Herb Crock-Pot Dinner Rolls – Easy Thanksgiving Baking

crock-pot buns

This week is Thanksgiving and we have to make the most of our oven space. Scheduling what will go in and out of the oven is just shy of a NASA level endeavor. By the time the pies come out, the Turkey must go in and then what to do about the rolls? There is an easy answer. What was originally a lark, bread in the slow-cooker has become my go-to holiday baking method. As you orchestrate the yams and dressing in the oven, your rolls can be baking on the counter. I made a savory herb dough for our Thanksgiving meal, but really you can bake just about any of our breads in this method.

Apple-Peach Braided Brioche Cake

apple-peach brioche cake

‘At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.’ – Rainer Maria Rilke

I’ve got peaches and apples in my kitchen. Summer is gently fading, and autumn is slipping in with an occasional cool breeze, a golden leaf here and there. I don’t know how August is already over, but here is September with its crisp ciders and juicy pears. I’m ready for bread-making again, and am starting the cooler months off with this brioche cake.The juicy peaches and the apple-cinnamon flavor are a good combination; a perfect intermingling of the seasons.

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Gluten Free Baguette

Gluten Free Baguette | Breadin5 (1 of 5)-2

The beauty of our 5-minute method of bread baking is that you have enough dough for more than just one loaf. This is true for traditional wheat recipes and many gluten-free breads. So whenever you’re in the mood for fresh bread, you just take a piece of dough and create the loaf you want. You may have tried the Master recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day and made a classic boule, but want to venture into some other shapes. A gluten free baguette is just as easy and a wonderful, quick loaf to make at any meal. Read More

Baked Spelt English Muffins

spelt english muffins

I’ve become addicted to adding spelt flour to my Bread in 5 dough (see blood orange doughnuts and stove top pizza), and decided to try it in yet another application: English muffins. My family is a big fan of warm bread first thing in the morning, so this seemed like a perfect application. Not only does the spelt add extra (delicious) flavor, but it has many health benefits, including increasing circulation and helping with digestion. I’ve been adding it to our bread and many of our baked goods as we slowly try to decrease the amount of white flour we are consuming. It worked perfectly again here. The muffins were delicious right out of the oven, and they also toasted up nicely the following day.

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Mushroom Garlic Thyme Stovetop Pizza

mushroom garlic thyme stovetop pizza | bread in 5

Pizza for dinner is always a favorite around my house, and while I’ve tried it every which way: classic margherita, deep dish, hand tossed, and grilled, it had been awhile since I’ve made a stovetop version. Our Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads in Five Minutes A Day book has a great recipe for pizza made in a cast iron skillet, and after making it quite often this past week I remembered how easy and tasty this method is. It’s perfect for dinner, but especially for lunch; pizza is ready quickly without even turning on the oven.

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How-to: Six-Strand Braided Challah

How to: Six Strand Braided Challah | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

September is the month of the Jewish high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This Six-Strand Braided Challah, using our five minute dough, is a beautiful and festive way to celebrate. Traditionally for Rosh Hashanah we bake the bread in the shape of a ring studded with raisins, but if you serve any of our delicious challahs you will do the holidays justice.

Braiding six strands takes a bit of technique, but once you have the rhythm the braid goes together quickly and easily. Keep in mind that you are only working with one strand at a time, so there is no juggling to do. You want to be sure to keep your hands and work surface well floured so the strands don’t become sticky as you work.

How to: Six Strand Braided Challah | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

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Wild Rice Pilaf Bread

You know it’s fall in the Midwest when your kids are back in school, the thermometer says 45 degrees, and the morning is back to the old scramble.  My wife and I planned to tag-team as usual but it turns out that our kids are old enough now—so independent that they really don’t need much help in the morning.

So it was a relief, though a bit bittersweet, to find myself with some time to relax with a cup of coffee this morning,  and think about this post.  I did my fall baking class at Chef’s Gallery (in historic Stillwater Minn.) at the end of August and baked up Wild Rice Pilaf Bread from The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day—and it was a hit.  I was putting the loaf together this morning, and realized we’d used up our mushrooms, but had plenty of pecans.  It works!  The sauteed vegetables infuse the loaf with flavor and moisture—and the nuts add crunch and richness (not to mention great nutrition).  Read on for the recipe and tips—you can do this variation by using the roll-in technique, which allows you to start with pretty much any of our doughs that you’ve already refrigerated and add in the wild rice, onion, and mushrooms (or nuts) just before you shape the loaf. Read More

They’re making our dough in Bangkok and selling the bread in the market

We’re in the Wall Street Journal today (click for the article), but not exactly how you’d expect.  Someone got our first book, started making the bread, and found they could sell lots of it in the local street market!  We’re mentioned in the second half of the article.

People have asked how we feel about that (answer, GREAT!).   Just another way to spread the word…