Barb said...
November 3, 2008 at 4:18 pm

OK – if I’m not a million pounds by the end of this year. Actually not, I bless the extra away – people are amazed. I have three people trying your basic recipe at this time.

It would be awesome to see you have a blog contest for people to send you pictures of their bakings! You would get a TON of exposure. I would gladly help get the word out if you decide to do this? What about a prize, like your book to a random draw from all the entries?

People could upload their photos to say a flickr account and send you the links, – orrr, they could bake your recipe, take a pic, put it on their blog, give you the link, you would randomly pick from all the entries you get?

I just think people would get so involved. I’d like to help get the word out before the holidays as your book would be THE perfect giving gift!

~ Thanks so much for your recipe updates.

(another batch of flatbreads made in my home today! I use NO oil in frying, I do use a lid and I wipe the pan clean between each flatbread so the flour does not accumulate. It makes about 14 8 inch flatbreads per batch!)

jeff said...
November 3, 2008 at 5:09 pm

Barb: There’s some psychic aura happening here, because I’d planned to make this cupcake posting the subject of a giveaway, with people submitting pictures of decorated cupcakes. At the last minute I decided people would feel like they were being asked to jump through hoops, and if truth be told, I WAS going to ask people to make people decorate the cupcakes with Thanksgiving themes. I decided it was too wierd and scrapped it. Well, Zoe and I are going to have some giveaway, we’ll decide in the next week or so.

I’ve tried minimal oil with the pan-baked flatbread, and it does work. At least, in cast-iron or other low-stick surface.

Thanks Barb!

Barb said...
November 4, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Thanks for the info Jeff – I’m totally into a contest and will gladly get the word out any way I can.

I am doing a ‘demo’ of your basic at my husband’s school sometime this month (will bring my book so people can order it and will give your website) I’ve also been asked to do a presentation for my Church at a Women’s meeting in early December, can’t think of a better demo than your bread, for bread is a very biblical theme – as is ’sharing it out’

Thank you and Zoe for all you do!

By the way I use NO oil at all with the flatbreads – just make sure to ’shake’ the bread so most flour is removed and then wipe the pan out gently between breads each time, only takes a moment. This may really appeal to people who have a ‘no fat’ diet? Also, I believe it would help them store longer?

I’m making some olive and rosemary foccacia out of your boule dough today – I make it by rolling out a good size ball to about 1.5 inches thick, then ’stud’ it with olives by genly pressing them in, then sprinkle with rosemary, and optional, cheese of some sort, sparingly. I cook it at the 450 temp, till done. I will take some photos and post them to my blog tomorrow!

Kristen said...
November 4, 2008 at 12:55 pm

Ok, those mini muffins look tasty, and a good use for my new mini muffin pans, which I’ve been in love with. And which I was inspired to get after the mini cinnamon roll recipe (just made some on Sunday).

What about adding mini chocolate chips to it? Frosting is too hard, esp. with the little minis.

jeff said...
November 4, 2008 at 2:36 pm

Kristen: Mini chocolate chips are a great idea, I just did that as a variation.

Barb: If you can get the pan bread to bake through without scorching, more power to you. I tend to get impatient and wish I had the fat to protect against scorching. But I have had some success doing it this way when I’m wanting to be lean. Jeff

At Home with Kim Vallee said...
November 4, 2008 at 5:12 pm

My Picks on Tastespotting…

My Picks on Tastespotting…

Barb said...
November 5, 2008 at 10:59 am

Hi Jeff and Zoe,

I’d INTENDED on making foccacia but instead created a version of your couronne – and blogged it – along with links to two friends who have done their first batches of your basic recipe – with great success! I’ve added links to their blogs on mine, I thought you might like to visit their blogs to see their success – great exposure for your book. The both have photos of their breads and in fact my one friend, Cicero Sings bought your book!

Is it ok if I add a permanent link from my blog to yours? I have a feeling I’m going to be baking my way through the entire cookbook… I’m hooked!

jeff said...
November 5, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Sure Barb, thanks for doing all this!

Doreen said...
November 5, 2008 at 2:45 pm

Yumm… those look delicious .. I guess it’s time for me to make some chocolate dough!

alexandra’s kitchen said...
November 7, 2008 at 11:12 am

Those look heavenly. I would love to dunk that in my coffee in the morning. Is that strange?

jeff said...
November 7, 2008 at 12:35 pm

No, it’s perfect. Very Milan. I’ll have to check if they do that over there with chocolatey things, I know they do it with anise cookies etc.

Robin said...
November 7, 2008 at 3:35 pm

Just want to say..I am such a convert to making my own bread using your method. I’ve made a new loaf every day for the past week! And my family is LOVING it. Next up..these cupcakes. My little guy will be so happy!

jeff said...
November 7, 2008 at 4:21 pm

Welcome to the site Robin! Thanks so much for trying our method… Jeff

Cakelaw said...
November 10, 2008 at 3:55 pm

This is a great idea – perfect for those who don’t like the full on sugary chocolate cake experience.

Thanks for dropping by my blog – I love the book, as it makes bread making so easy.

jeff said...
November 10, 2008 at 7:20 pm

Welcome to the site, Cakelaw! Thanks for the kind words. We keep meeting people all over the world this way… Jeff

Sarah said...
December 14, 2008 at 8:43 am

I think those look great! I would love to make those with the chocolate dough I currently have but I am having some problems with it. I mixed everything up as suggested and left it to rise, but it didn’t rise at all. In fact, I still saw bit of yeast in the dough, which has never happened to me before. I don’t think I killed my yeast, because I didn’t add anything that was too hot. (I also made buttermilk bread the same night and it rose fine, so my yeast is fine)

The dough seems very tough. Should I perhaps add some water and see if that helps?

jeff said...
December 14, 2008 at 10:44 am

Hmm. Add a little lukewarm water, and leave the whole thing out at room temperature for a few hours and see what happens.

In our brioches (this is a chocolate brioche), we’ve frequently noticed particles, but I don’t think they’re yeast– honey crystallizing is more likely.

Let’s see what happens. Jeff

Elvira said...
February 1, 2009 at 8:06 am

A comment from Kriaten dated 11/4/08 mentioned a mini cinnameon recipe. Where can I find the recipe?

Thank you!

Elvira said...
February 1, 2009 at 8:07 am

Kristen:
sorry for misspelling your name. Sticky fingers (lol)

jeff said...
February 1, 2009 at 3:01 pm

Not sure what exactly she meant. The chocolate bread recipe is on page 211 of our book (here’s the URL to purchase on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/4as4qd). Pecan Cinnamon rolls are on page 187). My guess is that she made the page 187 recipe in the mini pan. Jeff

Elvira said...
February 1, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Thank you, Jeff.

I received the book from Amazaon yesterday. I love the easy to understand instructions and am looking forward to your second book. Thans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gail Parran said...
February 2, 2009 at 8:08 am

Hi – I got the book for Christmas and just love it. I’ve had great success so far with the basic recipe and the light whole wheat, which I made into rolls and bagettes yesterday. I’d like to try the chocolate cupcakes but have a couple of questions. The recipe for chocolate dough calls for cocoa – should I use natural or dutch process? Also, I like to weight my dough, so about how much should I use for each cupcake? Thanks much.

jeff said...
February 2, 2009 at 8:51 am

Gail: about the cocoa, doesn’t matter (see page 12 of the book). Should be about 2 ounces per cupcake but don’t quote me on this! All depends on the size of your cupcake pan; experiment with a few and weigh as you go to get a better estimate.

owepgrer said...
February 5, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Your site displays incorrectly in Explorer, but content excellent! Thank you for your wise words.

jeff said...
February 5, 2009 at 7:28 pm

What problems are you noticing in Explorer? What version of Explorer are you using?

Jen Tavernier said...
November 23, 2009 at 5:51 pm

I am totally hooked! (and new) this makes bread dough simple and understandable! Romans ruled! (I read the intro in Barnes&Noble, although couldn’t buy it yet)
I am not afraid to bake ANYTHING now.
I have never had a bread machine, but a friend gave me two ‘mixes’ about 6 months ago – (like I wasn’t even baking?)
BUT!
Because I am now in love with baking, (after 1 week) I took her no direction bag – (cinnRaisin) went with a ratio –
(3 cups flour = @ 1 1/2 water – so I figured @ 1/2 cup water to 1 cup flour )
1/2 tsp yeast to the whole thing – and voila!!!
The dough rose beautifully, smelled outarageous, and is now on it’s final rest
before baking. I found this site, because as her bag had 4 cups dry mix, I had leftover
dough from my two little pots, so I made mini breadlets – and knew the cooking time would be different! Thank you for those mini muffin pointers! (cook times)

I am singing the praises of Jeff and bread,
I who was no baker (except for chocchip cookies) am now fearless, and proved that when you have received the simple basics,
you can make bread out of anything!

(Proof – the scary blank plastic bag of bread mix – and yes, I was scared of it – but yearning anyway)
Last night with abandon, I figured if it wasn’t workable, all it cost me was a 1/2 tsp of yeast. And oh, the dough is beautiful.!!!! Can’t wait to bake!!!

I think this is gonna be great with the indian bread flours – (chickpea and semolina – as I amke a handvo (veg and spices) but want something not so spongy – more breadlike….

I am saving up for a cookbook – (budget is non-existant) and I loved the history and the intro, where you brought the simplicity back! Those earlier civilizations knew their stuff – never doubt it!!
Thank you thank you thank you!
And thank god I run a rooming house –
Poor, but 21 great tenants who are ALWAYS willing to eat!
I am so blown away, and baking has turned into a natural for me – who would have thought!?
Jen Tavernier -

jeff said...
November 24, 2009 at 8:40 am

Jen: Thanks for your note, very sweet of you to say all this…. Jeff

cookworm said...
January 26, 2010 at 2:31 pm

Regarding rest times for making the chocolate bread dough in either mini-muffin or standard muffin tins:

If you’re using fresh, non-refrigerated dough, is there a rest time in the tins before putting in the oven? If you’re using refrigerated dough, is there a rest time in the tins before putting in the oven?

I just made up a half batch of this dough to try…the dough is SCRUMPTIOUS, and I CANNOT WAIT until it finishes baking to try it!

jeff said...
January 26, 2010 at 7:04 pm

Cookworm: If it’s non-refrigerated, it just needs less time. Whatever you were doing for refrigerated dough, you can cut that in half for fresh stuff. Jeff