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505 thoughts to “I posted a comment to this site but it hasn’t appeared. What happened?”

  1. Fabulous first book. I have a question about adapting recipes to fit in a rectangular loaf pan, since I noticed some of your recipes are for free-form loafs, and some for loaf pans. I would like to make the “Rye Flour” bread recipe in a loaf pan. What adjustment should I make, and can these adjustments serve as a formula for changing any free-form breads in your book?

    Thanks!
    –joe in nyc

      1. I’m not sure if this is how to leave a questions. Is there a recipe for multi grain bread? I only have your first book so maybe there is one in another book.

        Loved you class recently at Cooks. My daughter and I have been baking bread etc. even since.

      2. Judy: Our 1st book doesn’t have it, and we haven’t put it up on the web, but several recipes that would fit the bill appear in our 2nd book, Healthy Bread in Five Min/Day, on Amazon at https://bit.ly/3wYSSN

      3. I have been using the ABi5MD book to make my family’s bread exclusively for nearly a month a now. We have really enjoyed the flavor and the fact that we are not consuming all the processed ingredients or all the preservatives.

        So far I have only used the “Bule” master starter dough, I have made French Baguettes, Chibata, Bules, & Pitas.

        I have 2 questions, #1, is there a way to make the crust not so hard and crackly? I have attempted to lower the oven to 350 and bake 10 min longer without the steam. It ends up dry, I like the shaped dough, but still want to use it for toast and sandwiches, but don’t want to use loaf pan bc we are not using non-stick pans in our family…

        #2: IS there a way to make tortillas from the Master Dough Starter? I made the Pitas and they were amazing, my family loved it and wants me to attempt tortillas. I really don’t want to mess with Mesa flour and was hoping to use a dough I could morph into other bread uses…That is ONE OF THE MANY THINGS I LOVE about ur book!!

        Tysvm! I have told everyone I know about ur book, we LOVE having fresh bread, I love how easy and quick it is and having the ease of morphing different breads from one recipe!

      4. Leesy: Better strategy for softer crust is to brush top with oil or melted butter.

        For loaf-shaped breads, if you’re avoiding non-stick, could try a heavy aluminum or ceramic loaf pan, well-greased: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/10/04/loaf-pan-breads-work-beautifully-with-our-method-free-giveaway-of-terrific-bread-pans-and-other-baking-equipment-from-red-star-yeast

        If you’re looking for a wheat flour tortilla, could try this Master, rolled paper-thin and then griddled on a cast-iron pan that you’ve oiled. Not easy to get it that thin! Jeff

    1. My question is about the buttermilk bread recipe from the original book. Why does it need to rise one hour and 40 minutes? Is there a way to speed up the process-especially if you want to make cinnamon bread in the morning!
      Thanks-love the book!!

      1. Hi Heather,

        The loaf can be a bit heavy unless it has a nice long rest. You can form the cinnamon bread at night, place it in the pan, cover it loosely with plastic and place the pan in the refrigerator to rise overnight. In the morning preheat the oven and bake the bread. You can set the loaf on the counter while the oven preheats.

        Thanks, Zoë

    2. I bake a lot from HBi5. I wish recipes included both nutritional analysis (including calorie counts) and recommended internal temperature for doneness. I hope you’ll consider including these in future editions and/or web recipes.

    3. Recently, I am having trouble with my bread being so crumbly that it is difficult to slice–falls apart. I have been making these 2 recipes for 2 years now and I am not sure what’s up. Here are the particulars. Recipes:
      1. oatmeal bread, or soft whole wheat sandwich bread.
      2. King Arthur or Whole Foods Organic flours
      3. I use maple syrup as sweetener if called for instead of honey
      4. After the initial rise (no problems there) and refrigeration, I split the dough in half and place into two oversize bread pans and allow to rise. The dough weighs in around 1050 grams each.
      5. Takes more than 50 minutes to bake–larger loaf–but I wait until internal temperature is 200 degrees.
      Note: I have not always used these larger loaf pans, but they are the right size so that I can bake all the dough at once. I was using smaller(regular) loaf pans previously or a large pullman but always had odd amounts left over. Any ideas what’s up? Thanks

      1. Hi Susan,

        Does the dough seem to be the same consistency as it was before, when you were baking it successfully? Have you always used these same flours? Are you buying the organic flours in bulk or is it a bagged product?

        The larger loaves will require a longer baking time which may cause drying. You may just need to decrease the baking time very slightly.

        Thanks, Zoë

  2. Hi there,
    I have some master recipe AB5 in the fridge and i want to make pizza in a skillet. I have another recipe that works great in the skillet (using the skillet in the oven )And i was wondering if you had any tips for using your dough in the skillet…??
    thanks so much
    laura

  3. I’M GOING TO PURCHASE FLOUR FROM A WHOLESALER AND WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT KIND OF WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR TO PURCHASE. IS IT A WHOLE WHEAT BREAD FLOUR OR JUST A PLAIN WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR. IS IT HARD OR SOFT WHOLE WHEAT.
    PLEASE ADVISE
    THANKS

    1. Hi Baba,

      We use a regular whole wheat flour, not bread. The flour we can get here is mostly hard wheat.

      Thanks, Zoë

  4. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT FOR ANSWERING AND BELIEVE ME IT IS REALLY APPRECIATED.
    I HAVE MADE YOUR BREADS WITH THE WATER IN THE PAN FOR STEAM BUT I HAVE ALSO DONE IT WITHOUT AND I STILL GET A CRUST. SO WHY USE THE WATER.
    I JUST READ ONE OF YOUR OTHER POSTS FOR A SOFTER CRUST YOU LOWER THE OVEN TEMP? DO YOU STILL NEED THE WATER? HOW LONG DO YOU COOK THE 2 LB. LOAF OR 2 LB. FREE FORM AT 375 TEMP.? I WOULD LIKE A SOFTER CRUST ON SOME OF MY BREADS FOR THE GRANDCHILDREN.
    THANKS

    1. Hi Baba,

      You do not need the water in the pan for a softer crust. If you are baking a two pound loaf at a lower temperature, it may take about 50-60 minutes.

      Thanks, Zoë

  5. ANOTHER QUESTION, I WANT A SOFT CRUST AND HAVE TURNED MY OVEN DOWN TO 375 F NO WATER IN OVEN AND MY BREAD STILL HAS A CRUST. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I AM DOING WRONG. EVEN AT 350 F IT STILL HAS A HARDER CRUST. THE ONLY THING THAT I DO IS THEN PUT IT IN A PLASTIC BAG TO SOFTEN IT.
    HELP!

    1. Try painting oil or melted butter on it with a pastry brush just before baking. Can repeat at the end too if it’s not soft enough to your liking. But which recipe are you using? Which book/page number? Some of the recipes weren’t designed for soft crust and can’t easily be made to perform that way… Jeff

  6. I just purchased a Cloche and a long covered baker from KA. Could you please tell the guidelines I should use in making the artisans breads in your cookbooks. I have both of them and have pre ordered the Pizza cookbook. Thank you for your help.

    Dee

    1. Dee: type in the words: closed clay pot … into the search bar above right, then select the first thing that pops up– my post on this subject, let us know if you can’t find. Jeff

  7. I found “spots” in my dough (master recipe ab5) It had been in the fridge about 3 days, they were a brown/rusty color. After much debate i ignored it, a day or 2 later i didnt see the spots. I made the bread and it was great, possibly the best to date. My family and i are all well so i didnt poison them. :)) So what happened??? if i see spots again what should i do??
    laura
    ps love the books, my “breadmachine” has been put away. your bread is sooo much better

    1. Laura: very odd– usually spots mean mold, but if it were that, it wouldn’t have spontaneously disappeared. So, in a word, I have no idea on what caused this. But it doesn’t sound like mold.

      I should say, I know what mold looks like (click on the FAQs tab above, then choose “Gray color…”), and I’ve never had it on stored bread dough. Jeff

  8. HI JEFF
    ABOUT THE HARD CRUST IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH RECIPE I USE FOR BREAD THE ONES W ITHOUT EGGS. ALL TURN OUT WITH HARDER CRUST WITHOUT THE TRAY OF WATER.

    1. Hi Baba,

      This is a bit of a mystery? Are you using an oven thermometer? I wonder if your oven is off by a bit?

      Did you try brushing the dough with oil or butter?

      Thanks, Zoë

  9. Dear Jeff/Zoe,

    I know I have seen my question before but cannot find it now. Can you please tell how to freeze dough after making it before baking loaves. I have both cookbooks. Thank you for your kindness.

    1. Hi Dee,

      We tend to wrap the dough in 1-pound packets in zip lock freezer bags. I tend to use two bags to prevent the dough from picking up the flavors of your freezer.

      Thanks, Zoë

    2. Hi, I am also unsure of where to find my comments and the responses. I want to know if there are issues with using buttermilk or regular milk instead of water in the gluten-free recipes, especially the Olive Oil Bread. I checked my email and no responses are in my inbox or junk mail box.

      1. Hi Barb, We will leave the response directly under your question. Here is the response to the question you left in the FAQs on 4/10:

        Hi Barbara,

        I think the buttermilk will be just fine in the recipes. You may not be able to store the dough for quite as long, but only by a day or so.

        Thanks, Zoë

  10. I have noticed that in Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day, most recipes offer two resting times depending on if the dough is fresh or refrigerated.

    Why does the Master Recipe only offer 40 mins resting time regardless of the dough being fresh (room temp) or refrigerated?

    1. Hi Lynn,

      The dough can rest for at least 40 minutes when it is fresh and up to 90 minutes after it has been chilled. These times will give you a nice open crumb to your bread, but you can certainly get away with shorter times. If the dough is fresh you can let it rest for as short as 30 minutes, but if the bread comes out denser than you like, then let it rest longer next time.

      Thanks, Zoë

  11. I love the Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls recipe in “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” page 187. I’m wondering if I can get to the point in the recipe where the rolls are rising in the cake pan (step 5) and put it in the refrigerator overnight so I all I would need to do the next morning is bake it. Would that work?

  12. NOW getting into this and read all the comments and your helpful responses. I store all flour in the refrigerator, so I warm it up in the oven, and holy cow! What great raise! Also, I bought a great thermometer with a long thin probefrom King Arthur Flour, and test bread to be sure it’s done. (190-200 degrees for lean dough, 170 for rich) and find that I have to adjust times–easier than baking a recipe over and over. Wish I’d had that thermometer years ago! Thanks again for the great 5min?B books,and for the FAQs and comments. Love that!

  13. I really want to make the Gluten-Free Brioche from your “Healthy Bread….” book on pg. 252. It calls for 3 3/4 C cornstarch (!!), but I only use arrowroot. Can I substitute arrowroot for the cornstarch, and would it be equal proportions?

    1. Hi Pamela,

      I have done this with tapioca flour, but not arrowroot. Please let me know if you try it. I would make a small batch and see how you like it.

      Thanks, Zoë

  14. I love the GF recipes from “Healthy Bread…”, and have a few questions:
    1. I miss my whole grain breads. Is there any way to get ‘whole grain’ with GF? I feel the rice flours, etc. have little nutritional value, much like white, enriched wheat flour;
    2. Is there any way to do GF sourdouogh?
    3. I used to store my flours (when I baked with whole grains) in the freezed. How should I store my flours for baking GF?

    1. Hi Pamela,

      Some of the g-f grains have more nutritional value than others. The brown rice flour has some of the nutrition left in tact. The bean flours have a lot of protein, but they tend to have a very strong flavor that some people are not fond of in large amounts. Try using g-f oat flour and millet as well. Another way to get more nutrition in your bread is to add flax to the mix. Adding these ingredients may require a bit of experimenting to get the right consistency in your dough, so I would recommend starting with a small batch. Add the water slowly and see how it goes.

      I would imagine you can make a sourdough starter with the rice flour, although I have never tried it. This is how we have people add it for the wheat breads and I think you could approach the g-f dough in the same way. https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/11/30/sourdough-starter-in-our-recipes

      I freeze my g-f flours in the freezer when I am not using them frequently.

      Thanks, Zoë

  15. I adore your book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day! Question: I used to make the Rustic Country Bread from Cook’s magazine, that contains 2 Tablespoons of honey. Your European Peasant Bread recipe on page 46 is very similar to that recipe except it doesn’t have honey. If I add honey to your European Peasant Bread, should I reduce the heat (to prevent burning/browning) and perhaps increase the baking time? Or what would you recommend? Thank you!

    1. Judy– honey-ish breads, when more of it is used (like 1/2 cup) needs to be done at lower temp, like 350F. At this level, maybe no adjustment is needed at all– you’ll need to experiment. 400 might just do the trick. Jeff

  16. Hi there,I’m thinking about ordering your books but had a question. Will you recipes produce to much bread for a family of two to eat? From looking at the equipment required and the video it looks like you make a ton of bread.Or can the recipes be cut in half? Don’t have a lot of room in refrigerator all the time. Thanks for your help. Maria

    1. Hi Maria,

      All of our recipes can be cut in half and you can also freeze the dough you don’t want to use up right away.

      Thanks and enjoy the bread! Zoë

  17. Hi, Jeff & Zoë,

    I have both of your books and love them!! I look forward to the next book as well! I have 2 questions:

    1) I would like to gift my artisan bread in a pretty brown artisan bread bag like they sell at the store, but have had a hard time finding them. Do you have a recommendation?

    2) I enjoy making the pizza from artisan bread in 5 minutes a day and I like to make smallish 8″ crusts. I would like advice on how to premake lots of these 8″ crusts for use for a party where everyone tops their own (without me having the crust mess all out at the same time) or for freezing ten or 12 to pull out and top, then bake at a moments notice without having to pull out the rolling pin, flour, etc. Maybe this involves prebaking then freezing?

    I look forward to hearing back from you! Thank you again for sharing with our family!
    Betty

    1. Betty: Good question about the bags; I’ve had them given to me and the key is semi-permeability— in other words, they shouldn’t seal in moisture like a plastic bag. That said, the one someone gave me, for my money, sealed in moisture too much even though it looked like plain paper with a perforated liner. I’m suspicious that these will all soften the crust. How about a cheap brown bag? Which is the most permeable.

      About mass-producing the crusts for the freezer, par-baking, or otherwise… lots more on this in the 3rd book, when it comes out (on 10/25). The publisher has asked us not to cover material that’s specifically covered in the book before release date. Sorry!

      Jeff

  18. I was wondering if you can shape mini pizza discs and freeze them and take from freezer, apply toppings and cook?

    1. Kathy: It’ll probably be good, whether or not you cut it with water. Will be an experiment though, we’ve never tried this. Jeff

  19. Dear Jeff/Zoe:

    Could you tell me the best recipe to use in my Cloche baker. I have both of your cookbooks. If there is anything special I need to know I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

    I purchased my Cloche from KA.

    Thank you again for all your help.
    Dee

  20. Hi,
    RE: my question on July 12 on adding 2 T. of honey to the European Peasant Bread recipe on page 46: you were right– it was not a problem since the amount was so small– I kept the temperature at 450 degrees and all was fine! Thanks so much!

  21. Hello! I am loving Healthy Bread in Five Minutes A Day so far. So many exciting recipes. For my first bread, I am doing Vollkornbrot. After taking it out of the fridge like 30 hours later, the top of the dough was hard. I peeled away the hard layer and underneath the dough was fine. I was wondering if there is a way of preventing this hard top from forming. Did I not cover it properly and it dried out or something? Thanks for your help

    1. Nicole: Sounds like it dried out a bit, maybe too much head space in the container? Or the lid was “too” open to the refrigerator air? If it’s a plastic lid you can drill a tiny hole in it and then you can snap it down fully. I will say that this particular loaf tends to behave that way more than others. May want to learn our method on a less complicated loaf first, like the basic Master Recipe. Jeff

  22. Thank you very much for the suggestion, Jeff. I think the lid was too loose. I will try making a tiny hole in the proper lid next time. I cooked the bread and it turned out very nice otherwise.

    1. Terrific, I’m glad that one came out nicely in the end. It’s not exactly a beginner’s bread but maybe you’re an experienced baker? Jeff

  23. Some of the recipes call for the dough to be rolled out to 1/2″ thickness. I’m a relative novice so looked for rolling pin rings, but all sets only go up to 3/8″ thickness. How can I get a uniform 1/2″ thickness wothout a 1/2″ thick ring?

    1. Marion: It takes a bit of practice, but usually the problem people have is that it’s thicker than they were going for. The dough seems to “resist” getting thinner at some point. The secret is to give the dough a rest in mid-roll… maybe 5 or ten minutes (cover with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out). When you come back, the glutens have miraculously relaxed and you can get it thinner.

  24. I very much appreciate your book ‘Bread in five minutes a day’. I regret to bother you with this question. Do you think it is OK to put the baking stone on top of the slide-in oven tray? My oven does not have slide-in racks; only a rack that goes on top of the slide-in tray. I might try putting the rack on the oven floor, but the oven manufacturer could not say if that would work. It is a convection oven with a hybrid steam function which should be excellent for making your breads . . .
    Thank you for your time, Jan

  25. Thank you, Jeff, for your super fast response. Rereading my message now I am not sure to which part your answer referred. Is it to ‘putting the stone on the slide-in tray’ or putting it on the rack on the oven floor’?

    1. Hi Jan,

      I think it will work in either spot in the oven, but I would try putting it on the slide-in tray first and see what you think of the results.

      Thanks, Zoë

  26. Hi guys! Love making your breads. I was told by someone that mixing the salt together with the yeast and adding water is bad for the yeast. I’ve done it that way, which is what your books call for, and I’ve added the salt in with the flour. Both seem to work. Is there a right and wrong way?

    1. Hi Cindy,

      We have found that with our method it just doesn’t really matter when you add the salt. If you are using a very reduced amount of yeast you may want to be careful, but with the recipe as written you don’t have to worry about it at all.

      Thanks, Zoë

  27. I made the gluten free brioche, page 252 in the 2nd book. I believe I was careful in measuring, but the dough was wet, almost runny. I added cornstarch and brown rice flour until it formed a sticky dough and the end result was a dense, heavy bread. What did I do wrong and what is your method of measuring dry ingredients? thank you. Cindy

  28. Have any of your books had a recipe for English muffins? I would love a whole wheat recipe. I have your book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes and LOVE it. An English muffin dough that I could take out of the fridge in the morning and whip up a batch for breakfast would be great!

  29. I just made the raisin bread using the buttermilk bread as a base. I love the taste but the raisin fall out when we cut the bread. Would it be ok to mix in the raisins and sugar when I make the batch of buttermilk bread so that the raisins are mixed in all over the bread instead of in a spiral pattern rolled in? Thanks for you wonderful books I love them!

    1. Hi Nancy,

      Yes, this would be a wonderful option. You will need to increase the amount of raisins to suit a full batch of the dough.

      Enjoy, Zoë

  30. Thanks Zoë, so I would add 1 cup sugar + 2 1/4 cups raisins. Will this affect the life of the dough? Will I have to bake all three loaves once the dough is made or can I keep it for the normal period of time and bake as needed? Thanks again for your help, I am loving making bread 🙂

    1. Hi Nancy,

      That will end up being too much sugar for the recipe. You may want to start with 3/4 cup sugar and the raisins. You may also want to add some cinnamon to the mix.

      You probably won’t be able to keep the dough more than 5 days with the raisins, maybe a week, but the fruit with start to break down and ferment.

      Thanks, Zoë

  31. I have loved baking the breads in the Artisan cookbooks. Now we discover my husband is allergic to wheat, barley, rye, eggs, and dairy. I tried making the gluten free olive oil bread using an egg substitue, but it was terrible. Any suggestions for some reasonable facsimile of bread would be gratefully appreciated. Or does he just have to give up on bread or buy the really expensive stuff from the health food store?

  32. HI
    I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE BROA CORN BREAD. YOU SAY TO FLATTEN IT SLIGHTLY WHY AND IF I DIDN’T WOULD THE BREAD STILL BE GOOD? I WANTED TO SHAPE IT LIKE A ROUND ARTISAN BREAD.
    THANKS
    BABA

    1. Absolutely– it works well baked as a round loaf. Maybe rest it a little longer, can go 40 to 90 minutes on bigger loaves. Jeff

    1. Can freeze any of our stuff, just wrap as airtight as poss and try to keep it to two wks or less. Defrost on the counter for 4 to 6 hours, or in the fridge overnight, but let come to rm temp before serving.

  33. Hi, I’m sorry if this is already answered on here. Just wondering, if i freeze the dough, do i form into a ball, and freeze that way? Then how long do i thaw before i bake? Thaw in fridge, or on counter? I have the healthy bread in 5 minutes a day book. if the answer is in there, you can just direct me to a page. Thanks!

    Jill

    1. Jill: I like to pre-form and freeze as a ball, but it’s not absolutely required. Defrost in fridge overnight, then usual rest time on counter. Jeff

  34. Is it safe to use dough that has been stored longer than 2 weeks? It smelled and looked okay so I baked it up. It tastes fine too. I just want to make sure that there isn’t a problem that my senses didn’t detect.

    1. Idy: I do it sometimes. If there’s mold (patches of light or dark color), don’t use it. Dark liquid is normal, as is a general gray color. It’s the patchiness that can be mold. At some point, you’re not going to like the flavor, and you won’t get enough rise, but sure, go ahead and experiment. Jeff

  35. I see great post with info as to how to use the LeCreuset for baking the No Knead breads. I’ve tried it in the past and it’s great…only drawback for me is the cleaning of the pan…it gets soo dark and I’m pretty picky about my cookware. But I do have an older Clay Baker (Romertopf-type) that required soaking before using and starting in a cool oven. Would love to use this for the artisan breads but would also need further instructions as I can’t seem to find any online. Since this is a bigger baker, I thought it wouldn’t limit me as to shapes/sizes of loaves. Thanks for any info you can give me! Love the book! Artisian Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

      1. Thanks…sounds like it will work just like a “Le Cloche” then, in that I will not soak it as directed for making roasts, etc. but instead preheat the top and bottom pieces of clay baker as you advise to full baking temperature for 30 minutes, and then transferring fully-rested loaves into the hot bottom of baker and cover. Using baking times as written in your recipes. Opening the lid the last third of baking to insure browning. Sorry to repeat all of this but I seem to retain it better this way…as long as you agree…I shall try it out hopefully tomorrow! Again, thanks a bunch!

  36. I know this is a dumb question but I’m going to ask it anyway . . . If you want to bake a 2- to 3-pound loaf of bread, do you double or triple the baking time? The 1-pound loaves are so small! In that case, is the best way to tell if it is done to check the internal temperature?

    Also, I’m jealous. I was born in St. Paul and lived most of my adult life (so far) in Minneapolis. We moved to Chicago 11 years ago but I’m a Minnesotan at heart.

    Thank you!

    1. Jean: Don’t double or triple– it’s about 45 min for a two-pounder, and 1 hour for three. But check your oven temp or the outside may burn. Jeff

  37. Hi..wonder if you can help me.

    I’m based in the UK and want to buy one of your books. However, over here we seem to have 2 titles ‘ARTISAN BREAD IN 5 MINUTES A DAY: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking’ published by Thomas Dunne (14 Feb 2008) and ‘Five Minute Bread: The revolutionary new baking method: no bread machine, no kneading!’ published by Ebury Press (6 Jan 2011).

    I wonder if you could tell me if they are the same book? Many thanks.

    1. Hi BlueNile,

      They are the same book, but the Five Minute Bread title uses metrics and has been changed to fit the ingredients you will more likely find in the UK.

      Thanks and enjoy the breads! Zoë

  38. Here’s a puzzle for you. Bear with me — there’s a question at the end, but you have to get the whole story. I’ve been using your method since the first book first came out, and loving it every single time. (I won’t even tell you what a brave baker it’s made out of me.) My bread has ranged from good to great, never bad. Even when it’s not exactly right. But last week I was making the first master recipe as I have done a thousand times. Straight. didn’t even substitute a little whole wheat flour, as I often do. Measured as I always do — by weight. Half the recipe: 390 grams of flour, 1 1/2 cup of water. Surprise! The dough was super wet — close to liquid. I gingerly added more flour, but didn’t trust my instincts and instead stopped adding flour even though the dough was positively runny. Refrigerated overnight, very difficult and sticky to shape, but I soldiered on and somehow wrangled two pieces into “shape”. Refrigerator rise, all day. Dough still wet — even runny. Had a comic struggle to get the dough onto the baking stone. It wouldn’t slide off the peel and I had to poke and prod it, but got it only on to the very front of the stone. Still, It kept running down the front of the oven; I though the heat would keep it in place, but it kept running down the side of the stone, cascading and I kept trying to push it back onto the stone. Oh, well — had plenty of other good stuff for dinner and figured if it didn’t come out minimally edible, I’d just throw it away and never know what happened. IT WAS THE BEST BREAD YET! Super crisp, all around. Custardy texture, big holes, GREAT flavor. Please explain. I would love that result again, even though the dough was SO difficult to handle, but it’s surely an anomaly??? And thank you for everything.

    1. Hi Roz,

      When we started out writing our bread baking book the dough was a bit wetter than it is now, for the very reason you described. In the end we felt that people would get too frustrated trying to handle such a sticky mess of a dough, so we ended up making it a little drier. If you fell in love with the bread made with this dough, then by all means keep it up. It may not make a loaf that stands as tall, but the crust and crumb will be fantastic. Consider it a happy accident! 😉

      Thanks, Zoë

  39. I just purchased your book-Artisan Bread In Five Minutes a Day. Throughout this book you refer to Pizza Peel? I am very anxious to try your recipes but don’t know what Pizza Peel is.Please respond.
    Henry Ross-director
    Gardenview Horticultural Park
    Strongsville, Ohio

  40. I love my gift of your Healthy Bread in Five book and made my first batch. I find it great except lacking a bit of flavor. What is the procedure for adding a little sweetner such as sugar or molasses or something else to give it a more distinct flavor. I realize you have other recipes to try, but how do I add subtle other ingredients without making the whole thing go out of whack……is there a general rule? Tks.

    1. Hi Freddie,

      You may want to try adding a touch more salt to perk up the flavor as well. You can add honey or other liquid sweetener to the dough. If you add more than a couple of tablespoons you will need to remove the equal amount of water.

      Thanks and enjoy the bread! Zoë

  41. I’ve been loving making recipes from your book. Everything has been so simple and easy and SO GOOD! I made the leap to bagels this morning and it wasn’t pretty. The dough was so sticky I couldn’t get a nice round bagel. Is it just practice?

  42. I just love your method and have been harassing my friends it to buy your books. So far, I’ve gotten 3 more sold for you!
    The question I have is the following:
    I am thinking of baking Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls (ABin5 page 187) for a breakfast buffet. Since there will be lots of different foods to sample from, I would like to make them smaller and bake them in a bigger pan, like a 9″x13″ pan. I was thinking of rolling out the dough and seperating it in 2 to make smaller rolls. Do you think this would work? What do you recommend as baking time?
    Thanks! And can you tell me if your book is translated into French?

    1. Hi Chantal,

      Unfortunately, our book is not translated into French yet. We hope to find an interested publisher is France someday and will post about it if that happens.

      The cinnamon buns can certainly be made smaller. I have made them bite size before and they are wonderful. Depending on how large the rolls are, I would start checking them at about 15 minutes. Be sure to press on the center rolls to make sure they are firm.

      Enjoy, Zoë

      1. Thanks for the prompt reply! I’m from Québec, Canada. Don’t forget us when you translate to French. It’s important because we don’t use the same mesurements as in France. We use the same ones as you use in the States.

      2. Chantal: The disparities across countries in how recipes are used is the biggest reason that non-US publishers tend to avoid publishing US cookbooks. It’s probably not likely that our books will be translated into French, but if they are, you’ll hear about it here first!

  43. Hey I just wanted to report back to you guys, I got the commercial loaf pan Jeffery referred me and it works great! I greased it up with xtra-virgin coconut oil and it makes the most delectable crust and pops right out of the pan, even better than any non-stick pan I used to use. I just use the first master dough listed, the Bule I believe, I think it tastes like the “Italian” bread we were raised on by a local commercial baker in my town. Funny, I haven’t been asked to remove crusts on the kids sandwiches since I made my first loaf with it!

    My master dough I have in the fridge right now, is made w/the bule dough, but when I was making it I was 1 & 1/2 C shy of flour. So I added 1 & 1/2 C of ground flax seed meal, I thought for sure I would have bitter, hard, flat, dense bricks when I baked the first loaf up. Instead, it was flavorful, had a crispy-sweet-nutty crust with soft chewy center. It was a bit flat but not to dense, I really love it and the kid do to.

    Ty for the advice, my family has never ate as well and as fresh as they do now and it all stared with making homemade bread from your book!

  44. Hi, I recently bought your book: healthy bread in five minutes a day and started out with the master recipe on page 54. We live in India, what I mainly get here is whole wheat and white flour. I found with many other recipes that I tried to use that the liquid quantities don’t fit, as the flour here is different to the one I am used to. I kept to the quantities in the recipe, although the dough was very runny and kept it in the fridge for 5 days. I used cake yeast. The dough smelled very sour by then and had the consistency of porridge, so all I could do was to pour it into a pan and make a flat bread out of it. The result was edible, but not really to be repeated. You insist in the book that the dough doesn’t have to be kneaded, but if I add enough water to be able to mix it with a spoon, how will the dough become firm enough for me to shape it into anything after it has been in the fridge? I didn’t like the taste of the bread, does it react differently if you use dry yeast compared to cake yeast?
    Thanks,
    Astrid

    1. Astrid: Cake yeast works fine, that’s not the problem (see https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/09/back-to-basics-tips-and-techniques-to-create-a-great-loaf-in-5-minutes-a-day). The problem’s that we tested with US flour brands, which absorb water differently than flours in other countries. You’re going to have to decrease the water level until the dough looks like what we get in our videos (click on the Videos tab above). The one video that’s particularly relevant is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPQQHPVkR5o

      Once you get it to the right consistency, you’ll be able to mix with a spoon, but it won’t be so wet that it can’t be shaped. That’s the balance. Jeff

  45. Hi there!
    I love the pizza crust recipe in the Feb/March 2012 Mother Earth News magazine! Is there a way to get the dought to roll out more thinly? No matter what I do it seems to go into the oven thicker than 1/8 inch as recommended and bakes up to a thick crust. I’m looking for a thinner crust if possible. Hey- just ordered your book artisan pizza and flatbread in 5 min from Mother Earth.
    Thanks-sally in Kodiak

    1. Hi Sal,

      Thanks for trying the recipe! If you let the dough ball rest for at least 30 minutes (up to an hour, if you have time) before trying to roll it out, it will allow you to roll it much thinner. Adding a little bit of whole wheat flour to the dough will also help. If you switch 1/2 cup of whole wheat for the AP flour, you will have an easier time rolling it out.

      All of these are in the book, so enjoy!

      Thanks, Zoë

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