2 pounds???

    I love using a scale – boy, is it easier (except today it didn’t seem to work!)

    thanks for always helping all of us

    Reply

    1. Hi Deborah,

      Depending on how much you’re decreasing the sweetener, you may need to increase the liquids. If it is just by a couple of tablespoons, then it won’t make much of a difference. If you decrease the honey by 1/4 cup, just add 2 tablespoons of water to compensate.

      Great question about Bob’s unbleached AP flour. I didn’t use it for testing, so I am not sure. I will try to find out.

      2/3 of the recipe I get:

      2 cups (16oz) water
      22oz flour (I rounded up very slightly)

      This is even less flour than you used, so it seems it would be even wetter. Is there a chance you used more water than you recall?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  8. I live in Denver, 5280 feet. I made the dough according to the recipe. It wasn’t very wet. When baked it did not rise well, and was very dense and a bit wet at 35 minutes. The crust was great, and the taste was good. Just too dense and wet, no holes. ? Suggestions. Help!

    Reply

  9. I am using the 5 minute artisan bread recipe. It calls for 6 1/2 c. All purpose flour by scoop and sweep method. I may not have done that correctly. Also I used King Arthur bread flour. A mistake there?
    I made a second loaf from the same batch of dough. Let it set out on the counter, from the fridge, for a couple hours. It rose a bit, and did make a better loaf when baked. Still quite dense, no holes.

    Reply

    1. Assume you mean the Chapter 5 recipe from our book “The New Artisan Bread in Five Min/Day.” Check out the high-altitude corrections on page 46, and see this video on or FAQs tab above: “Measuring flour by volume: How we measured when we tested the recipes (scoop-and-sweep”

      Finally, see the flour adjustments on page 10 of the book.

      Reply

  10. Hi, I just purchased a bread machine and I’ve been contemplating buying some of your books but want to know the recipes will work in the machine first. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Absolutely, and no adjustments. You can decrease yeast whether using instant or active, see our FAQs tab above and click on Yeast: can it be decreased in the recipes? Will take longer if you decrease…

      Reply

  12. I am just learning about sprouted spelt flour and other sprouted flours. I am a diet-controlled diabetic and find I tolerate the sprouted spelt flour well, so I will be trying other sprouted flours, too. The sprouted spelt flour is low glycemic since the body processes it more like a vegetable, and it is interchangeable with wheat flour, but have you tried it with this method? I thought I would ask the experts before I try it because the sprouted flours are rather pricey, but commonly available at Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. Thanks!

    Reply

  13. Hi – I’m a first-time visitor to your site. Just finished reading “Healthy Bread in Five” and the “New Artisan Bread in Five.” I haven’t made yeast bread in decades, because of the time commitment. Now that I know about your method, I’m looking at buying a few things for bread-baking. On the left side of the “About” page of your site (https://artisanbreadinfive.com/authors-and-photographer) below the pictured of your books, I am seeing a bar with several products listed, e.g., pizza stone, Chicago Metallic loaf pan, and they link to Amazon pages for those products. My question is: Are these products you use and think are good for your style of bread-making, or is this just Amazon advertising? I’m not a regular reader of blogs and the like, so I can’t tell.
    Cheers,
    Amy

    Reply

    1. Hi Amy,

      Thanks for visiting and we’re thrilled you are going to try out the method. Please let us know if you have any questions while you’re baking!

      The Amazon link on the left is one that we set up to show some of our favorite baking wares.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks for your answer! You’ve helped me pick out a baking stone. I may have to bake my first loan on an ordinary half sheet, though – don’t know whether I can wait for the official baking stone to arrive. Can almost smell the baking bread, already. . . .
        Cheers,
        Amy

    2. I used to use the steam in the oven method from the book and a pizza stone, but now I use a cloche and they are wonderful. I bought an expensive french cloche and it is lighter and great but the far less expensive one from King Arthur flour dot com website is just as effective and looks wonderful after oiling as prescribed and using it a few time to make a patina. Methinks you would love it.

      Reply

  14. First I’d like to say that I’ve been making bread your way for a long time. We love it. Thank you.
    Recently, my 32 year old oven died just after I put the bread in the oven. There probably wasn’t a connection, but have you heard of any problems with electric ovens and the steam that is used in baking the bread? The new control boards are so expensive, I would hate to have any problems.

    Reply

    1. Hi Diane,

      32 years is a wonderfully long life for an oven. I’ve only ever used electric ovens and have never had a problem, even after thousands of loaves, so I think you’ll be just fine with your new one.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  15. Just bought your book The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day in Kindle format. I have only tried the master recipe but am looking forward to trying the rest.
    Is there a place where I can download a copy of the Index. Since clicking on the index does not take you to the location in the ebook I would like to print it and mark it with the locations of the recipes.

    Reply

    1. Hi Stormie,

      If you go to the book on Amazon and click on the book it gives you a preview and you can see the entire index. I don’t know if there is a way to copy it?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      3. If you bring up the index on your computer, you can probably take a screenshot of the index, then print it.

  16. I made this bread a couple of times. Bt it does not raise as good as yours. I would like to see it come out like that. I tried putting paper around the dough but it still flatens out. What am I doing wrong? I mease eveerything exactly. I am wondering if it may be the flour. Pleasse advise. I would like to make a loaf like the picture. I have never heard it crackle either.

    Reply

    1. Hi Nellie,

      Can you tell me which of our recipes you are making and I can try to help you?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  17. Instead of buying pricy 6 quart containers, I repurpose empty 2 LB protein powder containers for storing dough in my fridge. Drill a small hole in the lid for CO2 to escape.

    Reply

  19. I just ordered your books. I’m an experienced baker and have a commercial KitchenAid stand mixer. I also have arthritis, so I’m wondering if I need to use the dough hook you recommend, or if it’s okay to use the batter hook of the KitchenAid. Thanks in advance for your help!

    Reply

  20. Hi iam from Portugal do you have a book translate in Português. …i love the ideias but a have some doubts about the yeast ..i don t know how may gr yeast i have to put when is natural yeast. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Goncalaves,

      No, I’m sorry, but we don’t have a Portuguese translation. Which recipe are you trying to make?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  21. Thanks for the great book. Would love to make the breads, however, I have a very small refrigerator
    and do not have room to store the bread dough. My question is–is there another way to store the bread dough that doesn’t require so much space? How soon after 2 hours on the counter can I freeze the dough? I’d appreciate any assistance you can provide.
    Thank you for your time and your book.
    Have a blessed day.

    Reply

    1. The freezing idea is the way to go. You can freeze immediately after the 2 hour rise. Best way to go is loaf-sized lumps.

      Reply

  23. Hello, I live in south Alabama, I have been working with the bread book for about year now. The bread taste great, I enjoy cooking it but, I can not get it to stay in the cute round ball. It flattens out to about 1 or 2 inches height but covers the 12 in baking stone. How do I make it stay in a round ball. I have tried everything (I think) in the book.  Adding extra flour rolling it out then into the ball, using cold flour, warm flour, more yeast, less yeast and even braiding it. The only way I can get it to stay on a good round shape is to put it in a baking bowl.  But I really wanted it look similar to yours. A friend who introduced me to your book said I just needed to keep working with it. 
    So any suggestions? 

    PS I should add my Mom can not make bread at all, if she touches the bread it will fall, we think it has something to do with her stopping watches and making computers crash when she uses them.  But my bread will rise, so I don’t think I have that problem, but it is worth a mention.

    Thank you very much for your time.

    Reply

    1. Hi Chris,

      What recipe are you trying to make? You can’t replace whole wheat for the white flour because they absorb liquid differently, but I can steer you to a recipe that may suit your needs.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  26. Hi!! I’ve been using the book for about two months, mainly focusing on the master recipe and the olive oil dough for pizza. It’s coming along. I decided on a baking steel due to it’s versatility and durability and since i’m a new baker, there are techniques and lessons learned that I haven’t acquired yet, particular to the steel. I already had to scrub out a tinge of rust and season it once. The pizza is still a work in progress. The bread is getting better and my wife and son eat it almost entirely before I even get a chunk. So, I’d like to say thank you for the heart and soul you have put into this book. It has allowed me to do something that i’ve only ever dreamed of.

    My questions, if you will? Is it ok to put soy lecithin in any of the bread recipes. Is there a particular technique or otherwise important steps I should know? Lecithin is something that I happen to believe in (long story short)

    My other question is: How do I get my pizza to have the brown crispy outside with the light airy body, yet NOT BURN the cheese 🙁 The oven temp, coupled with the time it takes to get the dough where I want it, seems to be too long for the cheese to handle before it turns too dark. I’m following the recipe very closely. I’ve tried a bit more oil or else a bit more yeast. More water, etc. I’ve tried letting the dough sit ion the fridge for 4 days five days, rising at room temp for two hours.
    (I’ve tried using the baking steel on the low, middle, and high oven racks, with steam and without steam, with the oven at 500, and I have the oven thermometer)
    I also tried broiling on the top rack for a few minutes and then turning off the broiler while leaving the pizza in for 10 more minutes. cant get the dough right Sorry so long winded. Help?

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tested with soy lecithin, but I’m sure it won’t change things much. You may have to adjust the hydration, but I don’t know in which direction, or how much. Then, about pizza cheese over-browning–many things to try:

      1. Don’t use grated cheese–large cubes (at least 1/2-inchers) take longer to melt and give the bottom crust more time to brown.
      2. Use high-quality fresh mozzarella rather than standard supermarket commercial stuff. It doesn’t have to be the outrageously expensive type–Costco has a nice reasonably-priced option (the BelGioioso brand). But it has better melting/browning characteristics, especially when used as large cubes (it doesn’t grate well anyway).
      3. Consider slightly drier dough. Our wet dough needs to have its water driven off before it starts browning and crisping.
      4. Check your oven temp with an oven thermometer.
      5. Bottom shelf should help, though you say it didn’t. Maybe in combo with other modifications?

      Reply

  27. 5 Minutes a Day Gang,

    I am really enjoying your book, and recipes, as are our friends in Tuscany! I bought your book last winter and have made batch after batch of the basic bread dough in Seattle. We live 1/2 time in a small town in Italy, where I bake often for our friends. The basic recipe makes a very good ciabatta, as well as a basic loaf with a hard crust and drier center. The latter is similar to local breads.

    This week I made the challah dough and 3xperimented a bit. Instead of chocolate and prune bread, I used “drunk” raisins….soaked in vin santo for several days. In the US, it can be done with whiskey, bourbon, whatever. The friend I made it for really liked it. For the raisin challah, I put about 20gm of chocolate, with some drunk raisins and candied orange. It is really good toasted!

    Tomorrow I’ll bake challah for us, plus a small loaf for an older friend with few teeth. The cannot eat local bread without soaking it in her coffee. It will be a treat.

    In short, I’m so happy to have packed things in a large plastic container this spring, and to be able to bake bread here that even the locals like. I also bring US yeast, as I haven’t quite figured out using the local leavening agents. Next week, I may try doing a focaccia with the basic recipe! It may only work well with “fresh” dough.

    Thanks again for opening yet another world of bread baking.

    Reply

    1. Hi Carol,

      This is absolutely a thrill to hear. I am so pleased you are enjoying the bread and sharing it with your friends in Italy. And your challah sounds incredible.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  29. I am thinking of buying your book but want to know first if your recipe allows for Einhorn flour. I only really want to use that flour for making bread. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Deneen,

      We have recipes for Spelt flour in our New Healthy Bread book, which behaves just like Einkorn flour.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  30. I have, since I was a teen, the desire to make bread by hand; it held some sort of romantic air about it. All I could ever seem to do was to make bricks best suited to building solid structures. Bread machines did not have the same intrigue and mine was used only a few times. I can’t remember how I found your book, as I wasn’t searching for it, but I decided to give it a try despite the title as “5 minutes” seemed a bit of a snake oil sales technique.

    I have not bought a loaf of bread in the 4 months I’ve had this book, and three of my friends have ordered it. And as it turns out, once I got the hang of it, it takes less than 5 minutes a day! It’s pretty fun, so my friends are getting regular gifts of bread as I practice my technique. And it’s all edible!

    Bonus: I have a good supply of brand new baking stones as people gladly hand them over, out of storage, unused, from when they received them as wedding gifts.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Barbara, such a sweet note, I’m so glad you wrote. Please come back anytime you have questions about the recipes.

      Reply

    1. We didn’t test with Einkorn, but I’m guessing it behaves like whole wheat flour in our recipes where that’s what we call for. So it’ll take some experimentation. Our whole-grain book is on Amazon at https://amzn.to/1NdVkgj

      Freshly ground? That’s going to take a lot of experimentation, because it won’t be of predictable moisture level like commercial flour. Again–experiment.

      When you say “all-purpose…” I don’t think any Einkorn products will be labeled that way, since “all-purpose” implies a white flour of average protein content. I’ve never heard of an Einkorn product that wasn’t whole-grain.

      Reply

  32. Thank you for your GF cookbook! I just made your 100% whole grain loaf, and baked it in glass bread pan. It totally flopped! I followed the directions exactly, it rose beautifully on the2hr rise. In fridge for 2 days. Dough was very wet. Put it directly into the pan. It was about1.5″ high. Covered, for 90 minutes, baked covered at 425 (used oven thermometer to check temp) and it did not rise AT ALL. I didn’t use a baking stone because I was concerned about placing a glass pan on it. Aside from the glass pan. WHAT could have gone wrong? I have made bread before and not had this issue. I do live at 6500 ft, as well. Please send me a reply, I really want to use your cookbook!

    Reply

    1. Hi Karen,

      I fear we have a high altitude issue. Have you had success with other gluten-free recipes at that altitude? Did they have more eggs in the recipe? There is no gluten to provide structure, so the air bubbles in the dough just want to collapse. We are going to have to figure out how to get you more structure in the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Lisa,

      Our recipes are meant to make a large batch, that you store in the refrigerator and use over the course of several days. So, it is a large batch and likely too big for the bread machine. Making a smaller batch is possible, but then you lose the time savings, by having the dough at the ready.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  35. I just picked up your book “Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day” from the library. On page 30 it was describing a gluten cloak but I was having trouble understanding what exactly it was & at what stage you do this. Does this mean sprinkling it with flour? do you do this after you have pulled it from the fridge and just before preparing it into a cute little bundle? or some other stage? Could you please help me to understand this better?
    I am excited to be trying this out as I would love to make bread for myself and to share with others but have thought bread baking would be too difficult. THANKS SO MUCH!

    Reply

    1. Check out our videos, by typing the words “back to basics” in the search bar above. Or check out our YouTube channel @BreadIn5, where you type the words “gluten cloak” into the search bar

      Reply

  36. I am a happy owner of the artesian bread in five minutes a day book. I’ve been trying to cut down on my salt intake, and this is the first time I’ve made your bread since my sodium reduction. The bread seems unusually salty with one and a half tablespoons of salt in 6 1/2 cups of flour. How much salt can I reduce in this recipe and still have your fabulous loaves?

    Reply

  37. I am having a hard time with my gluten free bread making a high round loaf instead of a lower slightly flatter loaf. Book directs me to website but no instruction appears to be here.

    Reply

    1. Judy, are you making any changes at all in the recipe? That includes using a flour other than Bob’s red Mill, which is what we tested with. Also, are you using xanthan gum, or ground psyllium husk? You can’t leave those out… any of these changes would result in a flattened loaf. If nothing seems to be helping the suggestion would be to use a loaf pan to control sideways spread.

      Reply

  38. I recently purchased “The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” I have made the first dough recipe in the book and it turned out great, using SAF instant yeast. Since I do not have air conditioning and we are experiencing a heat wave in southern Manitoba, I decided to use some of the dough and adjust a recipe for the bread machine and surprisingly, I got a wonderful artisan type bread that rose nicely and tastes wonderful. I am wondering if you are considering another book with recipes for the bread machine using the French or artisan bread setting. I plan on experimenting more with this technique including using the bake cycle instead of a regular oven. I love your book and will also use the recipes in a regular oven.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      This is fantastic, I am so glad you had success with the bread machine. It is a great idea for a next book, we’ll mull it over.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  39. Can you advise a “weight” in lieu of the scoop method of measuring flour? Would not the weight by measure be more consistent? Thank you so much. I have been baking by your book for years and given away half a dozen of them and love it so much, I will probably get your new one soon.

    Reply

    1. Agree, all of our books after 2008 have weights, but our publisher will kill us if we put all our material here in the website!

      Reply

  40. Not sure if this is where to ask a question but the ask question link wasn’t working.
    How wet is the dough supposed to be for your rye receipe? I used my own starter but the dough seems to dry.

    Regards,
    Paul

    Reply

  42. During this covid -19 “stay at home time” I note that baking is something lots of people want to do…. on the blog however, I note that Jeff seems to be answering all inquiries…… is Zoe OK ?
    Alan

    Reply

    1. The virus has been a huge stress for everyone, but it can bring out the kindness and concern in people, so your note warmed my heart. Zoe and Sarah and I, plus all three of our families are all fine, but with all the interest in bread-baking, we are suddenly very busy with posts, responses, and YouTube or Instagram videos of our method. Since Zoe’s the expert videographer, that work has fallen to her, so for the moment I’m the only one responding to comments here on the website.

      Stay safe, and thanks so much for your question, Alan.

      Reply

  43. Just trying your bread for the first time as our friend loaned me his book. He wants it back tomorrow! I am not a baker, I have never baked bread in my life. I just made my first loaf and I can tell you it will not be my last. It is so good and so easy. What a wonderful resource during this stressful time. I find myself making a lot of comfort foods for my family right now based on whatever I can find on line or at the market. Enjoying a lot of simple soups, stews, etc. We always want bread to accompany that. I will be using your recipes long after COVID-19 is not top of mind for all of us each day. Please let that day come soon.

    Reply

  44. Tasty bread is my favorite but hard to justify making myself as there is just me. Plus there is the danger of eating the whole loaf myself while it is still warm.
    Having dough already mixed and in the fridge to bake as needed sounds like a great idea. I will have to buy one of your books.

    Reply

  45. Hi, I have been baking from your Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook for several months, and I love it! But I live at altitude (5,500 feet) and am wondering if I need to change the recipe and/or techniques to accommodate the altitude? My loaves come out fairly dense, and the dough never rises nearly as much as shown in the photos in the book. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tested GF at altitude, but our wheat breads do fine in Denver. Check out our “high-altitude” FAQ (click above), and try those suggestions.

      That said–GF is definitely denser than wheat breads, esp with stored dough. The egg-white version– less so; should try that if you haven’t.

      Reply

  46. Dear Zoë, I have fallen in love with your method, which I found on Blueprint TV. I must say, I cannot wait to buy your books now. Question though, does your Master Recipe change if I use flour, from milled wheat? Yes, we mill our own wheat, red wheat to be exact. When I used your measurements, the flour instantly drinks all of the water, so the final product is not the sticky-mush I saw on your classes and photos. Should I add more water? If so, how much? Or… is there another method I should attempt due to my fresh-milled flour? Can you help shed some light? Pretty please?

    Reply

    1. Yes, I’ve posted on this before, at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/11/11/using-fresh-ground-whole-wheat-flour-and-some-highlights-from-our-book-tour/, so read through that. Home ground flour does not have consistent moisture levels, unlike commercial flour, so you’re going to have to experiment. Sounds like you need more water, and the only way to get it right it by testing. Bottom line is that the dough should look like what you see in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIb8fC9BdWs&t=125s

      Reply

  47. I forgot some artisan dough that i made 3 weeks ago that got pushed to the back of the fridge! It was a little gray on top and there was a bit of clear liquid that I could pour off. It was still puffy and smelled fine. Do you think it is still ok to bake and eat?

    Reply

  48. Have purchased the New Artisan bread in 5. Have used the original for many years. I remember there were several corrections in the original. Are there any corrections in the New Artisan Brian in Five Minutes a Day that I should know about? ThankYou in dance for your response

    Reply

    1. May be corrected in your edition, but checkhttps://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/01/corrections-to-first-printing-of-the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-2013/

      Reply

  49. I am making bread according to your instructions but they don’t bake well n the middle,. Should I reduce water?

    Reply

    1. Hi Sue,

      We have hundreds of recipes from our 7 books, so there are lots of breads that do have oil. I’m not sure which one you are referring to?

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

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