Tracy said...
November 2, 2009 at 7:36 am

That’s okay; it happens! Thanks for the correction; I’ll write it in the margins of my book when it gets here in a couple days. Can’t wait to start baking!

C. Beth said...
November 2, 2009 at 7:42 am

Personally, I appreciate the mistake. It removes you from the level of bread-baking divine beings and turns you into normal humans like the rest of us.

Thanks for the corrections. I’ve written them into my book!

Ruth Hoffman said...
November 2, 2009 at 8:47 am

Just got my copy of HBin5 about a week ago. Love it! Last night I made the Msemmen, and it was scrumptious (though my cantankerous stovetop will require a few adjustments). One questio: the recipe doesn’t say when to salt the top crust. Before or after cooking? Also, the spice mixture makes an awful lot. Is that really intended for one flatbread? I had it oozing out the sides and had to remove some of it. It seems too liquid. Is it really 3 Tbsp of oil? Seems like it could do with just one.

Anyway, I used to proof and edit books for a living. My editor-in-chief told me that the average book contains 15 errors. Don’t worry about a thing!

Love your work. Keep it up, both of you!

Edi said...
November 2, 2009 at 3:08 pm

I just got the HBin5 book and I can’t wait! I’m craving cinnamon raisin bread. Can I add a sugar-cinnamon layer and raisins to this whole wheat brioche loaf recipe and make a sweet breakfast bread?

MommaBlogger said...
November 2, 2009 at 4:07 pm

I want to go buy this book right now, but it will have to wait. I’ll definitely remember to check back on this though to make sure I have the right info

Helen in CA said...
November 2, 2009 at 4:53 pm

I am so grateful that y’all post any printing errors here on the website.

That and the fact that y’all make yourselves available to us as we work w/ your recipes.

Makes one wonder about other cookbooks (when something doesn’t turn out). Since there’s such a long journey (out of the author’s hands) between the cook and the finished cook-book!

Linda said...
November 2, 2009 at 5:12 pm

I wondered about that amount of gluten in the brioche when I was reading the recipes. I just got the book last week after listening to a book talk with the authors in Milwaukee. I made the master recipe this weekend and am amazed at how good it is. I have baked bread for many years and have been experimenting with this process for about a year, but haven’t gotten anything as good as this. I love it!

Michelle said...
November 2, 2009 at 6:16 pm

Nice that you found the error before someone else had a failed bread! As long as there are corrections..no problem. Thanks!

Kathy L. said...
November 2, 2009 at 6:22 pm

I have your first book and plan on purchasing HBin5. Before I do, are there any “whole wheat” or “whole grain” bread recipes that do not include white/all purpose flour in the book?

Roxanne said...
November 2, 2009 at 6:58 pm

I want SO much to get your book and use your recipes, but I’m trying my best to stay away from yeast.

What do you think about soaking grains (using whey, etc.) and sourdough recipes?

jeff said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:52 am

Edi: Absolutely, go for the sugar-cinammon!

jeff said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:56 am

Helen: It’s frustrating to see editing errors, so your comment means a lot to us!

jeff said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:56 am

Thanks Linda, much appreciated.

jeff said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:57 am

Absolutely, about a quarter of our “master” recipes are 100% whole grain– I think there are about 10 of them. Jeff

jeff said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:59 am

Roxanne: Sourdough (natural airborne yeast without any commercial yeast added to the mixture) works with stored dough, but I found it a bit too temperamental to use in our books. But if you’re motivated…

I haven’t tried these “soaking” techniques yet…

Margot Miller said...
November 3, 2009 at 12:19 pm

Zoe and Jeff! Don’t worry about errors, they happen. Instead pat yourselves on the backs for making so many versions of truly GREAT bread available to the masses!

I helped in my own small way. Was asked to do an ABin5 “tutorial” at a retreat for my knitting group in ME this summer. All were delighted with the brioche berry cake, egg non-McMuffin and, of course, the basic boule.

My (your? our) new book is on the way and I tried your new basic WW recipe and was blown away by its flavor and shape. Love the seeds. Wow and thanks!

LindaDV said...
November 3, 2009 at 1:24 pm

I love the new book! Even though I haven’t made any of the recipes yet. I want to read the whole book first, the information in this book is great! How wonderful to have a Dr. and a baker to write about bread baking!

One question-I used bread flour instead of all purpose as recommended for our altitude of 7000 feet. Very good results. Now with the new recipes with more whole grains, is this still a good substitution to make? Does the VWG make a difference in this case?

Laura said...
November 3, 2009 at 3:56 pm

One of the best things about your books, is the fact that you put the errors on the website. So many times, you can tell a recipe is wrong, but not exactly sure why. I like the fact that you admit books don’t always come out right, and you aim to fix it.

My first batch of wheat from the new book is rising now. Mine seemed much wetter than the recipes in the first book. We eill see how it comes out.

Roxanne said...
November 3, 2009 at 6:48 pm

Jeff–

LOL! Just how “motivated” do I need to be to attempt sourdough as my stored dough?

I get the feeling I’d be way over my head to even attempt it…

CJC said...
November 3, 2009 at 7:16 pm

You know, I thought that gluten measurement looked a little odd when I read through a couple days ago . . . I sort-of assumed it was 1/4 cup. I was hoping to try it out to test the theory, but with two batches of bread that didn’t turn out so well I am thinking my really old gluten probably isn’t good anymore – so I have to wait.
Lovely job!
CJ
PS – one mistake in over three hundred pages?? I wish my track record was so good.
And Zoe, I was very sorry to hear about your grandfather. It isn’t the nicest transition in life – we’ll be praying for you.

Sarah said...
November 3, 2009 at 11:40 pm

Have you got a conversion sheet for grams?
I have enough conversion charts but I prefer to know when you measure out the ingredients, how many grams you get. A one page conversion could easily be printed out and pasted into the book for those of us who prefer metric. Thank You.

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 12:51 am

Thank you Margot!

I appreciate your understanding. We worked so hard not to have this kind of mistake, but in the end we are all human and it happens.

I’m thrilled that you have tried the recipe from the new book and are enjoying it! And, thanks for spreading the word in ME to your knitting group. the brioche berry cake sounds amazing!

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 12:54 am

Hi Linda,

The VWG will add the same kind of structure and strength to the dough that you would get from using bread flour. You could still use bread flour in place of AP for these recipes, plus the VWG. You will probably have to add a touch more water to compensate for the additional protein this will add.

Thanks for reading the book and I hope you enjoy all the breads!

Zoë

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 1:06 am

Hi Laura,

Thank you for understanding, we so appreciate it. The errors are such a disappointment to us!

How did the dough come out after resting and sitting in the refrigerator? Those whole grains can act as such a sponge after the full rising time. Did it all come together well in the end?

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 1:08 am

Hi Roxanne,

You can do it! It just takes a bit more time to get a loaf in the oven, but it is worth the effort to check it out!

Let us know if you try it! Zoë

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 1:10 am

Oh CJC, Thank you so much for your kind words. It has been a week full of great joy and deep sadness. Life!

Zoë

Jessie said...
November 4, 2009 at 6:01 am

I wore out your first book and intend to do the same with this one. Must I include
V.W.G in these recipes? Is the density of the bread the only thing that changes??

Jessie said...
November 4, 2009 at 6:27 am

I forgot to ask, do you ever visit Miami?
Its been very hot down here, however it does not stop me from making your bread. I just crank up my airconditioner.

Cindy said...
November 4, 2009 at 7:20 am

Love your books! I will be cooking at a summer camp and want to use some of your recipes..could you suggest the largest amount I should make up in a batch? Triple or X4 work ok do you think? Be great to serve fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast…Thanks for any ideas…and the mistake is no big deal! Thanks for correcting so fast!

stephchows said...
November 4, 2009 at 9:22 am

No worries! Just be happy someone told you! It would be far worse if everyone was just unhappy about it not working and didn’t say anything!

Joan Vibert said...
November 4, 2009 at 9:43 am

The wheat bread is terrific – so flavorful. I’m making it today for my ABin5 class as a teaser for the January classes. We’re doing “orange” breads today, the Oatmeal Pumpkin Seed bread and Vermont Cheddar. I love teaching these classes because the students are so successful and proud!

jeff said...
November 4, 2009 at 3:51 pm

Jessie: No, everything changes. It’s too dense to store, and my guess is that you will not like the result for most of them. If on the other hand you use everything up quickly, not as big a deal. But you’d have to decrease the water, and I’m not sure exactly how much. So I really wouldn’t recommend this. Jeff

jeff said...
November 4, 2009 at 3:51 pm

Jessie: Miami is a very hard media market to break into, for some reason. But we may have a trip to FL– to Tampa and Orlando in November. Jeff

jeff said...
November 4, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Cindy: There’s no technical barrier to batch size, but eventually you’ll need commercial equipment to mix it. And be sure your buckets are big enough. Triple or quadruple may be a bit hard to mix by hand, but give it a try.

Thnx re: the errors… It’s hard, but it happens. Jeff

jeff said...
November 4, 2009 at 3:57 pm

Sarah: we don’t have a conversion sheet for grams, just what’s in the book. You could easily generate this from Google… type the words…

4 ounces in grams

… and you’ll see how to use google to generate whatever you need. Jeff

Helen in CA said...
November 4, 2009 at 8:13 pm

What seed combination do you prefer to top the WWMaster Recipe?

Would love to have a clue what’s topping the Cover Picture

I’ve made it & it’s wonderful!

Sarah said...
November 4, 2009 at 8:17 pm

Jeff,
The way you measure is different from the way I measure. If I measure 10 cups of flour, and you measure 10 cups of flour we could easily have two cups of flour difference between us. Are the recipes that flexible?

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 11:35 pm

Hi Helen,

The seed mixture can be anything your heart desires, but we do have the actual recipe for the one on the cover in the book.

Thanks and happy baking! Zoë

Helen in CA said...
November 5, 2009 at 2:22 am

Is it in the book? Which recipe?

It looks like sunflower, sesame, poppy & caraway….but proportions?

I like trying recipes the way they’re written 1st. THEN I start to play

thanks

Cathie said...
November 5, 2009 at 7:40 am

Quick question about salt…
What can I do if I either forget it or leave it out intentionally because I want to soak the grains? I make my traditional 100 % whole wheat by soaking the freshly milled flour in acidulated water. It causes an enzymatic reaction that decreases the phytic acid. Salt inhibits that process. I would love to incorporate that process with some of these recipes…

Thanks for any tips!

jeff said...
November 5, 2009 at 8:26 am

You can skip the salt, but of course, the final result will not taste the same. Many readers on low or zero-salt diet are working with this— we talk about it in the new book. Jeff

jeff said...
November 5, 2009 at 8:28 am

Sarah: Yes, volumes can vary– you may be happier using the weight equivalents in our second book, that doesn’t vary. Or just measure exactly as we specify in the book– scoop gently, and then sweep with a spatula or knife.

The recipes are definitely NOT flexible enough to be off by 20%….. Jeff

Linda T. said...
November 5, 2009 at 10:59 am

The new book makes great reading, can hardly wait to start baking. I notice that in the first book, those of using a mixer were using the dough hook, but in this book, we’re told to use the paddle. Why the difference?

Jo from Australia said...
November 5, 2009 at 5:46 pm

Hi Jeff and Zoe, congratulations on your new book. I’ve had so much success with your first book so much so I haven’t bought commercial bread for a month now I can’t wait for your next book to arrive in the mail.

Can I ask if I can substitute bread flour if the recipe calls for all purpose flour in both of your books? Do I need to make adjustments to the amount of water if doing so? It’s just that I have a stack of bread flour that I’d like to use up. Sorry as I’m sure this question has been raised in the past.

Kind regards,
Jo

jeff said...
November 5, 2009 at 5:59 pm

Linda: Especially for the whole grain breads, the KitchenAid (or other brand) with the paddle does a better job quickly getting all the solids incorporated. The dough hook was really designed for drier doughs. If we had it to do over again, we’d probably specify the paddle for both books.

jeff said...
November 5, 2009 at 6:04 pm

You need to adjust the water (upward). Some general guidelines for this are at: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=140. The results will be nice…

Jason A said...
November 5, 2009 at 6:19 pm

I tried the recipe but it is not very chewy but has consistency of banana bread. Not much bounce to it. Is that normal?

Carl M said...
November 5, 2009 at 7:11 pm

Had a great time at your book talk/signing in Milwaukee .. I now have two tubs of dough in my refrigerator and have been making a small loaf of either white or whole wheat dough (or both) almost every day. I will need to cut back a bit (it’s hard to eat just a little of this bread). Anyway, wanted to let you know how much I’m enjoying the bread. I’ll try this brioche dough next.

Marina in Sonoma said...
November 5, 2009 at 7:37 pm

After succeeding beautifully with your first book, I am crushed to describe my first whole grain effort as “concrete frisbees.” Is Hodgson’s Mill graham flour different than other whole wheat flours?

zoe said...
November 5, 2009 at 11:13 pm

Hi Jason,

I’d say it is lighter in texture than the banana bread that I make, but I’d agree that it is not chewy like the master recipe. Because of the addition of the oil/butter and eggs it has a texture that is more cakey. Is that what you are finding?

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
November 5, 2009 at 11:15 pm

Hi Carl,

Thank you so much for coming out to visit us in Milwaukee, what an amazing town! I’m thrilled that you are enjoying the breads.

Happy baking, Zoë

zoe said...
November 5, 2009 at 11:30 pm

Hi Marina,

Yes, it is a much courser and rough ground flour. It will work wonderfully in the Graham Cracker Bread, but it is not really meant to be used in place of the whole wheat. The Hodgson’s Mill flours tend to be a little courser than other brands in general. If you try the basic recipe with a brand that has a slightly finer grind I think you will have terrific success. If you want to adapt the loaf to the Hodgson Mill’s product you will want to add a bit more Vital Wheat Gluten and a touch more water to compensate for the large pieces of bran in the flour that tend to cut at the structure of the dough.

I hope this is helpful. You can tailor the dough to any flour, but it will take a bit of play!

Thanks, Zoë

LindaDV said...
November 6, 2009 at 1:39 pm

I am munching on a tasty slice of Becky’s Seeded Oat bread, but do not try my shiny crust method! In my haste to get the loaf into the pre-heated cast iron pot, I not only forgot to slash, I forgot the plastic wrap! After 2/3rds of the baking time, I pulled the lid off and there was a slightly pale and shiny loaf with curling edges. Is there a place to post our baking “secrets”? I haven’t gotten used to covering the resting dough. The bread is very good! Without the wrap.

Debbie said...
November 6, 2009 at 6:57 pm

I bought both of your books… love them. I was wondering why HBin5 didn’t have nutrition and dietary information such as calories, fat, sugars, fiber protein etc. I was hoping it would have been included.

Jo Klammer said...
November 6, 2009 at 10:17 pm

In your new book HBin5 you say you can use some beer. How much beer would I use to to replace some of the water? I am guessing this will make a much more yeasty taste of bread…that we like. Love your books… Thanks.. Jo

zoe said...
November 7, 2009 at 11:45 pm

Hi Linda,

Did the plastic peel off of the dough? Were you able to salvage the loaf. I love this bread and hope you enjoyed the bread, after taking off the plastic!

Thanks, Zoë

Helen in CA said...
November 8, 2009 at 12:55 am

2 things

1st I want to share how much fun it was today to go to a little independent bookstore and meet Dr Jeff and Zoe. Warm & friendly & passionate about baking bread! They brought a tub w/ dough in it (good to see how a 4-day-old-dough looks) and demo-ed forming loaf, on request. If you’ve a chance? GO!

Then, I’d like to share where my newly signed copy of ABin5 is going next week. Last week I was at my CSA (doing a work trade) filling boxes. The manager had just done a trade w/ one of the members: more milk from her goats for the cheese the other woman had made. There was bread from a local organic bakery.

So….watching these women eat freshly made goat cheese….you KNOW I had to tell them about ABin5 & HBin5. So: ABin5 is coming w/ me to be loaned out so these women can learn to easily make the bread to go w/ their goat cheese.

All said conversation happening in the packing barn of an organic farm, surrounded by almost 200 boxes of freshly harvested produce.

Thought you’d like the mental picture!

Samantha said...
November 8, 2009 at 7:26 am

I just made the brioche dough, patiently waiting for the rise. I am glad that you corrected the recipe, as there were a few other confusing issues in the description part of process. (I am a bread making newbie). I am so excited to try the end product. The first few chapters on the ingredients, supplies and the science behind the bread making process were fantastic.

jeff said...
November 8, 2009 at 11:52 am

Thanks Samantha (same Samantha from Omnivore Books in SF?

Helen: Thanks for your questions yesterday. Love this picture, want that cheese on my own bread! Part of why I started baking so much was to be able to eat organic bread for a reasonable price.

Thanks, Jeff

Dawn said...
November 8, 2009 at 5:17 pm

Book #1 was wonderful. Book #2 looks perfect.
I grind my own flour which worked fine for the basic recipe. In using my flour for the Vollkorn bread, the wheat berries did not soften as much as I think they should. Should I pre-soak them or add more water to the recipe?

LindaDV said...
November 8, 2009 at 11:31 pm

The plastic wrap did peel off before the loaf was finished baking. The crust survived with only small bits of plastic to pull off before slicing. I won’t make that mistake again!

Dawn said...
November 9, 2009 at 9:56 am

I forgot to add that I waited more than the required 24 hours before starting to bake. We are eating our way through some mighty-fine tasting bread at a fast clip. Yum!

BARBY said...
November 9, 2009 at 11:40 am

I have a pot of sourdough starter. Is there a sourdough bread recipe I can make with the 5 minute method?

jeff said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:05 pm

Not sure, Dawn. I can’t figure why you should have gotten a different absorption with home-ground stuff, but it does absorb more water. Just try a little more next time– maybe a quarter cup more water? Jeff

jeff said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Barby: assuming that your starter is half water and half flour after you activate it, you can put in about a cup and a half of activated starter, reducing the flour in our recipe by 3/4 cup, and the water by 3/4 cup as well. You can then decrease the commercial yeast in the recipe, but don’t go to zero on the yeast. Stored dough becomes temperamental without any commercial yeast at all. See our post on decreasing the yeast dose at http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=85.

Ellen said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:27 pm

I live part of the time in the mountains at 9,000
feet. Can you recommend any change in ingredients or process because of high altitude?

suzie blair said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:56 pm

I love, love your books. I have both of them. I was at Wegmans yesterday and they had a brioche bread there that was wonderful, it had a strong orange taste and had candied oj peel and dried cranberries, how could I make something like that with your brioche recipe. It was called a Cranberry orange Brioche. Thank-you for any help.

Wen said...
November 9, 2009 at 4:55 pm

Too late for me– just made the original recipe with 2 1/4 cups of gluten–thought it was way too much–guess I will have to throw it out and start all over! Ouch!$!$!$!$!$! Now I am bummed!

Brooke Landis said...
November 9, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Do different brands of VWG have different amounts of protein? I compared the wheat gluten flour I was getting in bulk and the Bob’s Red mill VWG and the Bob’s had a higher listing for protein per 1/4 cup.

zoe said...
November 9, 2009 at 8:52 pm

Hi Ellen,

Here is a post we did about high altitude baking with out method. For even more information be sure to read through the comments to hear what other bakers are doing. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=144

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
November 9, 2009 at 8:55 pm

Hi Suzie,

It sounds like it may be like the Panettone or Stollen doughs from the books. You could simply add orange zest and dried cranberries to the brioche dough. It may take some playing to determine how much zest is the right amount!

Let me know how it goes, sounds delicious! Zoë

zoe said...
November 9, 2009 at 9:14 pm

Hi Brooke,

They may vary slightly, but I don’t think that is will be enough to detect in the recipes. The higher protein will provide slightly better stretch which will mean more rise for a whole grain bread that is being stored! You can always add an extra tablespoon of the VWG you are getting in bulk to the recipe and see if you like the result better.

Let me know how it turns out! Zoë

A T said...
November 9, 2009 at 11:37 pm

Can diastatic malt be used instead of vital wheat gluten? Also, with your recipes that call for greasing a non-stick pan, what do I do if I prefer to use an old-fashioned pan that is not non-stick?

jeff said...
November 10, 2009 at 8:59 am

AT: No, you can’t use diastatic malt (or any other kind of malt) in place of VWG. Malt is just a sweetener derived from malted barley; VWG is a gluten protein extract of wheat that will make whole grain breads rise better and keep rising power in the fridge. Malt won’t accomplish that at all. Jeff

LindaDV said...
November 10, 2009 at 1:06 pm

I baked the last two pounds of Becky’s Seeded Oat bread in two loaf pans. I don’t have non-stick pans but nothing sticks to the anodized aluminum loaf pans I use. The crust color and crunch is the same on the top and inside the pan. These are new pans, not well seasoned, 18 gauge aluminum. I used no-stick spray. The dough rested over 90 minutes and came right out of the pan. Your results may differ.

Cheryl said...
November 10, 2009 at 3:10 pm

Love your new book (as well as the original), Jeff and Zoe! I’m making the Whole Grain Garlic Knots right now. The recipe calls for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, but it doesn’t say when to add it. Help?!

Vera said...
November 10, 2009 at 4:08 pm

Wanted to let you know that I made your Pumpkin Pie Brioche – absolutely yummy on its own, especially with some berry jam – however I made a Bread Pudding with it. It was simply amazing – and I don’t even like Bread Pudding! I just decided to make it for the family. I had no problem eating the pudding made with this bread. What a great bread and what a great pudding it made, due to its flavors and slight density. So fitting for this time of the year. Thanks!

zoe said...
November 10, 2009 at 4:59 pm

Hi Linda,

That is wonderful! So glad it came out well. Some of the doughs that have a portion of oil or fats tend to be better at slipping out of the pan.

Enjoy the bread! Zoë

zoe said...
November 10, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Hi Vera,

I’m so thrilled you made this dough! I have been baking this loaf for a month solid because my family just loves it! I too made it into a bread pudding and had to give some of it away so I wouldn’t eat the WHOLE thing!

Thanks! Zoë

zoe said...
November 10, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Hi Cheryl,

I just sprinkle it over the top before the knots go in the oven. Sorry for the omission!

Thanks, Zoë

Ashley said...
November 10, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Looking forward to your new book as I just got through reading your first one tonight. I loved it even though I haven’t made anything yet haha.

Quick question, though, I notice that several of your recipes call for some rye even though it’s not a rye bread (i.e. the Oatmeal Pumpkin bread). I absolutely hate rye….is there anything I can sub since it’s a small amount called for? Thanks!

Danica said...
November 10, 2009 at 9:04 pm

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for my autographed cookbook! It was a pleasure meeting you and learning the MD side of how you make your bread. I honestly cannot wait to dig in and try some recipes out.

They all sound so fantastic and I LOVE hte pictures too!

I’ll keep you posted on if I can make it work.

Danica

brandi said...
November 11, 2009 at 7:19 am

I just wanted to say thank you for offering up your book – I was at the Foodbuzz Festival this past weekend, and I can’t wait to try my hand at baking with these recipes!

It was great to meet both of you!

jeff said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:38 am

Ashley: Sure, just throw in the same amount of whole wheat, white whole wheat, or spelt. Shouldn’t make any difference, except subtly in the flavor. Jeff

jeff said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:39 am

Danica: It should be a snap, but let us know if you have any trouble. Jeff

jeff said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:39 am

Great meeting you too, Brandi. Check back if you have any questions about the recipes. Jeff

suzie blair said...
November 11, 2009 at 11:24 am

First off Zoe thank-you for taking the time to answer my question, you have got to be so busy, and thank-you for creating this new world for us, I am so loving it. I need to ask one more question about the Cranberry Orange Brioche. In a quick bread version you use orange juice to make the orange taste stronger, but we can not do this with the brioche dough because it has eggs and the dough sits in the refrigerator for two to five days. Am I correct? Thank-you again for the help!

Jess said...
November 11, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Mistakes happen, and you’re doing a great job of handling them. The errata, the blog posts, and making yourselves available to help more than make up for any typeos!

Aimee said...
November 11, 2009 at 2:49 pm

Jeff and Zoe,
I have baked bread for over 20 years and found myself unable to do it because the kneading hurt my carpal wrists too much (not to mention the lack of time as I home school all my kids). I picked up your Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day at my library filled with skepticism, but I decided to give it a try. Wow! The bread is amazing! I can finally find the time to make delicious bread again, without hurting my wrists. My friends and family cannot believe that the bread is easy to make and requires so little of my time. I was thrilled to discover your latest book as we prefer to eat healthier choices. Thank you for publishing these books. What a difference they have made in my life. Thank you also for giving us the opportunity to ask you questions. I have already had a few of my questions answered by reading earlier asked questions.

Mandy said...
November 11, 2009 at 7:18 pm

Hi! Loving the new book… one question-
ON page 182 for the stuffed loafs- what kinds of doughs are recommended?

thanks!

zoe said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:45 pm

Hi Suzie,

You can use some OJ, but not too much or the acid will be too much for the dough and won’t store well. What I would do is use zest to get that orange flavor. There are also some very lovely orange oils available in specialty food shops.

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:52 pm

Thanks Jess,

We appreciate your kind words and understanding!

Happy baking! Zoë

zoe said...
November 11, 2009 at 8:54 pm

Thank you Aimee!

I’m so glad that you are able to bake bread again!

Enjoy, Zoë

zoe said...
November 11, 2009 at 9:07 pm

Hi Mandy,

We started out by listing out the doughs one could use and realized that the list was pretty much all the doughs in the book. I made them all with the whole wheat brioche dough, which is a very soft and slightly lighter crumb. I’ve also made them with the master recipe, but they are a slightly denser loaf. You could also use the rye dough for the Ham, Emmental and Cabbage stuffed loaf. Really the sky is the limit.

Enjoy! Zoë

suzie blair said...
November 12, 2009 at 12:06 pm

Thank-you Zoe, I will try the zest first and if that is not enough I will go to the orange oil. I just discovered your web site and have really enjoyed reading everything on it. The one thing that shines through is your love of your art.

Dawn said...
November 13, 2009 at 1:17 pm

I was curious as to how you suggest storing your bread after you make it? I saw in the book you said lay it flat on a counter with the cut side down. The problem is I have random flies and whatnot in my house that I don’t want getting on my bread. Can I completely cool it and then put some saran wrap over it? What about refrigeration? I sometimes keep my store-bought loaves in the fridge, and they don’t mold as quickly. I’d appreciate any suggestions. Thank you! Love your book!

zoe said...
November 13, 2009 at 8:41 pm

Hi Dawn,

Are you in a particularly hot and humid environment? Covering the bread with plastic will make the crust on the loaf soggy. You are better off to put the bread in a paper bag with the cut side down. If it is very hot and humid you will lose the crust anyway and may need to refrigerate or freeze the breads.

Enjoy! Zoë

Passeriform/ Laura J said...
November 15, 2009 at 3:15 pm

I reread the recipe and the GF batter with 4 raw eggs is only supposed to knock around the refrigerator for ONE week, and I feel all better.

Mira @ Bread Over Heels said...
November 17, 2009 at 10:13 am

Hi Zoe and Jeff,
Just wanted to let you how much I’m enjoying your new book and still use the first one often as well. I joined the HBin5 group and made the first Pumpkin Pie Brioche recipe as a group. What a versatile recipe and so perfect for this time of year. You can see pictures at breadoverheels.blogspot.com – just started the blog for the group.
Thanks again!

zoe said...
November 17, 2009 at 8:30 pm

Hi Mira,

Wow, that is fantastic! I will stop by your new blog and check out the pumpkin brioche! Thank you so much for trying it, I love that recipe!

Cheers, Zoë

Lea said...
November 18, 2009 at 6:36 am

I love the first book and have been working my way through it. I par-baked 12 loaves of the chocolate filled brioche last weekend to use as gifts over the holidays. I hope Santa brings me the new book next month!

The tip/request I have is for shaping. More step-by-step photos detailing how to make all of the wonder shapes (knots, braids, wheat sheaf) would be a great tool to have on the website.

jeff said...
November 18, 2009 at 9:52 am

Lea: We do a new post every week, so they’ll gradually trickle into the website. Jeff

Pat Stephens said...
November 21, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Someone wrote about a chocolate stuffed bread and I can’t find it anywhere now. Any help out there for me?

jeff said...
November 22, 2009 at 12:23 pm

Pat: Our first book has a chocolate brioche, but maybe you mean these: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=474 ?? Jeff

Lisa said...
November 23, 2009 at 5:27 am

While rechecking the basic bread recipe on Mother Earth News, I discovered your site and can’t wait to try some of the recipes here. I currently live in Chile and bake the bread in my wood stove. My kids can’t get enough of it. I can’t wait until I am back stateside and can buy your new book. Thanks for posting recipes on the site so I can enjoy a few different loaves I the meantime. I am going to surprise my children with the chocolate bread recipe!

monique said...
November 28, 2009 at 5:20 pm

What a great way of making bread! my son and his student friends are making all kinds of variety’s.Very healthy! They can make buns and free form loaves but mine spread sideways. The difference was the water. We have a softener, my son does not. So I used different water but my dough still spreads sideways.
I thought that I must me doing something wrong so I asked my son when he was home to make the dough.
Again it spreads.
added more flour; no effect.
I could do with some advice.

greetings,

Monique

zoe said...
November 29, 2009 at 6:40 am

Hi Monique,

Are you and your son using the same kind of flour? Same brand? Different brands have varying amounts of protein, which absorb water differently. Your flour may be softer (less water absorbing protein) and require you to add more. How do you store your flour and are you measuring it with a “scoop and sweep” method? If you are storing your flour in a big bin be sure not to aerate it too much before measuring. Some people whisk their flour before measuring, which will result in too little flour for our recipes.

Please let me know if any of this sounds like it could be the problem.

Thank you and I’m so thrilled that you and your son are baking the bread! Zoë

Pat Stephens said...
November 30, 2009 at 11:09 pm

I ended up taking mu first book , my container, and my new book and making the chocolate bread and added dried cherries and it was a roaring success! My cousin couldn’t believe it was so easy and good for T’giving morning, so we ate most of one loaf the night before…to heck with the letting it cool rule. We both agreed that it would have been better from fresh dough made into mid-sized pans, not full sized ones. I added some dried craanberries to the batter and then had fresh preserves,but they liked it with butter best.

Sigh, another cookbook gone! It was a great hostess gift. She’ll still have to buy the first one to get the recipe!

Pat

jeff said...
December 1, 2009 at 5:52 am

Thanks for your post-Thanksgiving note, Pat, so fun. Many, many people tell us that they just won’t let it cool. It works decently with smaller loaves especially, but large loaves tend to seem gummy when you break into them hot.

Cool it at least a little?

Jeff

sue said...
December 3, 2009 at 7:37 pm

what is the difference between “white whole wheat flour” and whole wheat pastry flour? One and the same? I use WWPF for cookies, pie crusts, etc.

thanks–love your books!

zoe said...
December 3, 2009 at 7:59 pm

Hi Sue,

Whole wheat pastry flour has less protein than regular whole wheat (including white whole wheat). The protein (gluten) creates the strength in the dough, which is necessary for bread baking. That is why WW pastry flour is great for tender pastries, but not good for bread.

Hope that helps! Zoë

sue said...
December 4, 2009 at 1:55 pm

so on a scale of more-to-less gluten, it’s
whole wheat flour
white whole wheat flour
whole wheat pastry flour

thanks for the clarification.

jeff said...
December 4, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Sue: As far as I know, WW flour and WWW flour have about the same gluten, but I could be wrong on that… We’ve had good luck using them interchangeably. Jeff

Lauri said...
December 5, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Hi, I love your new book. I was addicted to eng muffins from your website and orig peasant dough recipe from old book. i took electric non stick griddle and put the dough dipped in corn meal inside greased muffin tins and let rise for 30-40 min. on griddle. i never had to move them. then i turned on griddle to 350 and let them bake approx 7 min each side. Fabulous. which doughs from your new book will make creative muffins. i am open to all kinds of healthy creations, dried fruit included. Will they rise okay with heavy grains etc? I have your soft whole wheat sandwich dough rising now. thank you for your new book. Am excited to try all. Lauri

Lauri said...
December 5, 2009 at 4:34 pm

p.s. in my recent message i said muffin tins….i meant those english muffin rings. :0)
thanks, Lauri

zoe said...
December 5, 2009 at 10:47 pm

Hi Lauri,

The whole grain doughs should work just as well for English Muffins, but you may need to let them rise a bit longer than you have been. Depending on the flavor you can use the Master or even some of the enriched doughs. Please report back and let me know what you end up trying.

Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

Tammy said...
December 6, 2009 at 10:29 am

While making the basic Whole Wheat recipe published in MEN, I happened to notice the Bob’s Vital Wheat Gluten had expired in Sept. ‘09. I just bought it, and missed that. So, not having another store that carries it for miles, I used it anyway, just used 1/3 cup instead of 1/4 cup. It rose really fast and well, and hopefully will turn out fine. I’ll let ya know. Can anyone tell me how much time is the “don’t bother” point for this, as this grocer is not so easy to convince on keeping up with the items that aren’t big sellers. Thanks so much.

zoe said...
December 6, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Hi Tammy,

You may want to store the remainder of the bag in the freezer to halt the possibility of it going bad. The date is not that old, so I’m sure it will be just fine, but in the future you may want to consider buying it online through Amazon or other online retailers.

Thanks, Zoë

Dorothy said...
December 8, 2009 at 9:13 am

I love the new book! Thank you so much for writing such wonderful books, and for making yourselves so available! Would you be interested in coming to Iowa City (IA) to teach a class? There’s a great co-op here that offers cooking classes; should I approach them about it?

jeff said...
December 8, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Dorothy: Glad you like the book(s)! I don’t think we’re going to be available to teach that far away… you can e-mail me directly with details if you’d like to pursue further though (see “Contacts” tab for my e-mail). Jeff

Carol Ann said...
December 10, 2009 at 11:13 pm

I’m getting a wonderful reputation as a bread baker thanks to your books. I had tried with the old book to make seeded bread, and while the flavor was good, the bread was dense and heavy. The new book had the solution in the seeded oat bread which is delicious! Come to San Antonio, TX and we’ll treat you well!

zoe said...
December 11, 2009 at 7:02 am

Hi Carol Ann,

I’m so pleased you like that seeded loaf. I’ll be sure to tell Betsy, who we named it after!

Thanks, Zoë

BJ Wanlund said...
December 19, 2009 at 2:55 pm

Yeah, those typos are sneaky, aren’t they??

I discovered you guys in Mother Earth News, and was instantly intrigued! So I got the Kindle version of ABin5, and was so impressed at the versatility and sheer variety of your recipes (including a Moroccan gazpacho which sounds utterly divine) that I think I’ll have to roar my way into the cookbook section the next time I’m in a bookstore just to pick up those two books!!

I actually have a question regarding flour. Have you guys had any luck with spelt flour using any of the recipes in either ABin5 or HBin5? I ask because I definitely love my bread & pastries (what self-respecting foodie wouldn’t?), but one of my problems is I happen to have a slight sensitivity to wheat. Using spelt flour with this method would certainly help (albeit more with HBin5). So could I (conceivably) use spelt flour or wheat flour, depending on the recipes?

Thanks all!

BJ

zoe said...
December 19, 2009 at 11:22 pm

Hi BJ,

In HBin5 we say that you can use spelt instead of the whole wheat. The issue you may run into if you have a slight sensitivity to gluten is that you will not be able to use the Vital Wheat Gluten. In order to take it out of the recipes you will have to add more flour or the dough will be too wet. All of the recipes were tested with the vital wheat gluten so you will have to experiment to find the right ratio. Remember that eliminating this ingredient will result in a denser loaf of bread. Tasty, but denser.

Thanks and let us know how it goes!

Thanks, Zoë

BJ Wanlund said...
December 20, 2009 at 10:00 am

Thanks for responding so quickly, Zoë!

I can have gluten, just in moderation (i.e. I can’t get too crazy with it). I could use VWG in moderation with these recipes, right?

BJ

jeff said...
December 20, 2009 at 3:39 pm

BJ: It all depends on what you are sensitive to, whether it’s wheat gluten, or some other compound in wheat. If it’s gluten that you’re sensitive to, you’re not going to enjoy breads made with VWG. For people gravitating to spelt (a lower-gluten wheat variety), adding back in the gluten seems counterproductive.

Sounds like you’re going to need to experiment? Jeff

Erika said...
December 24, 2009 at 11:52 am

My last batch of the master recipe (from first book) is too dry. After baking with some of dough, I have some left in my bucket. By the way, I modify your recipe by using my sourdough starter rather than commercial yeast. My question is: can I add in some more water before I bake the last loaf of bread? Shall I just sort of knead it in?

jeff said...
December 24, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Erika: Did you switch to a higher-protein flour? Bet that’s it, it absorbs more water. Don’t try to knead the water in, you’ll knock out all the gas. Better– just float a little water on the surface for 4 hours or so, it will absorb, at least partly.

If you continue to have dry results, just add a quarter-cup more water to each batch. Jeff

Kevin said...
December 27, 2009 at 1:56 pm

Hi,

I just got your book Healthy Bread in 5 and wanted to make the “Gluten-Free Olive Oil Bread” but am hesitant to try it due to what “may be” and error in the ingredients. The cornstarch amount at 3 1/2 cups looks really high in ratio to the flours. can you confirm or adjust this before I go ahead?

Thanks in advance…

Kevin

zoe said...
December 27, 2009 at 9:46 pm

Hi Kevin,

It is not a typo, the recipe results in a very light textured bread. If you are looking for something a little denser and toothsome then you may want to make the crusty boule recipe and replace the oil for olive oil.

Enjoy! Zoë

Margaret MacDonald said...
December 29, 2009 at 9:53 am

Hi, I found HBin5 at the library and cannot wait to try the bread (and order my own copy of the book, too). The dough is in the fridge as I write. I have baked my own bread for over 20 years, shunning all offers of bread machines, and love the winters in Ontario, Canada as it gives me an excuse to bake (warms up the house!!).
I was checking the recipe on page 64 for the Garlic Knots and do not see where to add the ‘parmesan’ cheese that is listed as an ingredient. Do I sprinkle it on before putting them in the oven or right when they come out?
Thanks for this great new bread baking idea.

jeff said...
December 29, 2009 at 1:11 pm

Sorry Margaret, on page 65 (Step 5): Add a sentence to the one that’s already there, to read: Sprinkle grated cheese over the knots. Jeff

Anna said...
December 29, 2009 at 1:14 pm

Hi I just got your new book and it doesn’t have the typo. Have new copies been corrected? They don’t mention a second printing.

jeff said...
December 29, 2009 at 1:17 pm

Anna: Not sure, but glad you’re happy with your copy! Jeff

BJ Wanlund said...
December 29, 2009 at 3:08 pm

Hey Jeff, I actually found an interesting type of flour that I’ll need to experiment with, called VitaSpelt flour, which has about 75% spelt flour and about 25% white flour. It can be found at http://www.purityfoods.com/ if either you or Zoe wish to experiment with this type of flour (plus it can be found about where you guys are, bonus). For me, this has the perfect amount of gluten, although I’d probably want to be a bit more careful about the crust if I were baking with this.

BJ

zoe said...
December 29, 2009 at 10:46 pm

Hi BJ,

Thanks for the link and tip about the spelt flour. We will have to give it a try! let us know what kind of results you are getting.

Enjoy, Zoë

Jolie said...
January 3, 2010 at 7:08 am

Hi – I looked at the whole wheat brioche recipe you posted compared to what’s in the book and I can’t find the mistake. Can you let me know what the actual error was? THANKS!

Janine said...
January 3, 2010 at 8:04 am

I too cannot find the error in the recipe on page 275, my recipe reads exactly like the corrected one listed here, so it appears that later printings of the book have the corrected recipe already, hurray! I have both of your books, and am totally addicted to your bread, i have a post on my blog dedicated to it, as I get so many requests for an olive and hot pepper bread that I make from the basic recipe in the first book. You have taken bread baking to a whole new level, kudos to you both, you are my heros!

jeff said...
January 3, 2010 at 8:19 am

Jolie: Sounds like you have one of the 1st corrected printings— the mistake would be obvious. If your book (p.275) calls for 1/4 cup of vital wheat gluten and 2 1/4 cups of lukewarm water, then you have the corrected version. Our “Errors” page (http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=73) refers to the very first printing. Jeff

jeff said...
January 3, 2010 at 8:23 am

Wow Janine, this is a first, thank you for writing! Jeff

Judy said...
January 4, 2010 at 5:09 pm

I have the mother earth news magazine and have found your receipe for HBin5. I want to start making this bread but the pizza stone I have says not to heat without something on it. Where do I find a stone that I can preheat for the amount of time needed?

zoe said...
January 4, 2010 at 10:12 pm

Hi Judy,

I’m not sure I’ve heard of a stone that can not be preheated? Do you know the brand? If you look on our home page you will find a link to the stone from Amazon that we recommend.

Thanks, Zoë

Bonny said...
January 8, 2010 at 7:35 am

Thank you for posting recipe errors in printing. It really shows you care about us readers and our bread baking success!

My very first attempt turned out great using corn meal on the pizza peel to slide the bread onto the stone. When I baked the second loaf I tried using parchment paper. Your Amazon video shows it coming right off the loaf after baking.

But the parchment paper never did come off my loaf! It stuck to the bottom and I had to tear off the bottom of the loaf. What did I do wrong?

Thanks!

zoe said...
January 8, 2010 at 9:03 am

Hi Bonny,

The problem is that some parchment paper is coated, almost like wax paper and that adheres itself to the bread. I’ve found that to be true with the parchment I get at the cake supply store. You may want to just try a different brand.

Thank you for the note! Zoë

Bonnie said...
January 9, 2010 at 7:49 pm

I loved your first book. Made the usual high altitude adjustments at two different homes. Bake great bread at both. Now, HB inFive whole wheat master recipe. I made it and it is a disaster. Way too wet. I live in an arid state and usually need to add water. I reduced the yeast, upped the salt slightly, added vital wheat gluten, used the recommended flours (new by the way not expired,) let rest the usual time and ended up with hockey pucks which were inedible. I was able to somewhat salvage the dough by adding huge amounts of flour, more salt, and by kneading by hand. Increasing the raising time just flattened out the dough. I am about ready to throw the book out, could there be an error in the recipe? A few local experienced bakers in my area have had the same problem. I might add we are all very experienced bakers and can’t seem to figure this master recipe out. We do love some of the other recipes in the book and have had good success.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Denisa said...
January 9, 2010 at 8:31 pm

I love both of your books. Just happened to be on here and brought my copy of HBin5 to correct the mistake, but I can’t find it. What exactly is wrong with the recipe on pg. 275?
Thanks.

jeff said...
January 10, 2010 at 10:42 am

Bonnie: There’s something wrong here, we know the recipe works as written. Where, exactly are you located, and what brands of flours are you using? Any chance you are using low-protein flour, such as any bleached flour, or a Southern U.S. flour like White Lily? Which recipe, from what page in the book are you using? Jeff

jeff said...
January 10, 2010 at 10:43 am

Denisa: You must have a corrected edition of the book!

Wendy said...
February 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm

I’m new to your bread methods, and am loving them! A question for you, though. I’ve made the brioche dough twice and neither seemed to get the initial “rise and collapse” that the master recipe does. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong?

jeff said...
February 6, 2010 at 5:15 pm

Wendy: It doesn’t always behave that way, it’s fine if it didn’t clearly do it. So long as it did a robust initial rise. Jeff

Diana said...
February 13, 2010 at 7:40 pm

I think I must be doing something wrong with my ABin5 dough. After baking, the crust is usually hard to cut through, especially the bottom. The crumb seems very wet as well. For the crust part… am I taking too much time with the gluten cloak? I think I may be handling it too much. I can not seem to stop myself from making the top smooth. Also when you do the gluten cloak, do you keep the dough in the same position it was in, in the storage container? Or do you flip it over and make the top, the bottom, then do the cloaking? Would that make a difference? I use Gold Metal all purpose unbleached flour for my dough.
Thanks! Love your bread and so do my co-workers.

jeff said...
February 14, 2010 at 7:32 am

Diana: If I had to guess I’d say your oven temperature is off. Use a themometer to check it. The inexpensive thermometer at Amazon is fine: http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Gourmet-Thermometer-Stainless-Steel%252fCopper/dp/B000HB5NA4?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=arbrinfimiada-20&creative=380725

Also, are you using steam in the oven or one of the alternatives, like?

Baking in a Dutch Oven: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=552
Aluminum Roasting Pan for Crust: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=510
Cloche baking: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=566

… steam promotes a thin crackly crust rather than a thick and hard one…

The specifics about the gluten cloaking probably aren’t the cause here, and it doesn’t matter how you orient the piece of dough. If oven temp or steam aren’t the explanations, we’ll take it from there Jeff

Diana said...
February 15, 2010 at 6:13 pm

Jeff, Yes I am using steam. I bought a little broiler pan just for making the bread, so that I don’t have to keep taking the one from my stove out. I also do have a themometer in the oven and it is almost right on the money. I bumped up the temp 5 degrees hoping that might take care of it.
What I meant about the dough, is that mine seems to be nice and smooth, on top, in the storage container but not so on the bottom (touches container) When I do the gluten cloak, it tends to get holes on top, meaning not 1 smooth surface.

Anything else I might try? Could it be that my broiler pan is too small and so it keeps water in the pan longer or lessens the steam?

Thanks for any ideas you can throw my way. It sure does not keep me from eating or making more. I just would like to perfect it.

jeff said...
February 15, 2010 at 6:18 pm

Diana: Try one of the alternatives for trapping steam– some ovens just don’t have perfect seals for this, and the steam escapes. A larger broiler tray MAY help, another alternative. Jeff

Billi said...
March 13, 2010 at 1:24 pm

I’m getting ready to make my first batch of dough from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes. I’ll be using the recipe for Herbed Potato and Roasted Garlic bread, but I want to be sure of something. Are the potatoes really raw when added to the dough? That seems like it’ll create chunks of potato throughout the bread, which doesn’t sound yummy.

jeff said...
March 13, 2010 at 6:49 pm

Billi: Yep, they bake with the bread, will work! Make sure you cut them as small as we say. Jeff

farida said...
March 31, 2010 at 8:19 am

I made the artisan bread from your basic recipe and it turned out great. I’m encouraged to take the next step and try this brioche.
Is the steam not required for baking this brioche?
In general, when making a (sandwich) loaf from your recipes with any kind of dough, should steam be used or not?

Thanks,
Farida

jeff said...
March 31, 2010 at 10:54 am

Farida: All these instructions are in the book– you don’t need steam for brioche or other enriched doughs. Jeff

Mark said...
April 14, 2010 at 7:06 am

Eggless Version (silken tofu)

Just baked off my first rolls using this corrected dough and made it eggless using 1 1/2 cups of smooth blended silken tofu. It made a great bread. My son has an egg allergy and I just discovered the magic of silken tofu.

jeff said...
April 14, 2010 at 10:38 am

Thanks for the tip– very interesting, will have to try as an egg substitute.

Amanda said...
April 21, 2010 at 6:40 am

Hi! I want to make the cinnamon crescent rolls using the whole wheat brioche dough and I have a few questions. Can I make the dough, let it rest overnight then the next day make the crescents and let them rise in the fridge all day, come home from work and put them in the preheated oven? I saw something about refrigerator rising (which I tried with a semolina boule from the first book) and it worked well but I am wondering if I can do this with the crescent rolls. Please help! I am limited on time when I get home from work since we have to leave almost right away to a party and I want to bring these rolls to the party (it’s a breakfast for dinner party )

jeff said...
April 21, 2010 at 9:35 am

Amanda: For egg-enriched dough, you should limit the room-temperature time. So start it on the counter, then transfer to fridge at two hours or so. Making the crescents in advance and refrigerating them is great, as you’ve seen with our other recommendations on refrigerator rising on the website here– see the very first entry on our FAQs tab.

Have a great party, wish I were invited

dc said...
May 14, 2010 at 6:04 pm

Hello, I made your Mother’s Day Danish Bread (which was fabulous) and wanted to try it again in a whole grain way for friends this weekend. I think I found another error in the HBin5 recipe – 3/4 cups of butter does not equal 1 1/2 sticks (as stated above and in the book). I was looking at what was left out of a pound of butter after measuring 3/4 cup (less than half) and comparing it against what I had measured out for the ABin5 recipe (http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=357) that calls for 1 1/2 sticks (= 3/4 lb). I put the larger amount of butter in – hope it works out!
Thanks for the great recipes.

dc said...
May 14, 2010 at 6:12 pm

whoops, my bad. HBin5 brioche calls for 3/4 cups butter (=1.5 sticks), ABin5 brioche calls for 1.5 cups butter (= 3 sticks). I was expecting it to be the same.

zoe said...
May 14, 2010 at 8:39 pm

Hi dc,

If you added extra butter to the dough it may change the consistency a bit, but it will taste amazing! Let me know how it comes out.

Enjoy and I’m glad you enjoyed the Danish! Zoë

kathy said...
May 22, 2010 at 4:04 am

I am rather new to this bread baking and I forgot to add the water when making the WW brioche with the liquid ingredients so I thought that was why it didn’t mix right ….. but when I tasted it and got a sore jaw from chewing ….. I knew something was wrong ….. I was so glad to see this ingredient correction ….. maybe I know more than I think about bread which makes me feel good ….. these books have made such a difference in my eating ….. never eat store bought bread now!
Thanks,
Kathy

kathy said...
May 22, 2010 at 4:08 am

Hi again
Just wanted you to know I did finally the water to the dough but not in the correct order
Kathy

jeff said...
May 22, 2010 at 8:08 am

Kathy: No, it wasn’t you– sorry for the error, and glad to hear that the recipes are working for you. Come back anytime with questions.

As for the order of ingredients— with vital wht gluten, you need to whisk together the dry ingredients 1st, then add the wet, otherwise the VWG tends to clump. Jeff

brindilou said...
May 26, 2010 at 5:59 pm

My loaves came out waaaaay too airy and flimsy, not like brioche at all. Followed instructions exactly, EXCEPT my dough rose at room temp for two and a half hours, never collapsed. Continued to rise in refrigerator for another two and a half hours. Put in greased pans, rose for two more hours. Should I have waited longer at room temp? The consistency is just wrong, hard to cut it is so airy. Not my usual experience with a wholemeal bread. Any advice out there?

zoe said...
May 26, 2010 at 6:20 pm

Hi Brindilou,

When you say that it is hard to cut, do you mean that it falls apart?

How long was your dough refrigerated in total before you formed it and baked it? 2 1/2 hours total or more?

The whole wheat brioche is much lighter in texture than the breads that are made without eggs and honey, but it sounds like yours was even more so.

Thanks! Zoë

kathy said...
May 27, 2010 at 6:43 am

Hi
On page 51 AB in five minutes a day the ‘cornstarch wash’ says boil it until it appears glassy. What is glassy? Mine never looks like clear glass however long I boil it.
Kathy

brindilou said...
May 27, 2010 at 10:42 am

In answer to your question, yes it was refrigerated for 2.5 hours after room temp at same amount of time. Then formed and risen another almost 2 hours in pan.
It was difficult to cut because the texture was too light. Any advice on making the whole wheat brioche denser?
I know advice may be in book, but mine hasn’t arrived yet from Amazon.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help!

jeff said...
May 27, 2010 at 10:44 am

Kathy: Well… “glassy” may have been a bit of an overstatement. It does get very smooth and uniform though, then you know you’re done.

Use one coat at the start of baking, then re-coat 10 minutes before the loaf is done for shiniest effect (that’s not in the books). Jeff

jeff said...
May 27, 2010 at 12:29 pm

Brindilou: I think you’ll find that longer storage leaves you with a denser result; you could stagger your batches so that you’re never using a brand-new batch on the same day as it was mixed. Let’s say, 2 or 3 days old (freeze egg-based doughs after five days).

Any chance you are using bleached flour rather than unbleached that we call for? That would leave you with a loaf that lacks adequate structure. And make sure you’re using the scoop-and-sweep method for measurement, I did a video on that at http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1801

Jeff