Loaf pan breads work beautifully with my method

People think of artisan-style loaves as being free-form, but my high-moisture, stored-dough method also works beautifully in loaf pans. Read on to hear more about getting great results with traditional un-coated loaf pans.

In the books, I’ve tended to be on the careful side about loaf pans.  Since this dough is so wet, I recommended non-stick pans and even so, to grease them well.  Yet a very heavyweight aluminum pan works beautifully too– all you have to do is grease it well (I like olive oil even for American-style breads but you can use any liquid or solid shortening you like):

… and be sure the formed dough is well dusted with flour before putting it into the pan— it shouldn’t feel all sticky as it goes in.  If it does stick a bit, just let it sit for 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven and it will “steam” itself out.  I love this pan, and when I say it’s heavyweight, I mean it.  The pan weighs a full pound…

This was a big loaf 2 pounds, 5 ounces of dough, using my Master Recipe. Loaves this large need to rest for 90 minutes after shaping, and they tend to need extra time in the oven.  For this size, a lean dough needs 45 to 60 minutes at 450 degrees F, and enriched doughs will need about an hour at 350.  Or more. If you’re finding that there’s over-browning or scorching in your oven at this temp, try again 25 degrees lower (Fahrenheit) and increase the bake-time by 10 or 15%.  Go by the loaf color and the firmness of the crust:

A reader recently asked about REALLY big loaves, in a 16-inch long pan (but still 4 inches by 4 inches h*w), in a pan like this one. That’ll work too, but you need a lot of dough: 54 ounces / 1530 grams, almost a full batch of my Master recipe. Have a great fall, and follow on Twitter, and on Facebook too… 

Red Star Yeast (Lesaffre Corp) sponsored this post, and supplied yeast for recipe testing.

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

784 thoughts to “Loaf pan breads work beautifully with my method”

  1. Well- you’ve turned me into a baker! Have always loved cooking- but no baking. After receiving a Kitchen Aid Mixer for Christmas I didn’t know where to turn and then I found YOU! Have had SO much fun trying out your recipes and there is always a container/tub of dough in my refrigerator. You’ve made me not be afraid of baking bread and vacum packed Red Star dry yeast is NOW a staple of mine. Win or lose…I thank you!

  2. Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day book – CHECK
    Baking stone – CHECK
    Bulk Red Star Yeast – CHECK
    Heavy duty loaf pan…. 🙁

    I love your recipes; keep ’em coming!

  3. Count this new bread addict IN! I’d love to win! Following you daily now and since I’m in Minneapolis I’m watching for more demo locations, etc! 🙂 Sara

  4. I love that you have made making bread so easy and delicious ! Making bread was almost a lost art form… I am glad you have brought it back into the daily lives of so many eager fans.
    I enjoy the crisp crust that my bread stone delivers, and look forward to making the bread in new pans and equipment !!!

  5. been using your method for awhile now, but I “knead” the dough whisk. Everything else would be quite useful also. Thanks for the chance.

  6. Oh, PLEASE!!! I never win anything and this would be really really wonderful. Just started making your breads and I’m in love with the process!

  7. I’ve just recently discovered your method of baking bread – it’s a real boon to someone with arthritis where kneading is painfully difficult.

  8. I read an article in our local paper about a man making artisan breads, and gave it a try. I have fallen in love with the aroma of fresh baked bread, and I really enjoy the process of baking bread from scratch!

  9. Like your first commenter, I love new pans and would love some heavy loaf pans to make more bread for sharing. I do the trick with two mini loaves in one pan, one to keep and one to share. With the holidays coming, more pans would mean I could bake more at one time. BTW looking forward to seeing your faces in the supermarkets! 🙂

    Also, I’m a big believer in the Danish dough whisk! I never make mix my dough without mine…and the smaller one gets used with other recipes. How did I ever do without them? Oh that’s right, I didn’t always cook this much!

  10. I found your book a month ago and I love it! So easy to do this since the idea of making and working with dough was so daunting to me. Not anymore! Thanks so much.
    I would also like some loaf pans, etc. That would be a blessing, thanks!

  11. I have always loved bread baking and your method has made it easy to enjoy great bread more often. I have bread equipment on my Christmas wish-list (dough wisk, dough containers, bread pans, new stone). Thanks for the inspiration to be creative with my bread!

  12. I love making that 5 minutes bread ! My husband even told me I did not need to buy another form the store and that’s saying since we are french and kind of picky about good bread ! Thanks for the giveaway !!!

  13. Who wouldn’t love some great bread swag! You guys are great! I love your method & recipes and look forward to your third book & Zoe’s next visit to Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

  14. I absolutely love your method and this yeast! I was always afraid of yeast until I tried this! I have made many of your recipes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day… This yeast never fails me. My two favorites are the Challah and the olive oil dough to which I add the juice of 1 – 2 lemon(s), some lemon zest and some powdered rosemary…. this is a real hit!

  15. My family loves your bread recipe! At first I baked it without a stone and it was great. I then went out and bought some firebrick and have been using that ever since. Works like a charm!

  16. I make at least two batches of bread a week from your Healthy Bread book.. and I keep making up my own recipes with your recipe’s guidance… but I still haven’t done well with putting the bread in a loaf pan… thought maybe it’s my old pans… and maybe it’s me! Thanks for the contest.. and for all that I’ve been reading.. I’m going to try again… but I did make “witch finger” breadsticks tonight with your rosemary bread recipe… yummmmm 🙂

  17. Every time I turn around my wife is baking from your books… the house is always smelling of freshly baked bread… I LOVE IT! Thanks for making it so simple… and so healthy!

  18. Making whole grain bread has never been so easy… so tasty… or so inventive and still good to eat! Thanks for all of your tips.. Anxious to keep working on my skills to bake in a bread pan!

  19. Would LOVE to win the baking pan! Love your books. Looking at trying the raisin bread today.
    Deb from PA

  20. Being a self taught baker, I would love to Try these pans and yeast out. Love your book and I experiment with a recipe almost every day! Yummm

  21. Your books are amazing. The first I must have renewed a zillion times and the second I was lucky enough to receive as a gift. Thank you for the video today and reminding me that in my crazy busy life, there’s still time for homemade bread. 🙂

  22. I wanted to enter the drawing, but also wanted to say that I love your book and it has changed my life. (As much as bread can change one’s life, that is.) Thanks!

  23. I have started baking the Peasant Bread recipe in a loaf pan(using the olive oil like you do) and it is outstanding. Thanks!

  24. Count me in. We just moved into a house after living in an RV (no baking there) and I’m starting again from scratch. I’m keen to get the ABI5 books out of storage and start making this house a home. Need to get some new bakeware as all mine went to goodwill during the purge. Can’t think of a nicer smell than cinnamon bread baking – and it makes WONDERFUL bread pudding (if it lasts that is…)

  25. Wow….new pans after 42 years …that would be great !!!!!!!!!! I love trying new breads; can’t wait to try the cinnamon bread-YUM!

  26. Have baked for hears, this new meethod is so much better, my sister sent me the book and since we have been exchanging info about new ideas, would love to have the pans especially as Inowuse glass and those heavy metal ones loook great, the wisk would alsomake things easier HERE.

  27. I’ve been thinking about trying a loaf pan to encourage my breads to grow up rather than out (maybe I should try it on myself while I’m at it). But I don’t have one! Perfect timing.

  28. I made my first whole wheat batch last night. My dough bucket was a little small for the full batch so I had to trim a bit off the top and bake some little rolls to taste. Crusty even without a baking stone!

  29. I’m new to bread making and would love to win this pan! I love bread!! and have turned my husband into a bread lover also. :0)

  30. Okay, I live in AK and its hard to get items like you are giving away! I would love a few new kitchen items to make bread with. I love the books you have written and love fresh bread. Even if I am not picked, I love this site, Redstar yeast, and all the yummy bread I have made thanks to your books. PICK ME!!

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