FAQs

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

I’ve enjoyed answering reader questions on our blog since 2007.  Click on any of the questions below– these are the ones that seem to be on a lot of bakers’ minds.  If you’re having a problem with one of the recipes, breeze through these FAQs first. If you can’t find an answer there, click on any “Comments” field adjoining a “post” here on the website (doesn’t have to be related to the content underneath). Tell me which book you’re working from, and which recipe and page number, and ask your question. I’ll answer, right under your question (or maybe a few below), within a day or so. Please understand that I can’t write back directly to you–there’ve been tens of thousands of questions here on the site, and I want other readers to benefit from the conversation. 

And please understand that my publisher would disown me if I put all our full-detail recipes here on the website or in the comment responses. This site is mainly a way of reaching out to readers, and supporting them as they work on recipes that appear in the published books.

If the list of FAQs below doesn’t get you the answer you need, try the Search Bar. On the Home Page, it’s right over the picture of the bread. In narrower displays, it sometimes appears right underneath the orange BreadIn5 logo. Type in the bread style, ingredient, or technique that you’re interested in, and the search engine will show you all the similar posts I’ve ever done on it, with recipes and answers to many questions.    –Jeff

  1. BreadIn5.com is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, BreadIn5 LLC earns an affiliate commission.
  2. Comments policies: I posted a comment to this site but it hasn’t appeared. What happened? Can I put up links to other sites?
  3. Contest and Giveaway Rules
  4. Convection oven: Any adjustment needed?
  5. Dense or gummy crumb: What am I doing wrong?
  6. Flour varieties: Do I need to adjust the liquids when I use different kinds of white flour?
  7. Freezing the dough: Can I do it?
  8. Fresh-ground grains: can I use them with this method?
  9. Gluten-Free Frequently Asked Questions (GF FAQs)
  10. Gray color on my dough: Is there something wrong? Is it mold?
  11. High-altitude baking: How do I adjust the recipes for high-altitude?
  12. Incorporating dried fruit, nuts, or herbs into stored dough: How do I do it?
  13. Larger loaves/multiple loaves: What adjustments are needed?
  14. Left the dough on the counter overnight! Can I still use it?
  15. The scoop-and-sweep method for measuring flour by volume: How it was done when testing these recipes
  16. Missing instructions and missing recipes: Some of the web-based recipes don’t have everything I need to make the bread, and others are missing from the website altogether
  17. Nutrition content: How can I calculate it?
  18. Photographs: Can I post pictures to this website?
  19. Privacy Policy
  20. Refrigerator rise trick: The formed loaves or rolls rise overnight and are ready for the oven the next day
  21. Rising: My shaped loaves don’t seem to rise much before it’s time for the oven.  What am I doing wrong?
  22. Salt: Can I decrease the amount of salt in the recipes?  How do I adjust for different kinds of salt?
  23. Sourdough starter: Can I use it with this method?
  24. Steam alternatives: How do I create a steam environment for a great crust when my oven doesn’t trap steam well?
  25. Stone broke! What did I do wrong?
  26. Storing bread: What’s the best way to do it?
  27. Traditional recipes: How can they be converted to the ABin5 method?
  28. Underbaked! My loaf didn’t bake through to the center.  What am I doing wrong?
  29. Web or other uses: Can I use your recipes on my own website, in my class, or in a publication?
  30. Weighing ingredients instead of using cup measures: How do you do it?
  31. Whole grain flours and vital wheat gluten: How do you use them?
  32. Whole grain flours and doughs without vital wheat gluten: How do those work?
  33. Yeast: Can it be decreased in the recipes?
  34. Health questions posted here over the years

Note: BreadIn5.com is reader supported. When you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.

3,920 thoughts to “FAQs”

  1. I want to bake bread at home and then take it with us when we travel to visit family over the holidays. What is the best way to transport and utilized bread that hasn’t been cut yet and may not be eaten the same day? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Kelly: In a paper bag, not plastic. But there’s no preservative in these recipes, so it might not be all that fresh. Better to bring dough and bake it there, all depends on how long a trip. Bread starts to stale at 2 hours.

      Reply

  2. A question for you: when I make either the Master Recipoe: Boule [Bread in Five Minutes, page 26] and/or Deli-Style Rye [Bread in Five Minutes, page 58]when I let the dough rest for forty minutes, it loses its shape – it sags and the finished bread when it comes out of the even is flat with just a little rise in the center. Can I add more flour to make the basic dough stiffer? What would you suggest? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Richard: You can. Any chance you are using bleached or other low-protein flour? Would account for the lack of structure. Jeff

      Reply

  3. Help! There are so many pizza crust recipes in your book, I’m not sure which one to use. I started by making the Master Recipe which tastes good, but I am really having trouble rolling it out to be thin enough. What could I be doing wrong?

    Reply

    1. Karen: Consider letting the dough ball rest for 30 to 60 minutes before you roll out, see if that helps. Assume you’ve already tried letting it “relax” when it’s resistant for 10 minutes…

      Reply

  5. In your Artisan Pizza book you mention Knekkebrod and refer to it on p 94 as a 100% whole grain rye dough. You refer the reader to pages 234 and 236 but for the dough, you refer back to page 94. The dough recipe on page 93 that ends on 94 uses a little rye flour and much more regular unbleached flour. Is the latter considered whole grain? Or did you forget to make a substitution for it to get the 100% whole grain dough? Or did I miss something?

    Reply

    1. Hi Suzanne,

      The description of the dough is much longer than the actual recipe, so you may have missed it. If you look at the very last paragraph on page 95 you will see the substitutions for making the dough 100% whole grain flour.

      OH, now I see the issue, it says 8 cups whole grain rye dough, and it should say 8 cups whole grain rye flour.

      Sorry for the confusion! Zoë

      Reply

  6. Do you recommend using whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour in the Healthy Bread book? What is the difference between the two? And how would the difference affect the end result?

    Even though my husband was raised on fluffy white store-bought bread, he can’t get enough of the whole wheat breads from your book. His favorite is the one with steel cut oats and dates. There is hope for him yet. =)

    Reply

    1. Hi Shannon,

      You will need to use whole wheat flour for the bread recipes. ww pastry flour doesn’t have enough gluten to form the structure in your dough and it will be much too wet of a dough to use.

      Thanks, so glad you are enjoying the breads! Zoë

      Reply

  7. If I want to bake more than one loaf in a day, is it best to bake each loaf separately, or will the results suffer if I put multiple loaves in the oven together? Any baking adjustments recommended for this? Thanks!

    Reply

      1. How about for 1 lb loaves of the Olive Oil bread (p. 134) and master recipe boule (p. 26) in Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day? Thanks!

      2. Hi Tana,

        You can bake as many loaves as will fit on your stone. Some of the larger rectangular stones can fit about 3 loaves, but 2 is probably safer. You need to make sure you are leaving enough room around the loaf for the oven spring. No other adjustments need to be made, although you may want to bake them for a few extra minutes if they aren’t browning as quickly.

        Thanks, Zoë

  8. In your book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes, the soft pretzel recipe calls for baking soda and for cream of tartar for the boiling water and I was curious about the cream of tartar. What does it do?

    P.S. This is our first week of baking with your master recipe and made mostly pizza and one loaf of bread and it turned out way better than anything we tried before. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Ann: It’s a swap for lye, which is what they use in truly authentic recipes! It alters the surface, and makes it more, what can I say, “pretzelly?” This recipe is adapted from an old recipe Mimi Sheraton did for the New York Times about 40 years ago…

      You could certainly leave it out, might be more like a bagel though. See what you think. Jeff

      Reply

      1. Thanks we’ll definitely try it out. I’ve been experimenting with lye to make pretzel rolls and always ended up using more baking soda than the recipe called for, because it never seemed to be quite right,
        so the cream of tartar version will be next.

        Thanks for the great recipes. we just made our first brioche with the enhanced dough and it is to die for…extremely addictive.

  9. I’m planning on making the Roasted Garlic Potato bread on pg. 118 of ABin5 and I’m wondering, can it be made in a loaf pan? How about individual rolls? What sort of cooking time adjustments would I need to make? Love your book by the way, all the recipies are incredibly easy and delicious!

    Reply

      1. First BRAVO! I am a beginning bread maker and my wife loves rye bread…so I opened your book took a deep breath and 3 hours later “I am now her hero!!!
        Now my question:

        I would like to make individual loaves of your basic artisan bread for six guest… do I change the recipe any? or just the baking time or neither???
        Thanks,

  10. I’ve had consistently bad luck with Healthy Bread in Five recipes involving spelt flour so far. (I’ve tried olive spelt, pesto, and roasted garlic.) I’m not sure if it’s the type of spelt flour I’m getting at my local co-op, but the dough comes out very sticky compared to other doughs in the book, and it really flattens out instead of rising when I set some out to rise. Thanks for any suggestions.

    Reply

    1. Hi Doug,

      It does seem that there are different types of spelt. One is called “light” spelt and it has even less gluten than the regular spelt flour, which is lower in gluten to begin with. This will make a big difference in your dough. One solution is to add 2 or 3 tablespoons more vital wheat gluten.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  11. I am making the granola bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The ingredients called for an egg wash but I can’t find anything in the directions that tell what to do with it.

    Reply

  12. Dear Jeff and Zoe,
    I just to let you know I have been giving people homemade Artisan bread (recipes from your books) as thank you gifts, ie.,dr. visits,mailman, cleaners and for birthday presents to friends. They are so thrilled and then want the recipes. I happily tell them about your books and website. My husband and I have decided instead of cookies trays this year we are going to give Artisan bread with homemade jam or cheese as gifts to our neighbhors, friends and others. Thank you for joy your recipes brings.

    Reply

  13. I just got you book Artisan in 5 minutes a day.
    so I tried the vermont cheese bread on page 106, i weighed the dough 1 pound, knowing it would rise during baking i put the bread in oven according to directions. It really made a small loaf enough for 4 small slices can I put 2 lbs loaf in to make larger loaves? And in doing so will bake times increase?

    Reply

    1. Hi Daryl,

      Yes, you can certainly make a larger loaf. For a 2-pound loaf, let it rest, after shaping, for about 90 minutes and then bake it for about 45 minutes.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  14. I made a double batch of your Pumpkin Pie Brioche today (from Healthy Bread In Five), and after five hours on the counter it is still rising. The recipe says to let it sit until it “rises and collapses”, so should I just let it rise until it’s finished, or push it down a bit and put it in the fridge. I was worried about letting it sit out for so long since there is egg in the dough. Thanks!

    Reply

  15. Sometimes when I make loaf bread (roll it out flat, add my yummy stuff, and roll back up) I end up with a loaf with holes in it!? Do you know what I might be doing wrong?

    Reply

  16. When I pull my ball of dough out of the bucket to shape it, it breaks before I need to cut it – it does not stretch like I have seen in your video. I have to combine a few chunks to get my 1 lb ball. I don’t get a great rise.
    This has happened on all of the recipes I tried. Any ideas?

    Reply

      1. Healthy Bread

        Pumpkin Pie Brioche p. 284
        Master Recipe
        100% whole wheat p. 79
        100% Whole wheat flaxseed p. 86
        Whole wheat banana p. 200

      2. Sue: interesting that this is happening in plain (lean) doughs, as well as the enriched. One thing to be aware of; if you’re seeing videos done while we work with white flour, they’re going to stretch much more than doughs from “Healthy Bread in 5.”

        Our stuff gets proportionally more of its total rise out of “oven spring” as opposed to rising before baking. The important question– are your loaves reasonably light, or are they unacceptably dense, with minimal air cell structure inside?

        Another possibility– you’re getting too much sideways spread and would do better in loaf pans.

        For recipes that call for any white flour, are you using bleached? That doesn’t rise as well becuase of lower protein levels. What kind of whole wheat flours are you using? Dicey results with fresh-ground versions. Jeff

      3. I never use bleached flour.
        I wouldn’t call the loaves light, but they are edible and the flavor is good. More dense than when I use the traditional method for making whole wheat bread. I do use fresh ground red wheat. Why would the results be more dicey? I tried both weighing and measuring to make sure that the quantity was correct. I use Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour for White whole wheat.

      4. Sue: I think we have the answer– our readers have found that fresh-ground wheat is unpredictable– you’re going to have to experiment with the water levels until you get it the way you like it. Plus you say it’s “red” wheat, which usually means very high protein, like bread flour. That takes more water. See https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/02/10/qa-flour-and-water for some suggestions (but these are only rough suggestions).

        Might be worth making a few batches with all-commercial flour to get a sense of exactly how the finished dough should look and feel, then try to re-create that with the fresh-ground stuff. Jeff

      5. OK, tried the 100% whole wheat with fresh ground flour and more water – slightly better rise.
        I will try commercial flour next – I have Bob’s Red Mill – does this require higher amounts of water like the King Arthur?

      6. Hi Sue,

        We have not found that Bob’s is a high protein flour, so you should be able to use it as the recipe is written.

        Thanks, Zoë

  17. I LOVE Heathy Bread in 5 Min a Day… I developed my own recipe from the master recipe already. The Sunday before Thanksgiving I added cubed potato, cubed cheddar, and minced chives to the Master Dough, stored it in the fridge until Thursday Morning and with only 5 minutes of effort had the best homemade bread our Thanksgiving table has ever seen. And it made excellent turkey sandwiches the next day too.

    On to my question… I am constructing an outdoor, wood-fired, earth oven. Can you make suggestions about how to modify your recipes for the hot temps (start at 700F and cool gradually over a days time) in this type of oven?

    Can you recommend any good books on using bread ovens?

    Reply

    1. Anne: Can’t remember if Daniel Wing’s The Bread Builders talks more about building the oven, or about using it! It’s on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890132055/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=arbrinfimiada-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1890132055“>The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens<img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=arbrinfimiada-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1890132055&camp=217145&creative=399369&quot; width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;

      In general, you have to wait for your oven to cool down to make a tall loaf. That 700 temp is for pizza and flatbread, which will bake in 90 to 120 seconds at that temp. You'd burn the outside of a loaf before the inside finished at that temp, so you need to wait until you get to 450 or 500 the max before you can put a loaf in there. How long that would take for cool-down will depend on your oven and its heat-retention characteristics. Jeff

      Reply

  18. In the class you gave in Kirkland you made a flatbread with pears, apples, honey and sesame seeds but I can’t find the recipe in your pizza book. Can you share the recipe?

    Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Joe,

      Those were two different pizzas. One is the Greco-Roman pizza on page 146 and the other is the Blush Apple Tart on page 272.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

      Reply

  19. My pal wants your book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. In addition to the book, I want to get her what she needs to start! Can you give me a basic list of ingredients to accompany your book? Thanks!

    Reply

  20. In helathy Bread in five minutes page 216,a focaccia recipe, says i can use any of pre-mixed doughs which ccll for you to shape the dough then let set for 90 minutes. The recipes beginning on page 217 with # 3 Says cut the dough, form, prep. and rest for 20. Does that 20 minutes take place after the 90 minute rest or in place of? Thanks, Frank

    Reply

  21. I just recently purchased your book and was wondering If I can use smaller proportions of ingredients since I’m a single person and don’t eat that much bread. I was thiking of cutting it in half or just for one loaf? Thanks.Walter

    Reply

    1. Hi Walter,

      You can certainly cut the recipes in half or smaller, but the time savings is not as great. You can also freeze the dough you don’t use, for a future loaf.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  22. My daughter asked about using Cabot cheese powder in bread. I thought it seemed like a good idea but I’m not sure how to do it. Would I substitute cheese powder for part of the flour or would I add it in addition to the flour? Any idea on how much to use in the Master recipe?

    Reply

    1. fbog: Which of our books are you using (which recipe and page number)? The books are all different, so I’ll direct you to a recipe that makes sense. Jeff

      Reply

      1. I have the original (Artisan Bread in 5) and the pizza book. I was assuming I would start with the Master recipe from Artisan.

      2. FBog: OK, so we do have a Vermont Cheddar Bread in that book (on page 106)– honestly, that’s where I’d start. You can see that this dough will tolerate a lot of dairy solids in the mix. I’m guessing you could use about a quarter-cup of the cheese powder, with a little extra water to make up for the dehydration, not sure how much. Then increase up from there if the cheese flavor isn’t intense enough for you. Jeff

      3. Thanks. I’ll give it a try when I have an empty dough bucket to use (a pound of rye dough and a few pounds of pizza dough are currently taking up all the buckets).

  23. Hi,
    I live in Farmington, MN. I was wondering if you guys ever have workshops here for baking? Or teach at any functions? I know there are some local bread groups… but a lot of those groups make really “complicated” recipes that are beyond a beginner (me). I love the recipes btw!!!
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachael,

      We don’t have anything planned, but we keep our Events page updated, so we’ll post any classes we’re doing there.

      Thanks so much! Zoë

      Reply

      1. I kept looking under speaking gigs. Bummer! I didn’t even realize there was an event section (must be all this cold freezing my brain!). I will definitely see you at a future class! PS. need an assistant to help you with the Key Largo, Fl event? 😉 (j/k- who doesn’t want to be in MN when it’s cold and snowy!?!)

  24. I recently purchased your first 2 books and have tried 5 different recipes so far. The first one came out extremely dense so I made the dough a little wetter and increased my resting and rising times. This worked well for the crumb texture but with each of the recipes, I’ve had no luck with the dough rising. I’ve let it sit at room temperature (min. 2 hours) till the top flattens out per your instructions, and that seems ok, but then it’s down hill from there. The loaves (even if I put them in pans) do not rise much after shaping, even though I’m letting it rise for longer than the suggested time, and there’s very little if any “oven spring”. I made the rye bread in your AHBin5 book yesterday, and it was barely 1-1/2″ thick after baking. I’m using fresh yeast and letting the dough rest in the fridge over night before (very gently) shaping. I’ve read and followed all your instructions and tips and watched your video, and just can’t figure out what the problem is. Any ideas what could be the cause of this?

    Reply

    1. Hi Autumn,

      Which recipe from the book are you baking? What kind of flour are you using?

      The dough should rise considerably during the initial rise, but then it will collapse in the bucket, which is very normal. It doesn’t rise much during the rest times, after shaping, but it should have a nice oven spring.

      Give us a bit more detail and we’ll help you figure this out, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Hi,
        Thanks for your response. The dough does initially rise and then collapse in the bucket, but there’s practically no oven spring, even though I let it rest after shaping till the loaves jiggle a bit.

        The recipes I used were, 100% Whole Wheat, your basic Whole Wheat (sorry, my pc is down and am using the one at work and forgot to bring the book with me so I don’t have page numbers), Rye (twice), Red Wine and Cheese, and Whole Wheat and Flax.

        The flours I am using are both Trader Joe’s brand, unbleached white and white whole wheat. The rye flour is Bob’s Red Mill dark rye. I am using Red Star yeast and very little salt. The flavor of the breads was excellent, but bread in my house is mainly used for sandwiches and toast, so a tall loaf is what I’m aiming for. With the exception of the Wine and Cheese bread, which I baked directly on a stone (and came out slightly thicker than flatbread), I baked all of them in loaf pans on the stone.

      3. Hi Zoe,
        Sorry to be posting my answer out of sequence. There is no “reply” to click on at the end of your last answer. Hope it’s not too confusing.

        I have seen your post on baking loaf breads and am following the instructions. I am not baking at a high altitude (L.A.) My doughs so far were pretty stretchy, but I will try adding more gluten and see how it goes. Thanks for your help.

      4. Autumn: You’re making strictly whole grain breads, which definitely don’t rise as high as our white-flour recipes, but you should be getting more than this. Have you checked your oven temperature with something like https://bit.ly/czmco2 (on Amazon). If your oven’s too cool, you won’t get oven spring.

        If that’s not it– Can you try something as an experiment? Re-do the recipes with basic supermarket products like Gold Medal or Pillsbury whole wheat and white flours. And try the Basic recipe in Chapter 5 of Healthy Bread in 5 first, before you go on to the ones with other stuff in the bread (like cheese). Those can weigh things down– maybe you need to master the basic recipe first? Jeff

  25. I recently happened upon your book and am eager (though apprehensive) to begin using it. The thing is, I do not have a stone. Is a stone vital, to begin with or is it something one can work up to?

    Reply

    1. Misty: Like any bread, ours get a crisper crust on a stone (and more even baking), but it’s not a requirement. Cookie sheet, loaf pan. Which of the books do you have?

      Reply

  26. I have had a wonderful time playing with from your Healthy Bread Book since the end of September.
    The flavor and texture is great but after the first few patches I am consistently getting a flat bread that is –1″ high. I live in Saint Paul so have access to fresh ingredients, use unbleached flour when that is recommended. The recipes I have used and struggled with this issue are: cracked wheat bread, ten grain bread, buckwheat bread, whole wheat & flaxseed bread. Now I have been adding 2T of wheat germ to the dough, but I always remove 2 T of flour. I usually make 1/2 recipe, as I am single and live alone, and bake off the dough at the end of the assigned time period.
    At one point I started all over–washed the container. But to no avail. Still I have a one inch tall delicious bread. Not something I would gift this time of year. HELP!

    Reply

    1. Kate: Does this happens when you do the more “standard” recipes in that book? Like the chapter 5 Master recipe? You’ve chosen the highest whole grain recipes in the book, which are definitely a little more tricky to get a tall rise.

      If the same thing’s happening with the chapter five recipe, hmm… Jeff

      Reply

  27. I only tried the standard recipe the first time, then moved into the whole grain, as that was my goal. Guess I would move back to the standard and see what happends. I’ll get back to you.
    (trying new recipes takes time, as this is a one person household) 🙂 Kate

    Reply

  28. I have been cooking religiously from your book ARTISAN BREAD IN FIVE for three years now, and I am thrilled with the results I have gotten. I do have one recurrent problem though which I cannot find addressed on your website: I never, no matter which recipe I am working from, get the yielded amount of loaves. If I am working from the European Peasant bread recipe, for example, I get at the very most 3 1lb loaves with the 2nd and 3rd loaves being a bit skimpy. Likewise, if I am working with the oatmeal or 100 percent whole wheat recipes, I only get two loaves instead of the stated three. I weigh my flour and the bread tastes and looks wonderful so I don’t think I am doing anything fundamentally wrong. Any thoughts or suggestions you might have would be so appreciated!

    Sabrina Moser

    Reply

    1. Hi Sabrina,

      The loaf sizes in the first book are approximates, so you may end up with 4 loaves that are just shy of 1-pound. You can divide the batch in quarters, but If you need larger, or more loaves, you can make a double batch.

      Thank you, Zoë

      Reply

  29. I made a half batch of the peasant loaf version of the bread yesterday, and realized today when I baked a (pretty puny) loaf that I had halved everything correctly EXCEPT the salt. The result was a loaf that didn’t rise well in the oven and is toooooo salty. So today I made a new half batch with no salt at all. It’s currently rising. When should I mix the two together? Should I have already done it? Can I knead it together right now and let both rise together?

    Reply

    1. Hi Aimee,

      Yes, mix them together now and then let them rise together before refrigerating. It may be easiest to do this in a mixer if you have one.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Zoe. I mixed them together after a little bit of a rise (an hour or so) and am letting them rise more now before tossing the bin into the fridge. Here’s to hoping it works well tomorrow when I make a loaf!

  30. Is there a rule for when to use the kitchen aid dough hook as opposed to the paddle? I haven’t made bread in a while (low carb hcg diet) but I feel like I’ve always used the hook but am making rye bread today and it called for the paddle. material flew all over the counter when I first turned on the machine.
    and i can’t, for the life of me, find the instructions on what speed to mix the dough on…i feel like it was 2.5, but that’s when the stuff flew everywhere today and that never happened before, so i don’t know if it was the paddle doing it or the speed was too fast. i feel like a beginner again.
    thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. Hi Marcia,

      Our dough is much too wet to use the dough hook. The hook doesn’t have enough to grab onto. You want to start out on slow speed and then once the dough comes together you can turn up the speed a bit, but it really doesn’t take a lot of speed to mix the dough.

      Enjoy, Zoë

      Reply

  31. I follow your directions for the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day and everything tastes great. My only question, why does my bread always come out looking bulbous. When I put it in the oven, it looks perfectly fine, but while it’s baking for some reason, the bottom looses its flatness and it becomes askew and bulbous shaped. I pour water into the front left side of the pan below the stone, is this wrong, should I pull the pan out first?

    Reply

    1. Susan: Try deeper slashes and/or a longer resting time. Rather than 40 min for white loaves in the 1st book– can extend that to 60 or 90 min, see if that helps.

      In a sense, you’re getting overwhelming oven spring before things are fully “relaxed” in the loaf. The deeper slashes may even that out. Jeff

      Reply

  32. Relating to our December 6th exchange.
    I mixed up a batch of the basic recipe yesterday, baking today. Carefully following the recipe (except adding 2T of wheat germ and removing 2T flour). I watched it flatten out more and more before going into the oven. I have a boule is about 1 ½” high.
    Now my kitchen is quite cold. Could that be an issue?
    I really want to be baking the whole grain breads.
    I suppose I can use bread pans, but I prefer boules.
    HELP!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kate,

      How are you measuring the flour?
      What brand flour are you using?
      It sounds like maybe your dough is too wet. Have you had a chance to watch any of our videos to make sure the dough is the right consistency?
      I wouldn’t decrease the flour when adding the wheat germ, the germ has no gluten so the dough is losing some of its structure. Answer the rest of the questions and we’ll take it from there.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  33. Jeff & Zoe,

    Thank you so much for your contribution to the bread consumers of the world! I have owned my copy of “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” for two days and have already made four loaves of bread (master recipe for Boule bread) for my family and friends. I had to borrow a neighbor’s baking stone in order to make the bread, and moments ago I ordered my own, online, from EmileHenryUsa.com. I ordered their pizza stone, which has a glaze on it, and my question is this: Is the glaze going to effect the crispiness of the crust on my future bread baking endeavors? Thank you for your time!

    Reply

  34. Have you had success with any washable/reusable substitutes for the plastic wrap? I don’t like using all that plastic wrap. When I’m making free-form loaves I will put a container over the loaf instead, but that does not work for loaves in a pan or muffins.

    Reply

    1. Julie: People swear by plastic shower caps. Other option: into the oven with a pan of hot water underneath, the oven stays off. Jeff

      Reply

  35. Hi, I really apprecaite your help.
    I use the scoop and sweep method to measure. I have watched that video, but not others.

    My dough does appear wet. I am not a previous bread maker, it always scared me, but your method was approach able, and I love playing. But with no previous experience, so I am not a good judge if my dough is too wet.

    I have Gold Medal unbleached flour, and Red Mill whole wheat and white whole wheat, as well as Red Mill 10 grain and Flaxseed Meal. I love the cracked wheat bread and have gotten my cracked wheat and buck wheat from Mississippi market just down the street on Selby.
    Thanks again for your help. Kate

    Reply

  36. Yes (December 8th response) “I mixed up a batch of the basic recipe yesterday, baked the next day. Carefully following the recipe (except adding 2T of wheat germ and removing 2T flour). I watched it flatten out more and more before going into the oven. I have a boule is about 1 ½” high. My kitchen is quite cold.”

    Reply

  37. Damn! Help! I forgot to paint the rye bread and attach the seeds…is there any salvaging it after baking? having ppl over with boeuf bourginon (sp?), rye grissini and rye bread to dunk!

    Reply

      1. you’re right, no one noticed. and i did a double loaf and did it for 50 min. PERFECT and i used a bonnetone (sp?). gawd i LOVE your books. the grissini alone had them raving

  39. Again I ask the question. In your book you say that the ndoughshould be stored in a plastic container. Can glass or stainless steel be used and will this have any effect on the risen dough?

    Reply

  40. I love the ‘lazy man’s sourdough’ that comes from whipping up another batch in the old bucket. Is it okay to keep doing that for 3 or 4 batches, or more?

    Reply

  41. In your first book there is the option of parbaking. I don’t see anything about that in the Healthy Bread book. Will it work as well?

    Reply

  42. Hello,

    First I want to tell you how much I enjoy your breads. I have one problem, and it’s probaably stupid, but in cleaning out my bowl the dough is so sticky and thick that it almost clogs the drain. I soak the pan but it still is thick. Stupid right? Thank for your help

    Kris Smith

    Reply

    1. Kris: Scrape it out well with a rubber or plastic scraper, then soak it. Or maybe don’t clean it (for non egg, non-dairy doughs) and use the old stuff to boost flavor.

      And don’t dump dough down the drain… Jeff

      Reply

  43. I have been making the limpa from your first book. I love the taste and the crumb is good, but the loaves are not attractive. I have used the cornstarch wash before sprinkling the sugar and spices. I have tried slashing both before and after. I’d like to get a smoother crust.

    Reply

    1. Hi Janella,

      Is it just the crust that is unattractive? Perhaps you will have better luck painting the loaf with egg wash, instead of the cornstarch wash. Just beat one egg with a tablespoon of water and brush it on lightly, then sprinkle with the sugar as normal.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  44. Hi,

    I am making bread for a large number of people. Can I make one or two large loafs out of the dough instead of four? If so, how would I adjust the cooking time? If not, can I cook two small loaves on one stone?
    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Kora,

      You can make larger loaves with the dough, but you will need to let the dough rest longer and bake longer. Which dough are you using and we can help you determine the amount of time.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  45. Help! What type of molasses for the pumpernickel bread in AB5 – dark, medium, or light? In addition, I don’t live in a metropolitan city, so where does one find caramel coloring or what can be substituted for that?

    Reply

  46. Hi! I love your book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Before recently, I had been baking the bread on a black cookie sheet as that was my only option. I just received a beautiful gift of both a baking stone and a peel. Mostly I use the master recipe for either the boule or baguette. My problem is that my bread is sticking to the bread stone (this has happened on two occasions)! I am very frustrated because prior to this I had friends raving about “my” bread (thanks to you!). Can you offer me some suggestions? I am preheating the oven, allowing the bread to rise on the peel with a “lubricant”. I thank you in advance for your time. Also, much gratitude for making baking bread fun again. Best, Ruth

    Reply

    1. Hi Ruth,

      So glad you are enjoying the breads you bake. What kind of stone are you using? Is it preheated well in advance of placing the bread on it?

      Give us a few more details and we’ll try to fix this! Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thank you for your prompt reply. I am using a stone from Williams-Sonoma. I usually preheat the oven and put the bread in once the temperature has reached about 420..should I wait until it is all the way 450? I thought I read that was not required. The only thing I know I am doing differently from what you recommend is the water. I add the pan of water (I put extra water in) at the beginning when I start the preheating. Should I be cooling the bread on the stone before I try to remove it? I always move the bread to a cooling rack to cool. Thank you again!

      2. Ruth: Most likely the problem is putting the water in at the beginning of the pre-heat. That’s probably creating an opportunity for a gluey surface to form when you slide in the stone. Add the humidity per our directions and see if that improves. Probably not a problem with inadequate pre-heat but you should check your temp at full pre-heat with something like https://bit.ly/czmco2 Jeff

  47. ABin 5, p.26 Master Recipe..I’ve made numerous loaves and love the taste but am still having two problems…..1. the slashes heal up in the oven….have used different serrated knives, a llame both floured or wet. Also, I sometimes have trouble with the crumb containing wet spots throughout the loaf, I suspect this is when the dough is older but I have never kept it more than 10 days???

    Reply

    1. Marilynn: I wonder if you’re using a low-protein flour like bleached flour, or a Southern US flour like White Lily? Those don’t absorb as much water as regular unbleached AP, so you’re left with a too-wet dough, which would explain what you’re getting.

      If that’s not it, just dry out your dough a bit– decrease the water by 1/4-cup and see if that helps. Jeff

      Reply

      1. thanks for the reply…i will try decreasing water …and I am using unbleached bread flour from King Arthur

      2. Marilynn: That really surprises me, because KAF Bread Flour is very high in protein and usually requires extra water, not less as I guessed. My advice would be to try the recipes again, using unbleached all-purpose flour this time, and see what you think. Jeff

  48. Before I get the book I’d like to know if I can use a cast iron deep dish pan to cook pizzas and breads on and get satasfactory results?

    Reply

  49. Hi Jeff and Zoe
    my question – I have been using a nice small flat metal tray as my peel, but would like to get a wooden peel if I can find one light enough. I have a bit of trouble lifting heavy things especially around a hot oven. Is there a particular type (or brand) you could suggest. I am currently visiting family in the USA so shipping would not be the same issue it could be if I was home in Australia.

    I was introduced to your books and breadmaking the “5 minutes a day” way by Carolyn who has made lots of Youtubes of her adaptations of your recipes. These encouraged me greatly and our family has been enjoying BREAD after my own book arrived at least twelve months ago. We can get your books ordered via our bookstores in Australia, but I found it quicker to get it from Amazon – I was in a hurry lol.

    Many thanks LJW

    Reply

    2. Hi Joanella,

      My wooden peel is light, but you may want to visit a kitchen store while you are in the states and actually pick them up and feel which is most comfortable to you. I have also used metal peels that seem very thin and light.

      Thanks and have fun with all the bread! Zoë

      Reply

  50. I just purchased your book! Super fabulous!! I do have a question though. I would love to have a variety of breads to use during the weeks without having 10 loaves of the same thing. Have you tested the recipes to be frozen in the dough form or should I bake all the loaves and then defrost them as needed?

    Reply

    1. Lacey: Freeze at will! Enriched don’t do as well long-term in freezer (limit to 2 weeks). Double or triple that for lean. Defrost overnight in fridge.

      Reply

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