Maria said...
September 9, 2009 at 8:47 am

Homemade bread is the only way to go! Love the last photo! I love veggie sandwiches with hummus. I also like natural PB w/agave and banana slices!

zoe said...
September 9, 2009 at 9:00 am

Hi Maria,

Charlie also loves PB with bananas and honey. I’ll have to try the agave instead!

Thanks, Zoë

ran said...
September 9, 2009 at 9:08 am

Thanks for showing this. I am wanting to make my sandwich bread, as well as the wonderful crispy loaf I make every week, from the book, the boule. I will definitely try this.

sarah sorge said...
September 9, 2009 at 10:40 am

you cant beat fresh home made bread and Vegemite! yum!

Sandra Rice said...
September 9, 2009 at 11:41 am

Oh I agree, fall is sandwich time, and I am ready to fire up the oven! Thanks for this post – it is always great to come here and get new ideas (my favorite sandwich is simply home made bread!!)

Julie said...
September 9, 2009 at 11:57 am

I’m glad you posted this! I have had limited success with this kind of sandwich bread, and I can’t wait to try it!

Tracy said...
September 9, 2009 at 12:52 pm

I’ve been wondering which recipes in the book would make great sandwich breads! Thanks!!

zoe said...
September 9, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Hi Sarah,

Several of my Australian friends have tried to convince me of this as well! I’m going to have to try it with my kids.

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
September 9, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Hi Julie,

I hope this will help with your loaf pan breads. if you still have questions please let us know!

Thanks, Zoë

arcy said...
September 9, 2009 at 3:43 pm

I have problems with loaf ‘’splitting” and I am not alone.I am testing my oven for unbalanced element in my 14 year old stove. Trying better shaping and regular yeast rather than SAS. Bread is fine just the split crust. Will try this new posting. Thanks arcy

zoe said...
September 9, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Hi Arcy,

the only way to avoid random splitting is to slash the dough about 1/4-inch deep. This will allow it to open with purpose and design, rather than splitting open as the dough pleases. Sometimes if you are getting crazy splitting in the dough it means that it is not resting enough before going in the oven.

Definitely check your oven for accurate temperature, but then also try slashing and resting longer.

Thanks, Zoë

janknitz said...
September 9, 2009 at 6:29 pm

Thanks, I’ve been looking for a way to get a softer crust without using butter or something to soften it.

Helen in CA said...
September 9, 2009 at 11:38 pm

Perfect timing! I’ve been struggling about how to achieve sandwich bread for DH.

Helen in CA said...
September 9, 2009 at 11:41 pm

I’ve a ? about TAPENADE BREAD (pg 55). I’m confused about adding the tapenade. Is it incorporated when making the dough?
Is it swirled in?
I can’t figger it out. Many thanks. I love tapenade & I think this might be perfect to bring along w/ red pepper fougasse & goat cheese for a meeting where I’m to provide “a little something”.

Thanks!

Di said...
September 10, 2009 at 6:13 am

Having bread for my daughter’s lunches is one of the big reasons why I started baking all my own bread back in January. B prefers small rolls or mini bagels to sandwich bread though. I use a variety of recipes (I’m also doing the BBA Challenge), but the ABin5 dough method definitely helps me keep fresh bread on hand a lot of the time.

Rosemary C said...
September 10, 2009 at 8:49 am

Beautiful bread! Beautiful boy!

Kelly Jad’on said...
September 10, 2009 at 10:29 am

As a parent of teenagers who run out the door at 7AM for school, I find that they often are able and willing to grab PBJs on whole wheat from me. Do you have any great variations on this? We sometimes use sunflower butter and sprinkle in crushed flax seeds.

Janice said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:01 pm

This is excellent, thank you! I’ve been baking a 2 lb loaf at 450 for 35 min which works most of the time. But if I make a loaf with fresh dough (not put in the fridge), the top of the loaf will be overcooked and dry. This should solve the problem. Yum!

zoe said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:27 pm

Hi Helen,

The tapenade was intended to go right into the dough. Having said that you can always add it to a dough that you already have. It would be really great done like this: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=890

I hope this post helps with your sandwich loaves, let us know if you have any other questions!

Zoë

zoe said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:29 pm

Hi Di,

Glad to hear that you are baking so much, you must be very busy in the kitchen these days! Nice place to be!

Zoë

zoe said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Thanks Rosemary, I made them both myself!

Zoë

zoe said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:32 pm

Hi Kelly,

Have you tried cashew butter with bananas and a touch of honey!

Enjoy, Zoë

zoe said...
September 10, 2009 at 3:33 pm

Hi Janice,

I hope this helps! Enjoy, Zoë

Judy L said...
September 11, 2009 at 8:14 am

Hi Jeff,’

LOVE the picture of your son! And he is eating HEALTHY foods, that’s great.

I’m trying to figure out why sometimes people use a 9×5 loaf pan, and other times people use the 81/2 x 4 1/2- inch loaf pan. Can you please explain why you chose the smaller size pan for this loaf? THANKS. Judy

Roselle said...
September 11, 2009 at 3:08 pm

I was actually curious if one could adapt the very same bread recipe for this bread into a hamburger/hot dog bun? I work in a bakery here in MN as a baker’s helper. I’ve watched the bakers make buns with pressure and circular motions. Can you do the same with these recipes even though it’s no-knead?

Jane Lok said...
September 11, 2009 at 10:17 pm

Zoe and Jeff,
I recently had wonderful mocha pastry roll at an Asian bakery shop (it is called 85C, in Irvine, CA apparently it is a famous chain in Taiwan). It had a mocha taste in the dough and it had walnuts and a creamy buttery filling, like a cinnamon roll with mocha taste and walnut filling.
I have been there 5 times this year, as we drive through that town on our way from Northern CA to San Diego, and every time there were lines out the shop waiting for that bread. It was amazing, I was wondering if you have experimented adding coffee to the brioche dough, I wanted to start experimenting using instant cofee, however not sure how much should I use, and the dough was sweeter than the ones in AB5, so not sure what will happen if I add more sugar to the dough, or should I just sprinkle it. Just wondering if you had any experience with this.

zoe said...
September 12, 2009 at 6:16 am

Hi Judy,

We just chose the pan based on the most commonly used loaf pan. It turns out that most people bake with the 8.5×4.5 size pans. If you want to bake in your larger pan, you will need to increase the amount of dough (fill it about 3/4 way full).

Thank you, I think my son is pretty cute too. You do know that Jeff and I are not married, just partners in baking.

Zoë

zoe said...
September 12, 2009 at 6:22 am

Hi Roselle,

The dough works wonderfully as hamburger or hot dog buns, it is all in the shaping. I tend to use the enriched doughs like brioche or challah for this type of bun, but the buttermilk dough is great as well. Here is a post I did about shaping buns, but for hamburger buns I’d start with 3 or 4 ounces (not 2). For hamburger buns you want them to be a bit flatter and for hot dogs you want to elongate the dough into a baguette shape before resting.

Which bakery do you work in? Happy baking! Zoë

zoe said...
September 12, 2009 at 6:37 am

Hi Jane,

That bread does sound amazing! I’d start with about 1 tablespoon instant powdered coffee in a full batch of brioche. You can increase from there if the taste is not intense enough for you. I’d try leaving the dough as is and just layering on the sweetness in the filling. If it is still not sweet enough for you, then try adding about 1/4 cup of sugar to the dough. I don’t think it will adversely effect the dough, but much more than that will require monkeying with the hydration!

Have fun and be sure to let me know how it goes and send me the recipe you come up with!

Zoë

Roselle said...
September 13, 2009 at 1:03 pm

I work at one of the Cub Food bakeries in the twin cities, in Crystal, MN. I’ll definitely make up a batch tonight for sloppy joes! Thanks.

auntfoosue said...
September 14, 2009 at 12:47 pm

Hi guys, I love the idea behind this book. when you say to mix and store the dough in a large plastic container with a lid, you then say it should not be airtight. do you mean to leave the lid a bit askew or do something like poke holes in the lid. To me if I put the lid on all the way it becomes airtight. Please help. thanks.

zoe said...
September 14, 2009 at 8:41 pm

Hi Auntfoosue,

You can either leave the lid a tiny bit askew (just enough for the gases to escape) or poke a tiny hole in the lid. I have some buckets with holes and they work wonderfully, for the others I leave them askew, with equally good results.

Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

Helen in CA said...
September 16, 2009 at 10:23 am

Wanted to let you know:

I made the red pepper fougasse & olive bread (kalamata olives) using olive oil dough as part of the food I brought for a meeting yesterday.

The folks couldn’t stop talking about how good the food was (served it w/ goat cheese). They were astounded that a non-professional had made bread that looked and tasted as it did.

And yes, I shared about your book (not one of those “family secret” bakers. always thought that was silly).

This is a bi-monthly meeting where different folks rotate bringing refreshments……and they’ve never raved before. Ever. Just snacked and gotten to the meeting’s business.

Kudo’s to your recipes and techniques!!!

Beate Pregitzer said...
September 16, 2009 at 11:41 am

Hallo Mrs. Francois, Mr. Hertzberg,

today I baked the Sandwichbread, my kids and I love it so much!!

Thank you for all the wonderful bread-recipes in you`re book ABin5.

I´m waiting exited about your new book.

Many friendly greetings comes from germany
from B. Pregitzer

Mrs. Team S said...
September 16, 2009 at 7:07 pm

The Whole Wheat Brioche recipe in your new book- does it use only whole wheat flour or do you use other flour as well?

I really love your method but I would like to start grinding my own wheat. I would like a recipe that works with freshly ground hard white or red wheat. Do you have a recipe that meets the criteria?

My husband LOVES his freshly baked bread. Thank you so much for making it so easy. Have a blessed day!

jeff said...
September 17, 2009 at 6:44 am

Thanks Helen, such a fun image at a meeting!

jeff said...
September 17, 2009 at 6:45 am

Thanks Ms. Pregitzer. We love hearing from folks overseas, especially from countries where we know the bread is outstanding! Jeff

jeff said...
September 17, 2009 at 6:48 am

Mrs TS: Any of the recipes that call for whole wheat should work well with home-ground stuff, though the result will be different because home-ground is usually coarser (though that depends on your grinder). “Hard” wheat (sometimes referred to as “red”) is higher in protein so you may have to increase the water slightly if it’s a high whole wheat recipe. Jeff

Robyn said...
September 18, 2009 at 10:16 am

Hi Zoe and Jeff. I bought the book 3 weeks ago and have loved everything I have made so far. I am currently making the recipe in this post for my kids’ lunches and have found that I can only get about 3 pound of dough. I have made the recipe 4 times now and each time I get no more than 3 or 3 1/4 pounds which makes 2 loaves. Is there something else I should be doing? I am also wondering if it freezes well once baked. Thanks for your help. I can’t wait for the next book and 2 of my friends have bought the current book after tasting the proof!
Robyn

jay said...
September 18, 2009 at 11:48 am

zoe & joe, been hearing about the book forever and finally got my hands on a copy! trying to master the master recipe, for some reason it doesn’t seem to rise much after the gluten cloak, i tried resting longer, resting in a warmer place, tried a second batch wetter … not sure what the problem may be. the small little dense loaves have been yummy, but would be nice to get a bigger, hole-ier loaf!

zoe said...
September 19, 2009 at 6:16 am

Hi Robyn,

Thank you for trying the bread, we are glad that you are enjoying it! We wrote the book using 1 1/2-pound loaves for sandwich breads and have discovered that most people want a slightly larger loaf. In this post I have you using 2 pounds which means you may not have enough dough for a few loaves. The recipes are easily doubled if you find that you are going through them too quickly!

Enjoy! Zoë

zoe said...
September 19, 2009 at 6:22 am

Hi Jay,

Our dough never really “rises” much before going into the oven, instead we see a tremendous oven “spring” as it bakes. Here is a post about loaves with a dense crumb that may be helpful to you: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=141

It sounds like you have tried many of the tips that I mention. The one thing many bakers do with our dough is to over handle it. It is very important to handle it as little as possible when shaping. It should really only take about 20-30 seconds to form a loaf with a very gentle touch. The idea is to maintain all of the gas bubbles that have developed as it was rising in the bucket.

I should also ask if you live in the Mountains?

Keep me posted! Thanks, Zoë

Pam Weisbrod said...
September 19, 2009 at 2:54 pm

Wow! We just cut into our holiday round raisin challah and it is amazing. I was worried about using the Fleishmans margarine instead of butter but it turned out beautifully. Just one question: It shows rolling up the raisins from the short edge of the rectangle. What would happen if I rolled it from the long side?

Peter A (New Zealand) said...
September 19, 2009 at 10:43 pm

Just coincidentally I baked a loaf in a loaf tin this morning. I hadnt read this post but it worked out that I pretty much did the same as you suggested. Only difference was I used a basic ‘master’ dough (same amount about 2lb) and let it rest in a buttered loaf pan in the fridge overnight. It baked in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes but the last 10 mins I tipped the loaf out of the tin and replaced it in the oven. Absolutely brilliant result.

Cheers

zoe said...
September 20, 2009 at 5:54 am

Hi Pam,

So glad that your challah came out well with the margarine. If you roll the dough from the long end you will have a much longer log of dough to wind up. It will have a different aesthetic, but will be equally as tasty! Try it and be sure to let us know how it goes!

Thanks, Zoë

zoe said...
September 20, 2009 at 5:56 am

Hi Peter,

So glad the over night rise is working for you. Gives you more flexibility in baking. Sounds like your bread was wonderful.

Thanks, Zoë

Beth said...
September 20, 2009 at 6:10 pm

Hi Zoe and Jeff. I have a recipe request. I lost a recipe I was going to modify using your dough. It was for an apple calzone. It cooked the apples before putting them in the dough. Since it is apple season I was hoping it might be something you could think about. Thanks for all the great recipes.

jay said...
September 21, 2009 at 12:53 am

thanks zoe for the quick response – did a new batch and tried to handle it for no more than 5 secs … also let it rest longer and i found a nice big hole (albeit just one) in the resulting loaf … going to keep on trying … could it be that i’m overmixing the ingredients (i’m using a KA stand mixer instead of mixing by hand)?

also i don’t have any plastic buckets big enough to hold the dough, would a stock pot work? that way my mixer bowl isn’t held hostage by the dough (although it’s usually gone by day 3)? thanks again, loving reading all the helpful tips on your site!

jeff said...
September 21, 2009 at 6:39 am

Beth: I’m guessing that you can sprinkle the apples with some cinnamon-sugar (about a tablespoon of sugar and a quarter-teaspoon of cinammon, then just roll them in. I’m not sure you really need to cook the apples first— in the new book we have a recipe for apple challah that starts with raw cubed apple (1/2-inch cubes) and they soften nicely in the bread. Jeff

jeff said...
September 21, 2009 at 6:49 am

Jay: So long as you’re using the mixer BEFORE the initial rise, I can’t imagine that would be a problem. But see what happens if you minimize that, or mix by hand. Other question– any chance you are using bleached flour, rather than unbleached? That doesn’t work at all well in our recipes.

Stock pot is fine, with its lid. Jeff

jay said...
September 21, 2009 at 10:25 pm

hey jeff, i just mixed one by hand, let’s see what happens .. i may indeed be using bleached flour … and i know to buy unbleached when i go through my tub … although from what i read, bleached flour usually leads to a wetter mess … me, i’m already down to 6 cups flour and i’m still seeing flour at the bottom of the bowl/pot. i’m in vancouver, canada, where it’s rather humid … so you’d think the dough wouldn’t be dry, but regardless my friends seem to be very happy that they’re all of a sudden getting fresh bread!

jeff said...
September 22, 2009 at 9:45 am

Had a feeling it was bleached flour!

Jonathan said...
September 24, 2009 at 9:18 am

Hi Zoë and Jeff,

I’ve been making lots of sandwich loaves with the boule recipe. I recently covered the pan loosely with tinfoil, baked at 450 for 30 minutes, then removed the foil, added steam, and baked for another 30 minutes. The crust and the bread was amazing, a rich, caramel color. However, the inside was still undercooked and a little sticky, good, but not quite there. Should I increase the temperature or the time? Since the outside looked and tasted so amazing, I am trying to preserve that part…

zoe said...
September 24, 2009 at 8:38 pm

Hi Jonathan,

Do you have an oven thermometer? It sounds as though your oven may be a bit off if the loaf is still not baked after an hour in the oven.

The steam is used to create a shine on the dough and to allow the top crust to soften and expand, generally this is only done during the first 10-15 minutes of baking. Chances are that the steam is not adding much to the process if you are doing it at the second half of the baking.

Are you covering the loaf with foil to prevent burning or to trap the internal steam?

Are you letting the loaf cool completely before slicing? The cooling of the loaf allows the excess moisture to escape and set the crumb of the bread. If you cut it while it is still warm it will be gummy on the inside.

I hope this helps. Thank you for trying the dough and writing to us with your process! Zoë

T. Ruby said...
September 25, 2009 at 1:49 pm

Love, love, LOVE the whole wheat sandwich bread!! We cannot get enough of it. I have NEVER found a bread so yummy, so easy, or so perfect. Thank you!

My son loves it when I bake the bread in sub style loaves. We top it with nitrate-free pepperoni and salami, provolone cheese, fresh spinach, and msg-free ranch. He gobbles them up!

Heidi said...
September 27, 2009 at 6:25 am

your wheat above doesn’t look like the very open crumb of the master recipe or baguette – how did you change it?

jeff said...
September 27, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Heidi: Loaves made with lots of dough in a deep pan don’t typically get a very open crumb, so this is about what we’d expect. Jeff

Suzan said...
September 28, 2009 at 10:00 am

Hi –

My pan is smaller and I used 1.5 lbs of dough because that much filled the pan 2/3 full. I let it rise and bake with your times and I think it overbaked. It overflowed the pan and I had to cut around it to get it out (the pan was greased but who would have thought to grease the top). Anyway, the bread was difficult to cut – it kept breaking into two pieces. Next time I will definitely use less dough but should I stay at the same temp and decrease the bake time? If so, when would be a good time to start checking it?

Suzan

zoe said...
September 28, 2009 at 7:02 pm

Hi Susan,

Were you using the whole wheat dough? It is quite uncharacteristic for the dough to overflow the pan. What size pan was it? If you are using the mini loaf pans then you need to decrease the amount of dough and the baking times. Let me know what size the pan is and what kind of dough and I’ll help you figure out the baking time.

Do you use an oven thermometer? This will be essential to make sure your loaves are not over baking!

Thanks! Zoë

Laura said...
October 1, 2009 at 1:11 pm

Thank you!!! This is the one thing I have not reliably been able to do, is make sandwich bread that my kids will accept is sandwich bread. I am going to try it with these adjustments and see how we go!

FYI, I just wanted to let you know that I wrote a tutorial/review of your book on my blog:
http://chickencounting.blogspot.com/2009/09/staff-of-life.html

Sounds a little hokey to say that your book has changed my life, but… it’s kinda true. Thanks.

neena said...
October 1, 2009 at 1:26 pm

I bought the book and tried out the basic dough (halved it) for the first time. I was really excited and I’m a good baker, but the dough became dry. I left in the fridge for 3 days before baking it. I baked it but it came out kind of raw and dry. (I still need to buy an oven thermometer). I think the book specified a non-airtight container. Is there something else I could be doing wrong?

zoe said...
October 1, 2009 at 6:47 pm

Hi Neena,

The bucket should be closed, just not air tight. If there is too much air circulating in the bucket a skin may develop on the dough.

Is the dough feel as though it has a skin or is it too tight, as in not enough water? It may be helpful to watch our video and compare your dough to what we are using. If it looks the same as ours, then it may be a matter of the oven temperature or other baking issues. After you watch the video, let me know if that is helpful!

videos: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=63

Thanks, Zoë

Marta said...
October 5, 2009 at 4:06 am

Hello, I wonder whether this question is already answered on your site somewhere and I can’t see it, but… is there a maximum resting time for loaves after shaping and before baking? For example if I put a loaf from the master recipe or even a brioche out last thing before bedtime, to cook in the morning, would that work okay?

jeff said...
October 5, 2009 at 9:34 am

It is possible to “over-proof” stored dough breads. You’ll know you went too far when free-form loaves have spread too far sideways and have flattened. In loaf pans, they rise, then over-rise, then collapse. Risk is a too-dense bread, but there’s nothing awful about it. Generally, you can go 90 minutes or a little more and the result is great. Some people have preferred our stuff a little more rested, like 90 minutes.

For overnight, try the refrigerator rise method: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=141

Marta said...
October 5, 2009 at 2:33 pm

Great – thank you so much; and let me add to the chorus of thanks for producing your book, which is helping me repatriate from France back to Australia with a little more daily pleasure.

Suzan said...
October 5, 2009 at 6:34 pm

Hi Zoe,

I am using the smaller pans – measure about 9×5 – almost 3″ tall. I have used them before (successfully but too much crust for my SO) for the 100% ww recipe, which I tried here. My oven temp is correct. I think I overproofed it. I probably need less dough and an ajustment on temp and baking time. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Suzan

zoe said...
October 5, 2009 at 7:03 pm

Hi Suzan,

If your dough is coming up and over the pan with a 1.5-pound loaf in a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan you may be over proofing the dough. Does it have any oven spring when you are baking it, does it get any taller? Or does it collapse? Are you baking at a high altitude by any chance?

Most people have the opposite experience with the 100% whole wheat dough, it usually doesn’t even reach the top of the pan when using that much dough. Your bread has me very curious!?

Thanks, Zoë

Suzan said...
October 6, 2009 at 6:53 am

I am in Des Plaines, IL – very flat land. I think I overproofed it. I’ve been playing with the recipe since day 1 so I know what you mean about ww problems not rising. This one was at the top of the pan when I stuck it in the oven and then it went about an inch higher. I have ordered a bigger pan but it’s not shipping until Nov so I’d like to try this again in the smaller pan, if possible. I think 1 lb. instead of 1.5 lbs of doubh would work. Can you suggest times for proofing and baking and also temp. My goal (I know, I know, it’s contrary to the basic philosophy of the book *G*) is to get a softer crust so I can get John to eat it instead of the (fill in bad word here) that he buys at the supermarket.

/s

zoe said...
October 6, 2009 at 9:48 pm

Hi Suzan,

If you eliminate the steam in the oven and paint the top crust with butter as it is coming out of the oven the bread will have a softer crust. This may be a good solution for John?

Give it a try and let me know if this helps!

Zoë

Suzan said...
October 7, 2009 at 8:32 am

Hi Zoe,

I have done that in the past. It’s a little better. I find that wrapping it in a towel after taking it out of the pan works also. I had hoped that these new instructions might work even better. I compared them to the original recipe and the difference is in the baking time/temp. I have some rising right now. I am going to try baking it longer at a lower temp and see what that does. I let you know. Thanks.

jeff said...
October 7, 2009 at 1:43 pm

Suzan: Interesting— we recommend that towel-wrapping trick to keep our pita breads soft (http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=518). Never tried it on a loaf bread but sounds like a good strategy. Let us know about your longer slower bake… Jeff

Jo said...
October 9, 2009 at 11:55 pm

Hi Zoe and Jeff,
Greetings from Westen Austraia. This is my first time posting on your blog. I’ve been lurking for a while learning from you and everyone else and of course waiting for my copy of your book to arrive. So far I’ve tried the Master Recipe and today, the WW Sandwich bread. I’m gobsmacked as to how good this loaf tastes – the crumb is so moist and tender with nice big holes in it. I don’t think I can justify buying another commercially made loaf (sorry but except for a sourdough loaf from my local baker ) after trying this recipe. I can’t wait to try the other recipes. I’m now definitely pre ordering your next book. Thanks again.

jeff said...
October 10, 2009 at 6:49 am

Jo: Welcome to the site, love hearing from people overseas. Assume you meant Australia, not Austria (see typo); where are you getting the book in Austrailia, someone asked us and we weren’t clear on where to send them. Jeff

Jo said...
October 10, 2009 at 3:15 pm

Hi Jeff, sorry for the typo. I am from Australia. I usually get my books online these days. I find the UK based website called The Book Depository really good with competitive prices and fast shipping. Fishpond is also quite good. (I actually pre-ordered your book through them.) I think they are affiliated with Amazon Books. I would have ordered from Book Depository if they had the hardback edition of your new book. Subsequently, you can make your books available through Borders.

I’ve seen posts from other parts of Australia and New Zealand and I would have to agree that doing a book tour Down Under is an excellent idea. We may be a smaller country (population wise) when compared to the US but I think we’re a fantastic foodie nation and you’ll definitely generate a lot of interest.

Did you include weighed measurements in your new book?

Jo

jeff said...
October 11, 2009 at 6:32 am

Jo: We should already be available through Borders.

In the new book, the Master Recipe has weight equivalents printed right in there with the US volumes. For the rest of the book, we’ve included a conversion table, you’ll see.

I would LOVE to be sent on tour to Aus/NZ, but I’m guessing we won’t be able to sell the publisher on that one! Jeff

ts said...
October 11, 2009 at 12:13 pm

I’ve been using your buttermilk loaf recipe the last few weeks – I use 1/2 recipe for one big loaf and they have been coming out great. To help the overhandling issue, I divide the dough in two and form two balls to drop in the pan. It gets a custom look (butt crack?) but I find it easier to deal with than a big ball of dough. Substituting 1/3 ww flour was fine too.
Thanks – we are enjoying sandwich loaves over hard crusts right now.

zoe said...
October 11, 2009 at 7:40 pm

Hi TS,

Thank you for the great idea! I’m sure this method will be very helpful to many folks.

Enjoy, Zoë

Barbara said...
October 12, 2009 at 10:08 am

Hi Zoe and Jeff,
I tried the sandwich bread this weekend and I used the light whole wheat recipe. I had tried the sandwich bread instructions in the book before and I wasn’t too thrilled with the results. But these instructions worked great! I have to admit that I thought baking the bread for one hour sounded a little long. When I took the finished loaf out of the oven, it was very hard and I got a little nervous, but as the loaf cooled the crust softened a bit and the result was delicious. Thanks again!!! Simple and delicious.

Sara said...
October 12, 2009 at 11:11 am

Hi! I LOVE the book and have used it for pizza, panetonne, hot cross buns, and sandwich bread. I have found that my sandwich bread ends up pretty dense. After reading all your posts (thanks so much for responding to people -wow a rarity these days!) and wonder if I’m not over-proofing? The bread doesn’t rise very much on the counter and then doesn’t rise in the oven either. I live at 3,000 feet so not exactly high altitude, but I wonder if I should change anything? I have also found my brioche dough turns out kinda dry. Any tips for better texture?
Many thanks again for your book and helpful tips and comments!

jeff said...
October 12, 2009 at 12:44 pm

Barbara: Yep, crusts will soften as they sit… glad this worked well for you. Jeff

jeff said...
October 12, 2009 at 12:46 pm

Sara: You’re not technically high-altitude, but maybe that’s the first thing I’d try. See our post on this at http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=144. If none of those suggestions help, check back with us here. Over-proofing can happen when you go longer than about 90 minutes (60 minutes if it’s warm), but maybe in your environment? Jeff

Kathryn said...
October 19, 2009 at 2:19 pm

In the new book, are there any breads that are low carb? I have diabetes, and it’s hard to find yummy bread that isn’t very high in carbs.

jeff said...
October 20, 2009 at 4:28 am

Kathryn: Although we don’t promote any bread as “low-carbohydrate,” there choices in our new book that are lower in carbs than others. Specifically, we have a 100% spelt bread, and any of the 100% whole grain breads are going to be lower in carbs than breads made with white flour. Just be careful not to see whole grain bread as a low-calorie food– it’s not really lower in calories than white bread, it’s just that the calories are coming from a better source (eg., wheat germ, which is high in healthy oils).

Spelt, a wheat variety, is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than regular wheat.

According to the American Diabetes Association, whole grain foods are thought to decrease the risk of developing diabetes, presumably because of their lower glycemic index. Jeff

Karen U said...
October 23, 2009 at 6:39 am

I don’t know if this has been addressed here or not, but I was wondering if it’s possible to par-bake your artisan breads?

I will be short on time on the day I want a warm, fresh baked loaf. In order to have what I want (!), I will need to bake the bread tonight.

If it’s possible, at what point would you take it out of the oven. I would imagine that par- baking would also help around the holidays, when everyone is time crunched.
Thanks

zoe said...
October 23, 2009 at 10:06 pm

Hi Karen,

You can par-bake the loaves. Just bake them about 90% of the way, so they are not quite brown, but fully baked. Allow the loaf to cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze. On the day you bake all you want to do it to crisp up and brown the crust when you put it back in the oven. Allow the bread to defrost on the counter while you are preheating the oven, about 30 minutes. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the crust is brown. All of this is talked about in more detail on page 24 of ABin5.

Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

JaclynS said...
November 4, 2009 at 7:03 pm

Hey, Zoe and Jeff! I am so excited to use your book! I made my first batch of dough yesterday (the day HBin5 came in the mail). I just made the Master whole wheat loaf dough. I decided to make the sandwich bread from page 62, since I thought it’d be the most eaten in my home and I don’t want to waste and have my dough go bad before eating up all the bread. I followed the directions. my result was a really hard, almost too hard (yet not overly dark), crust, but a really dense, not very airy crumb. Plus, the crumb feels a little cool and almost moist to the touch now that I’ve cut into the cooled loaf. Is it underbaked? I just read it could’ve been the King Arthur brand flour I used. What did I do wrong?? I want beautiful sandwich bread. Is the rest of the batch of dough ruined? …Also, I didn’t have an oven thermometer yet. I was a little anxious to start baking.

zoe said...
November 4, 2009 at 11:34 pm

Hi Jaclyn,

It could be the King Arthur flour is making the dough too dry and therefore the bread comes out too dense. Try adding a little more water to the dough next time.

Did the dough have any stretch to it when you formed it into the loaf? If you watch our videos you can see what the texture is supposed to look like. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=63

If you determine that this batch is too wet, you can add a few tablespoons of water and mix it well in a mixer. Adding the water by hand at this point is quite difficult.

Thank you! Zoë

Gretel said...
November 5, 2009 at 7:30 pm

I’m a recent convert to this book (and this recipe, tried it today!), and I can’t seem to find this answer anywhere. I’ve noticed a yeasty aftertaste to each batch of bread I’ve made. Am I mixing something wrong or baking for too little time? The loaves look right from the description, but both my husband and I have noticed the strange aftertaste.

Hope someone can help!

Thanks,

-Gretel

zoe said...
November 5, 2009 at 11:24 pm

Hi Gretel,

Some people find that if their bucket is sealed too tightly that the gases build up in the bucket and an alcohol smell and taste builds up. If you just leave the top open a touch, not too much, it will allow these gases to dissipate and that smell and taste will not be there.

You can also try the recipe using a reduced amount of yeast as Jeff explains in this post: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=85

Let me know if this is helpful! Zoë

Kristi said...
November 9, 2009 at 4:40 am

Hi Zoe ,
A customer at our store told me to check you out. Looks fantastic. I do have a question,tho. I grind all my wheat flour fresh. I grind hard white wheat which is milder in flavor. Fresh ground has a bit more moisture than bought flour. Will this make a difference? Can’t wait to get the book.
Kristi

jeff said...
November 9, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Kristi: I’m about to start some experiments with fresh-ground whole wheat. My guess is that it will absorb a bit more water and so I’d consider boosting the liquids by about a quarter cup in our recipes. I know that’s the opposite of what you’re guessing here (what you say suggests it might take LESS water, but that’s not what I’ve hears about these flours, mainly because they’re generally not ground as finely).

Let me know what you find, and in the next couple of months I’ll be doing a post on this. Jeff

JaclynS said...
November 9, 2009 at 3:38 pm

thanks for getting back to me, zoe!

maybe my dense dough wasn’t great for a loaf, but it turned out perfect for pizzas!

i’ll have to try adding a little more water until i use up this brand of flour.

also, i usually stock my pantry with different flours: whole wheat, white whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, and unbleached all-purpose flours. any good guidelines to follow if i want to substitute some of the recipes? i really don’t know how interchangeable they are (other than the whole wheat pastry flour is smoother and better for cakes and cookies, while the whole wheat is more textured) or is that too ambitious and should i just stick to your set recipes?

by the way, thanks for all the great feedback to all of our comments!! its so helpful and i really respect you two for managing the site this way!

zoe said...
November 9, 2009 at 9:05 pm

Hi Jaclyn,

We had so many people asking for the same thing, how to use more whole grain flours in our recipes, that is why we ended up writing our second book. Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day (HBin5) has many recipes using whole wheat, white whole wheat, spelt and other whole grain flours. We do not use the whole wheat pastry flour because of what you said, it is too low in protein. You can check out our HBin5 master recipe here: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1087.

Thanks, Zoë

Laura said...
November 19, 2009 at 10:04 am

Thanks for all your great recipes. I have not made too many of the softer crust breads, but want to try so that we have sandwich bread for lunches. The problem is that I can’t seem to get my slices the right thickness for sandwiches. I typically wind up with one slice that is thicker and one that is thinner or even better – the uneven slice (one end thick and the other thin). Is there a gadget to help me achieve better slices or do I just need to practice?

zoe said...
November 19, 2009 at 8:45 pm

Hi Laura,

The only thing that helps me get really even slices is a very sharp serrated bread knife. If the blade is dull it will shift around and not cut well. Here is something on Amazon that is meant to help with this task, but I’ve never tried it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004UE6T?ie=UTF8&tag=arbrinfimiada-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004UE6T“>Norpro Bread Slicerand Guide with Crumb Catcher

Laura said...
December 1, 2009 at 9:34 am

Thanks. I probably need a new bread knife. By the way, I tried the Broa bread recipe mixed into our traditional Thanksgiving stuffing a wonderful addition!

Abbie said...
December 15, 2009 at 3:36 pm

I’ve made your whole wheat sandwich bread recipe twice and I cannot get it right! The first time it was dense and only about 3 inches tall. I thought I over-handled it, so I made sure to do so less the next time. However the next time it raised only a little bit more and the crumb was so soft that my husband refuses to use it to make sandwiches, he says it falls apart because it so tender. What am I doing wrong? Please help!

jeff said...
December 15, 2009 at 8:30 pm

Abbie: Sounds like you’ll be happier with the new book’s whole wheat recipes, which use vital wheat gluten and have a stronger crumb— see what you think. To see how we use VWG, check out http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142 and http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1087

Marc said...
January 5, 2010 at 11:51 pm

Hi Jeff and Zoë,

I wanted to share some great results and get your thoughts about tap water.

I used this article’s sandwich bread technique (2 lb. of dough, 8.5″x4.5″ loaf pan, 375 deg. for 60 minutes) using HBin5’s 100% Whole Wheat Bread (pg. 79), my first time trying this particular recipe.

On a tip from TheFreshLoaf.com http://www.thefreshloaf.com/lessons/tentips_10_use_good_ingredients I used distilled water rather than tap.

The results: AMAZING!

I’d been a bit leery to go 100% whole wheat, being concerned about it being too dense but it was far, far from it. Very soft, fluffy crumb, and an amazing crust that will work perfectly for my boys’ lunches. It’s wonderfully tasty all by itself, and with butter, it’s over the top. I can’t see any reason to go back now to the HBin5’s master recipe — which is itself completely delicious, don’t get me wrong — when I can skip an ingredient, simplify the steps, and eliminate refined white flour entirely from our diets.

I have both of your books and am evangelizing them like crazy at work, on my facebook account, to family, etc. So, a big, big thanks to you both for all your amazing work in these books and on the site!

Now about tap water: I have read on the EPA.gov site http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/lead/lead1.html that people should never cook or consume water from the hot-water tap (prior to reading this article, I was using warm tap water for my dough, and I assume others do as well) as they state hot water dissolves more lead more quickly than cold water, and generally sits in contact with pipes longer while in the hot water heater.

Any comments about that? And, any particularly beneficial experience using distilled water in your own experiments?

My family and I thank you for all your wonderful work!

Marc

jeff said...
January 6, 2010 at 7:00 am

Marc: Once we added VWG to our high whole-grain breads, we were happy with the lightness and airiness we were getting. But I’d have never used the word fluffy to describe a 100% WW bread. So I really need to try distilled water and see if I can tell the difference.

I’ve never used warm or hot water from the tap in food, for the reasons you describe. Thanks for your comments, Marc.

Jeff

Bethany said...
January 16, 2010 at 7:09 pm

Hello! I just got HBin5 in the mail from Amazon this evening and I’ve been pouring over the pages. I’m most interested in making a sandwich bread. I noted that you say to only use non-stick pans (and that the others, even greased, won’t work for such wet dough). I’m a bit in a quandary: I only own pyrex loaf pans. Should I try lining these with parchment paper? Could I just let it rest longer after being baked before popping it onto the cooling rack?

Help… so close to bread, yet so far away.
-Bethany

jeff said...
January 17, 2010 at 7:20 am

Bethany: Both your strategies should work, but the parchment will be more fail safe. See what happens. Jeff

Bethany said...
January 22, 2010 at 6:08 am

Jeff and Zoe: My first batches of bread were a success (pyrex and all). My husband said it was the best bread he’d ever tasted. You could quote me as being one of the biggest skeptics of all this … and I am sold (and converting friends all the time). The texture was great, the density was perfect, and I rivaled the flavor of my local (and highly praised) bakery.

To meet our family’s bread need, I’m going to need to make about 3 soft sandwich loaves a week. I saw that the recipe could “easily be halved or doubled.” Stupid question here: how do I halve 5 eggs? 2 eggs? 3 eggs? Do my best to split a yoke? I’d love to just make it once on Monday and feast off it for the rest of the week.

-Bethany

zoe said...
January 22, 2010 at 3:16 pm

Hi Bethany,

So glad you are enjoying the bread so much! I usually use 2 eggs and a yolk, but honestly 3 eggs would probably work as well.

Enjoy, Zoë

ahisma said...
February 7, 2010 at 4:04 pm

I just read your article in Mother Earth yesterday, made my first batch of dough last night and currently have bagels AND a loaf of sandwich bread headed into the oven / boiling pot. I’ve ordered your book (HBin5) and am excited to try more recipes.

Two quick questions….

1. I’m vegan, do you have any experience using egg substitutes in your bread? I’ll likely try flax but thought I’d see if you had any tips.

2. Is there any reason that I can’t bake 2 loaves of sandwich bread at the same time? We have a family of 5 and I’m anticipating high demand:)

Thank you so much!

zoe said...
February 8, 2010 at 9:34 am

Hi Ahisma,

You can use egg replacer. I have not tried it myself, but we’ve had many readers recommend the product available from Bob’s Red Mill.

You can bake as many loaves as will fit in your oven, without crowding, as possible.

Enjoy! Zoë

Bethany said...
February 15, 2010 at 10:40 am

Hello! I have another question. I’ve been baking sandwich bread for 2 months now and it has been great! The recipe says it makes two 2-lb loaves. I’ve been very careful to measure my ingredients and my loaf pounds. But somehow I end up with an extra 1 lb of dough at the end of each recipe. For company, I doubled the dough recipe and got 5 loaves (instead of 4) because two full pounds were left. I don’t want to waste the dough …

1. If I were to split the dough evenly and use 2.5-lb loaves, what would be my adjusted rise and cook time? What internal temp am I aiming for? When I first did this, I just split my dough in half to bake — and the center wasn’t quite done (from then on I measured by weight). I know more dough means longer cook time — I just need someone to tell me what to do ( I’m still new to baking bread.)

2. Any creative ideas on what to do with the extra 1 lb of soft whole wheat sandwich dough?

3. When you make up the recipe, do you have this similar issue? Or is it just me?

Thanks, Zoe and Jeff! By the way, I’ve converted 4 people in the last week.

zoe said...
February 15, 2010 at 12:19 pm

Hi Bethany,

You could use the extra dough to make buns (page 96) or roll it up with a filling and make something like these pizza snackshttp://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=890. If you add 1/2 pound to each of your loaves then let the loaf rest an extra 15 minutes and bake the bread for about 60-65 minutes.

Glad you are enjoying the bread! Thanks, Zoë

Dana said...
February 15, 2010 at 3:03 pm

Hi guys,
I’m wondering if the bread pan has to be metal or can I use a glass one? I have a glass pan that looks identical to the metal ones in your pictures but I’m worried it won’t work as well.
Thanks,
Dana

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

Dana: Glass works, go for it. Grease it well though, the issue is non-stick, metal pans can be bought that way, but glass can’t. Jeff

Wendell said...
February 18, 2010 at 7:27 am

Just got your HBin5 book for Valentine’s Day. First loaf with the master recipe was good but not what I’m looking for. I read this post on the sandwich loaf and that is closer. I’ve finished reading the book and think I want a hybrid recipe. You should actually be quite honored that I followed your recipe exactly the first time; I’m a tinkerer. I think I want a combination of the master and olive oil recipe so the loaf wouldn’t be 100% whole wheat but would have the olive oil in it which is essentially what my normal pizza crust is now. Just looking at wet to dry ratios can I just substitute about 1/4 or 1/2 cup of water for the same amount of oil in the master recipe? That looks similar to what was done between the master and olive oil recipes but you of course also had to make adjustments to the water amount for the difference in flours. It may not be precise of course but I think that would be a good starting point. What do you think?

zoe said...
February 18, 2010 at 11:01 am

Hi Wendell,

Tinker away and let us know how it goes. Substituting olive oil for the water will work well, you may end up with a slightly stickier dough. Perhaps adding another 1-2 tablespoons of the vital wheat gluten could be helpful to get a nice stretch.

Thanks, Zoë

Janice said...
March 2, 2010 at 11:30 am

I noticed in HBin5 that the baking instructions for a 2 lb loaf is to bake at 450 degrees for 40-45 min. Is the higher temp better for whole grain bread? or is 375 degrees for 1 hr okay as well?

jeff said...
March 2, 2010 at 12:44 pm

Janice: Our lean breads always do well at 450, which does a nicer job on the crust and is quicker, whether WW or white. Your temp-time combination ought to work as well; may need a bit longer to prevent gumminess at center, and remember not to slice big loaves when warm (or small ones, but especially the big ones). Jeff

Janice said...
March 2, 2010 at 1:13 pm

Thanks Jeff. Slicing the bread while it’s warm is a mistake that I only made once. Actually both the hotter/shorter and not-as-hot/longer temp-time combinations are yours, not mine. Thanks for the response, I’ll see what works best for the dough I’m making.

Tomoko said...
March 12, 2010 at 5:39 pm

I have problems with splitting crust of sandwich bread as had another previous commenter has. It seems like the recipes for sandwich bread in the 1st book does not have instructions for splitting. Is the longer resting time for the bread to proof enough so that it will not split in the oven?

zoe said...
March 12, 2010 at 7:09 pm

Hi Tomoko,

Yes, the longer resting time should help with the spitting top. If you want to have a more controlled slit you can slash the top of the loaf just before baking!

Thanks, Zoë

Lorrie said...
March 13, 2010 at 2:55 pm

Zoe and Jeff,

I’ve been a fan of your artisan bread book for over a year now – since the first article in Mother Earth News won me over with the master boule recipe! After lots of experimenting, two cracked pizza stones (thinner than your recommendation), and lots of delicious bread, I thought I had it sort of figured out! I have a williams-sonoma stone that I use for shaped breads and pizzas, and I’ve had good luck with making sandwich loaves in my non-stick loaf pans. That is, until this past week. I made my bread as usual, but forgot to grease the pans. The bread stuck so badly that it actually took the non-stick coating off the pans! I’m thinking that the positive effects of baking all my own bread are somewhat negated by the toxins in the non-stick coating! I’m wondering if I just had lousy pans (which is possible), or if you’ve ever tried using stoneware pans? I’m even willing to give up the crispy crust (which my family loves) so as not to crack the stoneware!

Thanks so much for your suggestions and for your terrific recipes!

Lorrie

jeff said...
March 13, 2010 at 6:52 pm

Lorrie: We’ve found that our wet dough sticks to loaf pans if they’re not non-stick AND greased, that’s just the way it is with very wet stuff. Odd that the pans behaved that way–sounds like they were ready for the trash anyway.

I’ve used glazed stonewear pans with good result– again, must grease them. For unglazed (like a cloche), must use lots of cornmeal on the bottom, or parchment. Jeff

Lorrie said...
March 13, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Jeff,

Thank you, thank you! I’m off to Amazon to order something new! We didn’t really like the non-stick anyway, so now I have my excuse to get something different!

I really love that I haven’t had to buy store bread for over 6 months now. Even when I’m busy, I have time for this. Thanks so much for your collaboration with Zoe and your great ideas! Can’t wait to check out the Healthy Breads book… still lots to explore in the first one, so I can’t really justify that purchase quite yet

Keep up the great work (and thanks for the super-quick response!).

Lorrie

Scott said...
March 14, 2010 at 12:01 pm

Wow – I’ve been struggling with getting just the right mix for sandwich bread and found this post. I used the recipe for brioche with the 5 eggs from the HB in 5 book this time. The dough came out like a really thick cake batter in the bowl. A lot wetter than I expected. I was afraid this was going to be another bad batch (I’ve had several of those so far), but I stuck with it. After sitting on the Counter for an hour and overnight in the fridge it was still very wet. When I tried to shape it it was just flopping everywhere because it was so wet. I almost poured it into the pans and sort of smoothed it over and hoped it would turn out.

I figured that this super wet dough wasn’t quite right but wanted to give it a shot without changing anything.

After rising an hour an a half it was still very wet to the touch and felt almost like a jello than dough. I baked it at low temp 350 for about 45 minutes and it turned out great.

Very sweet compared to the stock recipe I use for free form loaves – but the kids loved it!

I’m wondering if this really really wet dough is normal for the brioche recipe or if I messed up my measuring and just got lucky that it turned out.

anyhow, I hope I can duplicate the results again. If so, we’re done buying grocery store bread for good.

Scott

zoe said...
March 15, 2010 at 10:27 am

Hi Scott,

I’m so glad that your bread came out well in the end, but it does sound like the dough was too wet to begin with. I wonder if you are measuring your flour with the scoop and sweep method. Often when people spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead they end up with a dough that is too wet.

The other issue could be the type/brand of flour you are using. What kind is it?

Thanks, Zoë

Scott said...
March 15, 2010 at 3:56 pm

I do spoon the flour into the 1 Cup measure and then scrape it off with a knife. Does that mean I end up with too little flour?

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate you helping out and love the book. I’ve been talking to everyone I know about home baked fresh bread from HB in 5!

zoe said...
March 15, 2010 at 7:47 pm

Hi Scott,

Yes, that is the issue! If you spoon the flour into the cup you are aerating the flour and end up with too little flour. That should make a big difference in your next batch of dough.

Thanks! Zoë

Julie said...
March 18, 2010 at 1:15 pm

I’ve been successfully making rye bread in the nonstick pans for a couple weeks now. I’m so happy to have found your tips here and to get my husband off the rye bread from the grocery store with all its icky ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.

zoe said...
March 18, 2010 at 7:18 pm

Hi Julie,

That is fantastic, your husband must be thrilled that he is getting to eat the real thing!

Thanks, Zoë

elana said...
May 17, 2010 at 2:55 pm

i’ve made a few of the breads so far and i’ve been thrilled with the results. makes it hard to go back to other breads! going to try my hand at this sandwich bread since my kids are sandwich lovers!

is it possible to freeze the bread once it’s made? i’m afraid to do the parbaking thing because i don’t trust my baking skills well enough to get that right!

zoe said...
May 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm

Hi Elana,

Sure, just let it cool all the way and then wrap it several times to keep it from absorbing all the flavors in your freezer.

Enjoy, Zoë

Sharon said...
June 21, 2010 at 2:15 pm

I have truly enjoyed your two books. I have tried several of your recipes and I only had one failure which I think is pretty good. Recently I made the Oatmeal Bread in the first book but I added 1/4 cup of the wheat gluten. I liked the result but should I have adjusted anything else?

zoe said...
June 23, 2010 at 1:14 am

Hi Sharon,

The vital wheat gluten absorbs lots of water so you may have to add more to the dough. Did your dough/bread come out drier than usual?

Thanks, Zoe

Laura said...
June 29, 2010 at 4:46 pm

I’ve made the soft whole wheat sandwich bread in the HBI5 book a few times and it always tastes good, but it is super crumbly. I can’t really cut it, or spread anything on it. I’ve been using King Arthurs whole wheat and all purpose flour. I also have been using a cast iron loaf pan. Could that be the problem?

zoe said...
June 30, 2010 at 4:11 am

Hi Laura,

You may want to add a bit more water to the dough, it may just be too dry. If you are using a cast iron baking pan it may get hotter than normal and require less baking time, which would dry out the bread.

Thanks, Zoe

ODina said...
July 22, 2010 at 11:31 pm

Jeff & Zoe-
I love your book – bought it for my mom and she bakes bread every week!! My problem is making a healthy bread that my son and husband will eat. So far NONE of the whole wheat doughs have passed the test for them- my local Costco started carrying an All purpuse flour (unbleached) with a blend of “Ultragrain” flours it has 4 grams protein per 1/4 cup – how would you suggest I use it in your ARBI5 recipes???

zoe said...
July 23, 2010 at 8:29 am

Hi ODina,

The whole grain doughs tend to be denser than the kind of sandwich loaf you will find at the store. My kids like the whole wheat brioche dough as their sandwich loaf.

The ultragrain flour is a combination of AP and whole wheat, so it will absorb the water differently. You will have to do a bit of experimenting to find just the right amount of water to add to the dough. Start with less water, you can always add more.

Enjoy! Zoë