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. Hi, I have a question about the Eastern European Potato Potato-Rye Bread on page 195, the NewAB in 5: I substituted Bob’s Red Mill potato flour for the mashed potatoes, as I had tried the recipe before and wasn’t thrilled with the mashed potatoes. I weigh all my ingredients now, but I couldn’t find a weight measurement anywhere online for the potato flour substitution, so went with 1/2 cup, with no change to the water. Bad move. Ended up with a really dry mix, couldn’t even stir it. Added water, almost a full cup, to be able to mix it, then it was way too wet…

    I almost threw the dough out at least three times, but wanted to see what would happen. Stored it for a day, then tried to shape it. I found the absolute boundary for the wettest dough one could still shape into a loaf. Baked it in my much-revered Emile Henry Cloche, afraid to remove the lid and see what lay beneath. Huge surprise! The loaf baked up beautifully: high, airy, great texture. My family says it’s the best tasting bread I’ve baked yet. Go figure. BTW, I had added 2 teaspoons of herbs, rosemary & thyme to the dough mixture, which worked amazingly well.

    While it was a good learning experience, I’d really rather know a more exact measurement for substituting potato flour in this recipe, if possible. Thanks very much, still baking bread from your books every day.

    Reply

    1. Well, we’ve never tried that, but our approach to what you did would be exactly the same as yours. When one makes swaps like this, you simply have to experiment. You waste a lot of flour and ingredients when you write a bread cookbook. When we’re not writing one, I often forgo the recipes and informally experiment with swaps like this.

      So glad you succeeded with this though.

      Reply

  2. Bread wizards,
    Got a trick to baking flexible noncrumbling sandwich bread? Have baked w.w. Tassajara recipe for decades (with endless what’s in the cupboard additions). Love it, but it never works for husband’s sandwiches.. Expectantly with appreciation.
    Larraine

    Reply

    1. You may find that our wetter dough, from any of our books, slices better when baked–less crumbly. For sandwiches you’d be best off with one baked in a loaf pan.

      Reply

  3. I’m having a problem with basic Master Recipe breads from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. They always taste delicious, but they always crack. I have tried a longer rest and a longer preheat, but I still have the same problem. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply

    1. Well… they’re supposed to crack, it’s just that that slashing makes the crack more controlled. Go deeper with that slashing, that should help.

      Also, consider a longer resting time–if you’re not already doing 90 minutes, do that and see what you think.

      Reply

  4. I am making brioche using the new artisan bread in 5 minutes but forgot the eggs. the dough is the fridge since last nite . wehat can I do now frank

    Reply

    1. Frank– your dough will be too dry w/o the eggs, so you need to hydrate up. May as well use the eggs.

      Mix them in–machine will be easiest, plus a couple spoons of water, and enough flour (not much) to adjust for the water. You need the new flour to spark a new fermentation, which you’ll need given that you’ll knock all the gas out by this mixing step. Then, two hours on the counter to re-rise. You should be able to get away with it.

      Reply

  5. I just tried the basic bread in 5 minutes–3 cups water, 1 Tbsp quick yeast, kosher salt, 6.5 cups flour. I mixed the dough, let sit 2 hours at room temp, then refrigerated overnight in a dough bucket. I had closed the lid of bucket, but had made a small hole in the lid, so there was room for gas to escape. There was also a lot of condensation in the bucket after refrigeration.

    I pulled out a lb. of dough, but it is a gummy blob which is too loose to form into a ball. It is sitting on a piece of parchment, but I doubt it will turn into a ball in 40 minutes. The dough is just too wet and loose. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

      1. Hi, Zoe
        Thanks so much for your reply. I tried the recipe again and was careful to count each cup of flour–I apparently didn’t use enough flour the first time because this time the bread turned out great! I also weighed the flour so I know exactly how much to use next time. I’m an experienced baker, but have only had failed attempts at bread baking, so I’m thrilled to finally succeed.

      2. Hi Sally,

        I am so excited to hear this! Thank you for letting me know.

        Enjoy all the bread! Zoë

  6. Hi there!

    My batch of dough always rises a little but Never As high as you say it should. I’m using a glass container, about the same size as your plastic reccomendation. I follow the recipie using a scale so it should be pretty much perfect….any ideas of why it isn’t rising as much?

    Reply

    1. Hi Robyn,

      Which recipe are you using, from which book? Does it rise initially after you mixed it or not even then?

      Thanks, Zoe

      Reply

  7. HI, I’m working from The New Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day Book. Master Recipe, page 58. Have also done buttermilk bread, baguettes, light wheat. I don’t seem to be getting really brown breads. Temp is right, used water in pan below. I’ve been baking til 190 degrees. Would like better browning. I’m afraid to leave in oven too long cause I don’t want to dry out… any ideas?

    Reply

    1. Hi Joanne,

      Typically with our wet dough we bake to 200°, even 205°, so that may make the difference in the color. Try that and see if you like the results better.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  8. I just bought your Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I love it. But, I would like to know why you recommend a 8 1/2″ X 4 1/2″ loaf pan. I would like to use a 9 X 5 for sandwich size loaf. Is there any reason not to use the larger pan?

    Thank you.

    Marie

    Reply

    1. Hi Marie,

      You can bake in a 9×5, but you’ll want to use more dough to get a nice full loaf. You’ll need to increase the rising and baking times as well. This will depend on the dough you are going to bake, but about 30 to 40 more minutes of rise and 15 more baking. Add about a 1/2 pound more dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  9. Using the Master Recipe, can I make my first loaf of bread 3 hours after it is made, before refrigerating?

    Reply

  10. Hi guys! I have a question about how to tell if the dough is no longer good. I can’t seem to pinpoint if it’s been exactly two weeks, or closer to 17 days. Is there a way to tell, or should I just toss based on that 14 day principle?

    Thank you so much.

    Super fan of life-changing artisan bread in 5,

    Adina

    Reply

  11. OK this is my first time and I used King Arthur flour and added vital wheat gluten. I used the amount of liquid in the table on page 82 (The New Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes A Day). The dough seemed right yesterday, now today I take it out to bake a loaf and find the dough looks like a sponge and has no elasticity. I shaped the loaf anyway and am going to bake it after it rises, but I don’t think the dough is right. Almost like I did not add enough liquid. What do you think?

    Reply

    1. Hi Richard,

      It may be a bit dry. If so, just let the loaf rise a bit longer than we recommend and it should be just fine. Let me know how it is once it is baked and we can determine how to improve it next time.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. After letting it rise for 90 minutes with a little rise, I baked it thinking it might not turn out well. But to my surprise it looked good and tasted great although it was a little bit dense.

      2. Hi Richard,

        I’m so glad to hear it worked out well. If the dough seems a touch dry, it will do well with a longer rest and that should improve the dense crumb.

        Enjoy! Zoë

  12. I tried making the Deli-Style rye on Page 58 of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. What a disaster. The dough was so watery despite being well mixed that when I put it on the stone it just spread out not up. Way, way too much water in this recipe – I think. I was careful with my measurements of ingredients.
    Any ideas on what went wrong? Has ANYONE successfully made this bread?

    Reply

    1. Hi Catherine,

      Sorry you had an issue with this recipe. It is one of our work horse recipes, so I am confident that it works well. Let’s try to figure out what went wrong.

      How did you measure your flour? Did you (scoop and sweep) or (spoon and sweep) the flour into the cup? What brand flours are you working with? They all have different amounts of protein, which can effect the gluten development, which makes a dough wet or dry.

      Give me more details and we’ll figure out how to improve your dough.

      Here is a post on working with wet dough. Is your dough much wetter than this? https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/04/16/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Kristin,

      There are different ways to store the sour starter, so it depends how often you’ll use it and which fits your baking style. You can find our methods for storing in our book The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  14. My bread maker died recently, and at the urging of a friend decided to buy your book and give it a try.
    My question is this… You have loaf recipes using oat flour, but not whole oats. What is the substitution ratio if you want to use whole oats instead?
    My favorite bread (from the bread maker) was oatmeal, and the recipe basically substituted one cup of oats for a cup of flour. Will this work with, say, your master recipe?

    Reply

    1. You should be able to get away with that, yes. But beyond, you’ll need extra water. We do have recipes using whole oats—which book do you have and I’ll direct you.

      Reply

  15. Hi. I’m just baking my first batch of dough in my slow cooker. It’s on high but so far has taken 2 hours and 35 minutes and it’s still not cooked. My slow cooker is a Morphy Richards sear and stew model with a capacity of 3.5 litres. Have I done something wrong?

    Reply

    1. No–but it’s possible that this particular slow-cooker is cooler than most even when it’s on high. That said, keep in mind that it doesn’t really brown well in these, and it may be fooling you.

      Unless it’s really soft and mushy, and a fork put in there comes back wet–then it’s not done. Keep it going.

      Reply

  17. A question please:

    If I use the full 3 cups of my sourdough starter can I still use the 1.5 tablespoons of yeast called for in the recipe or should I reduce it. Maybe the sourdough starter is more for flavor than for rising?

    Reply

  18. I just finished watching the April 16, 2017 video on how to shape the wet dough. It appears that Zoe works at least a minute or more shaping the dough. I thought that you were only supposed to work with it about 40 seconds.
    Also my bread ( master recipe or peasant bread from original book) gets overly browned in the oven. I have tried putting it on different shelves and use a thermapen to check the dough and cook it to 200 . F I have just started using a lodge cast iron pizza round

    Reply

    1. Stick with 40 seconds. It was an editing problem.

      Have you checked the temperature of the oven (not the bread)? Use something like https://ow.ly/8CVPU And if you’re using convection–stop doing that.

      Reply

  19. Hi, I made the Whole Grain Rye Bread (p.167 from The New Healthy Bread in 5 minutes a day) and it was, well, perfect! I’m very excited.
    I would like to know how to adjust resting and baking times if I make a 2 lb bread instead of a 1 lb. Also, if I bake two loaves of the same size at the same time, is the baking time the same?

    Reply

    1. Fantastic–type “large loaves” into the Search Bar–let me know if that doesn’t answer the questions.

      Reply

  20. I made 50/50 All-Purpose and Cake Flour Thin Crust (p.74 from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in 5 minutes a day) tonight. Everything was fine but I think I’m the one who messed up… Although my family loved the pizza, it was disappointing to me. I know both in the recipe and p.41 says Naples Style is 1/8″ thickness with 1/2 lb orange size dough for 12″ round and bake hottest temp., but I must’ve made a lot thicker and more dough? I was little worried if the dough is too thin, the topping would be too heavy to the dough as rolling out. So, it was pretty thick. Taste and texture was just fine. It was a lot thinker than I was imagining. I’m so sorry to bother you, but if there is any other tip (other than what is in the book) to roll out 1/8″ thickness dough? I really want to make crispy on the outside!!!! Help me!!

    Reply

      1. Thank you so much!! The link helped me a lot–especially the pictures. Our family has pizza night every Friday, so I will handle the dough ball and roll it out the way it shows there 🙂

  21. This is my 3rd attempt at getting an answer to my high altitude question! I am using The New Artisan Bread in Minutes a Day Original recipe and am not getting my Boule and Baguette cooked through. Are there adjustments that need to be made to the Original recipe or to the cooking time or to the temperature?

    This is my 3rd batch and although I achieve a great, crunchy crust, the center is always raw. My external thermometer never reaches 102!

    Help!

    Reply

  22. Does weather change the dough? The past few batches have been much thinner and sticky. I was wondering if it might be because it is warmer (I’m in NJ). Can I add more flour or should I just leave it?

    Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Leslie,

      Yes, the heat and humidity will change the dough consistency and the crust on your bread. The more humid, the more moisture your flour will absorb and it will make your dough wetter than it is in the winter.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  23. There is a buildup on the edges of my cloche (I use it at least twice per week) which makes it tricky to keep the lid on. Is there any way to clean that off? If not, I’ll have to buy a new one – will I lose flavor or depth by using a new cloche?

    Reply

    1. I’d think you should be able to scrape that off with a metal dough scraper, or other metal implement that you don’t care much about scratching up.

      I don’t think that a new one would give appreciably worse results–mine worked great right out of the box. But if you discard these whenever there’s buildup, it’s going to get expensive. Someone once suggested putting them through the self-clean cycle in the oven, but I can’t vouch for whether it might or might not crack in that intense heat.

      Reply

  24. Hi I am at the last loaf of my master recipe. It has been about a week since I first made the fight and it smells really sour and like vinegar. Is this normal? It is currently resting awaiting the bake.

    Reply

  25. Hi, I am struggling with the basic recipe {The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, 2013, pg 53}. I have made at least 4 batches now and have experienced the same flat loaf problem with every single loaf. When the dough is resting, pre-baking, it flattens and spreads itself so that it is more ciabatta than boule. It doesn’t rise much at all when baked, so still very ciabatta in height. The bread itself is tasty but the lack of rise is very disappointing and I am at a loss on how to correct this…..any suggestions? I’d be very grateful!!

    Reply

  26. I have just made my first batch to GF master recipe and it is not looking right and did not rise. I got on your site, which is amazing, and found the corrections for the first addition to: The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes book.
    So I did not include the sorgum flour and I am thinking that is my problem. Is there any way to correct the batch of dough I now have??? Or do I need to just discard and start over??
    My Grandsons have been diagnosed with allergies and are on GF and DF diets. Your book looks like a God send.
    Thank you so much.
    [email protected]

    Reply

  27. I made a batch of the GF master recipe from the on line book: The New Artisan Bread in Fire Minutes a Day and it was not looking right. So got on line into your site and found the list of errors in the recipes in that book. I had omitted the Sorgum flour (as it was not listed). Is there anything I can do to rescue this batch of dough. It is not rising at all.
    I am very excited about your cook books and method but need to get it perfected.
    Thanks for your help

    Reply

    1. You should be able to salvage–sorry about this!

      It’ll take a bit of doing though. You can work in the sorghum now, using a stand mixer, your hands, or a spoon. Then leave the batch at room temperature for two hours so you restart the fermentation. At that point, you can either store the dough as directed in the recipe, or go ahead and bake.

      Reply

  28. I have been making bread for many years in the traditional way. I love the AB in 5 Minutes a Day method and am pleased with the inside of the bread. The crust, however, is so hard that I can neither cut nor chew it happily. Is the steam making the crust harder or softer? I have tried not using steam with no noticeable difference. If it is to keep the crust chewable and easy to cut perhaps my steaming method is the problem.

    Reply

    1. a bit complicated, Carol… With a well-heated stone, in an oven that seals in the seam very well, steam makes for a thin crust that shatters easily–but shatters, rather than offering a tough surface.

      So something is off in that. Have you checked oven temp with a thermometer? Using a stone? Tried alternative steam methods (which book do you have, I can direct you)?

      Also, which recipe are you using (which book/page number)?

      Reply

  29. Hi guys! I bought New Artisan Bread in Five for myself for Christmas and I have not looked back, and have since graduated to Healthy Bread in Five. The fact I still fit into my clothes is almost as great a miracle as my family enjoying whole wheat bread!

    I usually bake 2- or 3-pound loaves in a loaf tin, to get enough height for sandwiches. Have you experimented with such big loaves in the the slow cooker? I am thinking of buying one to continue with my bread efforts through summer (I’m in Australia so it’s perfect baking weather right now).

    Reply

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      Thanks for the great note, we are thrilled you are enjoying all the bread!

      I’ve baked a two pound loaf in my slow cooker. I do it at a slightly lower temp for longer and it takes a long time to cook. I’ve never tried 3 pounds, it may just over cook on the bottom and be unfinished in the middle.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks for replying so quickly! I am definitely going to experiment and give it a try. Time doesn’t worry me so much as running the oven in an already 104-degree summer!

      2. Hi Elizabeth,

        Yes, the crock pot will be the perfect solution to your heat wave!

        Cheers, Zoë

  30. I had a question. I’ve been making the original breadin5 for awhile using mainly king Arthur white flour and a large yeast that I keep in the fridge (with overkill in the freezer). When I make it I toss the contents of the bucket into two loaf pans. Lately, several times, whenever I make bread the dough smells off and there’s either no taste or an unpleasant taste when cooked. The first time this happened I assumed it was in the fridge for too long and luckily had enough time to whip up a new batch and cook it one to two hours later. Since then its happened many more times with wait times of less than a week in the fridge. It still rises and isn’t great but the smell and taste are off.

    Reply

    1. Hi Kyra,

      I wonder if the smell and taste you are referring to are the fermentation? Does it have almost an alcohol smell and taste? If so, you may want to try a version that has less yeast. This will take longer to rise, but you won’t have the fast fermentation that creates these qualities. Here is some information about baking with less yeast: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2007/12/19/low-yeast-version-of-our-master-recipe/ If this just started in the summer, it may be the warm weather that is speeding up the process. In that case you can try making the dough with cool water, which will also take longer, but will help to smooth out the flavor.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  31. Hi from Germany. I am useing the new artisan bread in 5 mintues a day. We have different flours than yours. My favorite ist spelt flour 1050. I take 720ml water for 1kg flour. My problem is that the free form loaves don’t hold the shape. They look more than a turtle than a boule. Inside its pretty well with air bubbles. I use enough flour while shaping. Saw your video on you tube about shaping. Doing the gluten cloak either. But it still grows more sideways than high. The taste ist delicious and I bought no bread since I start using ur recipe around 2 month ago ! Sometimes I use a baking form to get a higher bread. But need to get a free form like a boule !!

    Reply

    1. Hi Inge,

      Spelt flour has less gluten than all-purpose flour or even whole wheat flour, so it makes for a more slack dough. You will need to reduce the water slightly in your recipe to get it to hold it’s shape.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. HI! I do it all the time with the whey from my yogurt making. I don’t get a full 2 weeks out of my dough, but it isn’t ever around long enough anyways! Also, I like my dough to be more sour, so I don’t scrap out my container between batches. Have fun!

      Reply

    2. Hi Erin,

      Did you see my note from yesterday about using whey? If not, here it is again:

      I do the same with yogurt whey and it is awesome. I usually do 50% whey and the rest water. You can play with how much you want to use.

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  33. Hi from germany. I try again to ask. My question of yesterday disappeared…
    I work with the new artisan bread in 5 mins aday. The master recipe I use with different flours. I guess our flour here is different than yours. My favorite is spelt 1050 and I take 720 ml water on 2 pound flour. My problem is that it looks more than a turtle than a boule. It goes more sideways than high. Inside pretty nice air bubbles and the taste is great! I didn’t bought bread since I started baking with bread in 5 two month ago!! I also tried white flour like your all pourpose white. Always the same problem if I try free form loaves. I also used a baking pan and something we call ” römer topf” a pot of terracotta for cooking in the oven. Than it gets a nice form. But I need to get a free form boule done!! I tried to take less liquid but than the dough gets to dry. Also I saw your video on you tube for shaping. Even the same turtle if I do gluten cloake…it don’t hold the shape ! I always take a walnut sice piece of last dough as starter for the next one. It doesen’t matters if the dough is 2 days old or 10 days. Always the same result. Do you have an idea?? Today I tested the brioche. I did little ones in muffin forms for testing. They got double high and ready in 20 mins. Very tasty.

    Reply

    1. Hi Inge,

      This is somewhat an issue with the spelt flour and it’s lower gluten content. You can try adding some high protein flour to the mix and you’ll get a better shape. You will need to adjust the water to get the right amount, depending on the ratio of spelt you are using.

      I’m glad you enjoyed the brioche! 🙂

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  34. The bread I’ve baked from the last two batches of dough hasn’t had that crusty exterior – it’s much softer. I haven’t done anything different, and have baked it on different days (so it’s apparently not due to humidity). Help please!

    Reply

      1. Oops, sorry I forgot to mention that! It’s the master recipe from the very first Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day book.

      2. So it’s the basic, and with white flour, so this just doesn’t make any sense. Something must have changed, and without more information, there’s no way to figure out what it is. Flour-brand?

        Check your oven temp with something like https://ow.ly/8CVPU That’s the usual explanation.

  35. Hello,

    We are currently making the Monkey Bread recipe. After you make the Challah dough, do you let that rise for 2 hours as the original Challah dough recipe calls for or do you specifically follow the rising instructions within the recipe for Monkey bread that only call for it to rise for 60 minutes?

    Thanks,
    Laura

    Reply

  36. Can you please give me idea of how many finger roll size rolls I can get out of each batch of basic dough? I am needing to make enough to feed 50 people for memorial service for member of my church, they will have sliced turkey and cheese put in them

    Reply

    1. The basic white dough recipe in the books makes about 3.6 pounds of dough, or 58 ounces. If you make three ounce rolls (which is about right, I think, but practice…), then you’ll get about 20 rolls per batch. Not 50, so make lots.

      Reply

  37. Why do you recommend not using air tight container when letting dough rise for the first two days? I did it the first try, and the flavor was great. Tried making a pin hole on container top, but couldn’t. I do like the yeasty flavor. enjoying your revised book. Thanks.

    Reply

    1. It’s not a big deal, but you don’t want the container exploding in a perfect-seal situation. Especially if you happen to be using some sort of a glass container.

      Also, some readers find the accumulating off-gases (byproducts of yeast fermentation) create a flavor profile they don’t like. All depends on how long you’re storing.

      Reply

  38. I’ve made the basic several times. Last evening I made this again, after the counter rise and 4 hrs in the fridge. It browned nicely and was 200 degrees by the thermapen. Rested. But it was soft. Like hard to cut with a bread knife soft. What the heck was that all about?

    Reply

  39. Hi there,
    I’m using the new healthy bread in five master recipe (with vital wheat gluten) and I love your book! I’m from The Netherlands and we have different flours, so I’ve tested amounts of water and the taste is really good. I’m in my 7th batch now and I have some questions:
    1. with two batches so far the dough just ‘broke’ off when I got it out of the container. It didn’t even tear, because it just didn’t stick together. On your website I found that the dough may be too dry when that happens, but this was a very wet dough.
    Do you have any clue on what might be the problem?
    2. I haven’t really gotten the oven spring. The shape of the loaf is more like a sea turtle than a boule. I’m using a cloche, because my oven is too well ventilated for your method with the water. I put the cloche in the oven during the preheat. The oven temp is 450 F / 230 C (according to the oven thermometer that I bought for this).
    3. The crust is pretty tough. It’s hard to slice the bread and I’m happy I have strong teeth;). I bake for 23 minutes in a closed cloche and then 7 minutes in an open one (I tried 20+10, but the crust burned).

    This may seem like a lot of problems, but I really enjoy making the bread and it tastes really good. And I’m really looking forward to improving it even further.

    Thank you so much,
    Saskia

    Reply

    1. OK, I’ll address your questions in order:
      1. Could be a difference in the protein or bran content; it does sound like you could use a little more water. Try that and if the dough doesn’t hold shape well as a free-form loaf, go back to the original.
      2. Are you using the 100% whole-grain recipe? That doesn’t get a lot of oven spring. All things considered, you may prefer loaf-pan breads to free form, given what you’re telling me about the performance you’re getting with the flours available to you.
      3. Paint the crust with oil or melted butter just before baking, and just when it comes out of the oven.

      Reply

  40. Beet Rolls, NHABin5, pg. 242: I would prefer loaves instead of rolls. How do I adjust temp and cooking time? Love your book! Thank you! Esther

    Reply

    1. Hmm. May be risky, because of the all the moisture of the beets and the decreased surface area. Follow instructions for free-form or loaf-pan, but consider increasing time in oven. If over-browning, will have to decrease temp but I’m reluctant to do that until you experiment.

      But this is an experiment…

      Reply

  41. How long do I let the ground flax seeds soak? for the egg replacer. I am at high altitude so I will be following your advice and soaking seeds in refrigerator to make a cold liquid to accommodate a slower rise.
    I really enjoyed your book “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Looking forward to purchasing more books when I have funds during this financially hard time.
    Carol Marie of Albuququerque New Mexico

    Reply

    1. It’s here on the website–just type “egg-free” into the Search Bar above. Let me know if you still can’t find it.

      Reply

  42. I am more than willing to buy the Artisan 5 Minute Bread book, however, I want to make the sourdough rye and other thick breads. Can I do it or any of the recipes in a breadmaker?

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tested our recipes in a bread-maker, so we can’t honestly say. We don’t think those create a terrific crust, so we didn’t research them.

      Reply

  43. Hello. I am using the master recipe from your New Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day and my bread is tearing when I go to shape the loaves rather than being elastic. And then the dough isn’t rising all that much in the oven, likely because gases are esacaping? Any ideas on how I would modify my proportions? Thanks!

    Reply

  45. I’ve been using your books for years, and today someone pointed out your chocolate bread! How could I have missed this luscious bread?

    However, I don’t understand why there is 4 ounces of chocolate at the beginning of the ingredients, and then 5 ounces at the end. Why?

    Also, with Dutch process cocoa work?

    I am wondering if this bread is a possibility for the Ventura County Fair next year. I moved from TN (where I won 2 ribbons, using your recipes) to Ventura County. The Fair is 1 hour away, so I want to make sure my recipes are fabulous for the several trips that are necessary (one trip to pick up the blue ribbons!!!). I am thinking chocolate bread with a thickened strawberry jam filling.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      We have several versions of this bread, but I am thinking you are using the original book? The first portion of chocolate is made into a ganache and mixed into the dough. The second portion of chocolate is left as pieces, so you have chips of chocolate in the dough. You can really use any cocoa for this recipe; natural or Dutch processed will work.

      Give it a try and see what you think. It would be something unusual for the fair!

      And, you need no introduction, we’ve enjoyed hearing from you for years and thank you for your continued support! 🙂

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

  46. Hello, and thank you for rescuing me from store-bought bread!!

    Thanks to Mary Hunt I have bought all the proper tools and made my first batch of dough–it looked perfect! I made my first loaf and it turned out great; I was simply amazed! However….second loaf did not turn out so great. I performed the exact same steps with lackluster results. First, the dough did not rise very much…just kept oozing outward. I went ahead and baked it but the results were disappointing. What went wrong?? Two loaves from the same batch of dough with very different results. Also, both loaves had a pretty hard crust; is there anything I can do to get a chewier crust? Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. Hi. I’m so glad you enjoyed the bread and we can figure out how to improve your next loaf.

      Was the first loaf made with fresh (unrefrigerated) dough? How old was the dough for the second loaf?

      Did the dough seem to hold its shape when you first shaped the loaf or was it spreading from the start?

      Are you baking on a stone? If so, how long did you let it preheat?

      Sorry for all the questions, but it will give me a better picture of how to help!

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  47. As the holidays are approaching, I would love to make (and freeze in advance?) some of the brioche/challah bread pastries (like Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls or Apple and Pear Coffee Cake.) Is this possible and, if so, when would I freeze (before baking?) I look forward to hearing back from you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Cheri,

      You can assemble the sticky rolls or coffee cake in the pan, wrap it really well and freeze the whole thing. When you are ready to bake, defrost (still wrapped) and then let it rise, giving it a bit more time than you normally would before baking.

      Thanks, Zoe

      Reply

  48. Hello Zoe, Jeff

    I am working with the book from 2007. I believe I got pretty good at the Boule so I am venturing out forth to other recipes in the book. The one that I particularly want to do is Ciabatta. It is made from the same dough we use for Boule.
    The recipe doesn’t really specify how much time should Ciabatta dough be left to proof before baking? The book only says “20 minutes before baking, heat up the oven…”.

    Does that mean we proof it for 20 minutes?
    Since Ciabatta needs to be particularly bubbly bread, I would think it needs to wait longer.

    Thanks in advance

    Reply

    1. Hi Milos,

      In the first edition of our book we were trying to make the timing of the bread work for busy families, so we rushed the resting times of the bread. We felt like people wouldn’t bake if it took too long. In our second edition we lengthened the resting times, because most people are willing to wait a bit longer to have great results. So, in the new addition we doubled the resting time to 40 minutes for the ciabatta and you could even let it rest an hour if you have that much time to give it.

      Thank you! Zoë

      Reply

  49. I am a home brewer and produce a lot of spent grains. I have had great results using them with traditional bread methods, but I love your books snd the results I get with your method and I would like to know how to incorporate my spent grains. I am hoping to get recipes fir both fresh wet spent grains and for dried and ground spent grains. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. I’m a brewer too, but cider, so I haven’t tried this, and unfortunately we don’t have any recipes. If the grain is husk, this probably won’t work. But if it has the consistency of cooked rice and such, you should have no trouble incorporating about a cup of it into 4 pound batch of our dough, adjusting for any water in the grain (you’ll have to go by feel).

      Reply

  50. Hi! I’ve been making your recipes for a few years now with great results, I love it! I’m using the Master Recipe to make about 100 loaves for a Thanksgiving donation. Two questions –
    1- What’s the limit you would recommend for multiplying the recipe into one container? For example, will it still rise with the Master recipe multiplied 4x in one bucket?
    2- What’s the safe amount of time the Master Recipe can be unrefrigerated? I would like to make the dough 2-3 days before baking day. With limited refrigerator space, I would like to leave the buckets with the dough on the counter rather than the refrigerator. The plan would be to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking to make them easier to handle.
    Thanks so much!
    Mandie

    Reply

    1. Which Master Recipe? Each book’s Master is different, so which book are you working from (what recipe and page-number)?

      Reply

      1. The New Artisan Bread in Five Book. Right now I have the Ebook in front of me, Location 842 (the first recipe in the hard copy book, chapter 5)
        The Master Recipe: Boule (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)

      2. Thanks! The only limitation to scaling up the recipe is the size of your container. If a single recipe requires a 5-quart bucket, a four-fold recipe would require a 20-quart bucket. You’ll probably have to mix and that apportion into smaller buckets.

        That said, you’re going to have a very hard time mixing a 4-fold recipe without commercial equipment, which will probably mean doing this four separate times.

        You’ll probably over-sour if it’s left out 2 to 3 days (to most people’s taste). I know people who’ve done this and liked it though. Experiment with a small batch first, this week.

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