Q&A MISC. Bread Questions

jeff bread questions

Until we can figure out a more sophisticated way to handle your feedback, your praise and your questions, we hope the following series of Q&A posts will help. Our goal is to get a conversation going about a particular topic in one location. Hoping that it will be easier for you to follow and get the information you need to bake gorgeous bread.

If we haven’t started a thread on the subject you are interested in then leave it here and we can create another post!

Thank you so much for all of the conversation. We enjoy it immensely and are learning so much from you all!

Zoë and Jeff

2,335 thoughts to “Q&A MISC. Bread Questions”

  2. Hi,

    I just discovered the book and am excited about the possibility of making a lot of homemade bread from now on. But my first attempt (the basic boule recipe) was much denser then it probably should have been….. it was moist but had a dense crumb (little bubbles…) I followed the recipe to the letter, and let the loaf proof for 1 1/2 hours after coming out of the fridge. Any ideas on how to get a less dense crumb?

    Thanks, Chris

    Reply

  3. Hi Jeff and Zoe,
    I found a way to make a number of breads at a time, assembly-line, because of the “baking without steam” method. I thought I’d share it with you. I’ve read so many of your postings, and that of readers, that it’s been like a fun baking course!
    I start off with 2 baking stones. Now that I have my 14″ x 16″ unglazed tile, this method works. I put the unglazed tile toward the bottom, and the smaller one on top.
    I put one boule on each heated stone. I cover both of them for the first 10 minutes, with a deep foil lasagne/roaster pan. After 10 minutes, I remove the pans, and move both boule to the bottom tile to brown. I put a new boule (that’s been rising) on the top stone, and cover that. After about 10 minutes, I check the brownness of the bottom ones, and remove the lasagne pan from the top stone.
    Well, you get the picture. It’s moving boule from the top to the bottom. The top shelf is for “baking with steam,” and the bottom shelf is for browning.
    My hubby said “no more” to throwing hot water into our Thermador oven, and so I tried spraying. But that made me a slave to the sprayer, I couldn’t do anything else in the kitchen. This way, I can steam AND brown at the same time.
    I was able to prepare more easily for the Farmer’s Market yesterday. Oh, was that fun!
    Oh, I want to thank you both for bringing the joy of baking bread back into my life. I tend to have pain in my hands, and had to give up baking and cooking (and many other things!).. With this method, I can break up the process. Make dough one day, bake another day. And I don’t have to knead, which is a biggie. I don’t know if you realize how much joy you are bringing to people with carpal tunnel, tendonitus, arthritus, and other health problems! THANK YOU!!!
    I bake with joy, happiness, and a prayer of thanksgiving. It connects me in a happy way to my mother, who loved baking bread. I can now look forward to baking her onion pletzlach!

    Judy, TN

    Reply

  4. Hello,

    I am thinking to make the master recipe (using 1/2lb dough). If I’m using the dutch oven method, how long should I rest the dough and how long should I bake it with the lid/without the lid? It’s just only the 2 of us and I think 1lb will be too much for us.

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Vivian,

      You can reduce the resting and baking time by about 10 minutes, not too much or the loaf may end up being dense. For the baking time you will need to look at the color of the crust to determine if it is done. We like a nice rich brown crust. You can remove the lid after about 15 minutes.

      Enjoy! Zoë

      Reply

  5. I live in Denver, Colorado. What alterations to I need to make to the recipes to bake bread at high altitude? We live at about 5000 feet above sea level. I have made a batch of the master recipe, but the bread rose some, but maybe not as much as it should any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

  6. Since I have contacted everyone about the malted wheat flakes (and couldn’t find any anywhere- including brew places) I bought Maltex and bright and early today I took my mix (which I tweaked a little) and tried the Granary bread recipe. I substituted the maltex for the wheat flakes. I used white whole wheat since I happened to have it. I used the 1/4 cup of diastatic malt powder and I added 1/2 cup of cracked wheat. It is (almost was at this point 🙂 !!!) wonderful. I am a VERY happy camper!!

    Reply

  7. You don’t talk about the newer white whole wheat I’m seeing in grocery stores now. I use it a lot in place of all purpose flour. Will it work well with your recipes ? It says it has 4 g protein.

    Reply

    1. Hi Tracy,

      We have used it lots and it has a large presence in our new book. For recipes in ABin5 you want to treat the white whole wheat as we do regular whole wheat flour. If you replace All-purpose flour with it you will have a dough that is too dry.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  8. I also received malted wheat from a brewery supply place. They were exceedingly helpful. I received the cracked malted wheat and used it on some rolls that I made from the dough I had in the bucket granary bread recipe). I used it to put on top of some of the rolls. I will try to use it in the actual dough the next time. I am still that “very happy camper” with the outcome. It was nice to be able to dip into the dough to make some rolls for a dinner for friends.

    Reply

  9. Hi!
    I’m Portuguese living in Macau, I just bought your first book and I’m very pleased to find two portuguese recipes on the book. 🙂
    Thank you for your magical recipes, keep on making our lives simple!

    Reply

  10. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    First of all, I want to mention that we just finished some wonderful fresh bagels! My husband just said, “you got the hang of bagels!” I had never tried them before.

    I might try freezing them after boiling (did that previous poster say that it worked?) and then baking one bagel at a time in the toaster oven.
    We also had a fabulous challah on Friday night. I made it with melted margarine and honey. The texture was sublime!!!

    Next time, I will try it with sugar. I wonder why, though, you suggested to a previous poster to decrease the water if you switch from honey to sugar. Honey is a liquid. wouldn’t you want to increase the liquid when switching from honey to sugar?

    Question–I have some loaves of boule, master dough in the freezer. I had intended to parbake them, and finish baking tomorrow. I forgot on the first few, and they are fully baked. Several are parbaked, but I really can’t tell which are which at this point (maybe I am overbaking some?).
    Anyways, how can I “freshen up” these loaves so they are warm inside and crusty. I hope to take them to the Farmer’s Market tomorrow. I know that if I wrap a challah in foil and put that in a warm oven, it will taste like fresh challah. But if I do that to a crusty bread, it might soften it.

    Thanks so much for your reply!!!

    Judy.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      I’ll eagerly await your findings on freezing the bagels after the boiling stage. I’d be concerned that they would deflate too much after boiling and freezing, but it is a worthwhile test!

      I’ll have to check back through the comments to find out where we suggested changing the water when adding sugar in place of the honey. I don’t recall that and I agree with you that I’d most likely increase the water, if it needed changing at all.

      You can just stick your parbaked loaves in a preheated oven and allow them to bake for about 10 minutes. Allow them to sit on the counter to thaw while the oven is preheating. Keep them wrapped while they defrost and then remove the plastic just before baking.

      Don’t wrap the loaves when they are at all warm or you will have a soggy crust. Best to put them in an open paper bag.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  11. Hi Zoe,

    THANKS so much for getting back to me. Hopefully, I’ll sell some of the loaves today!

    Should I put the parbaked loaves in the 450 degree oven? It sounds kind of hot. I am afraid of the crusts burning before the inside gets hot.

    THANKS! Hope you had a wonderful weekend. We just finished a week of awful storms. I had to take cover in a safer hallway several times. It wasn’t so bad, I brought your book with me! 🙂

    Reply

  12. I just got the “5 Minutes a Day” book for my birthday and am looking forward to exploring the recipes. However, I recently began making sourdough bread every weekend. I don’t want to lose my starter, but I don’t really want to have two batches of bread dough (the sourdough starter and “5 minute” dough) going all the time either. Is there a way to follow your recipes using a sourdough starter?

    Reply

    1. Use about a cup and a half of activated starter (you know what I mean) in place of about 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour in our recipes. Assuming that your activated starter is about half water. Do everything else the same; I’ve had very nice results this way. Decreasing the yeast is nice in this situation, see https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=85

      Reply

  13. oh, I wanted to report back on cooking with a tile. It’s ok, but the heat is inconsistent. It doesn’t conduct heat evenly. I agree with Zoe. I think that’s why I have dark spots in some places. It was a nice experiment, though.

    Reply

  14. I grind my own flour for all my breads, using soft white wheat kernals. How would you suggest altering the master dough recipe so I can use my fresh ground wheat flour?

    Reply

    1. Diane: Things will change when you home-grind your own, retain the bran/germ, and the wheat is a soft (lower-protein) variety. First, if the grind is coarser than commercial AP flour (which is what we used in testing), the bread will have a drier texture. But the most important difference is that you are using a 100% whole grain flour, and you can’t just swap that in for white flour. High whole grain breads are the subject of our second book ( https://tinyurl.com/pe8yr9 ). Meanwhile, have a look at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142. Finally, if you’re using soft (low-protein) wheat, it might not be a great choice for bread, which needs a little more protein. You can compensate by using vital wheat gluten (again, at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142). Or, just be happy with a lower-rising result. In any case, it will make great pita and other flatbreads (https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=518). Jeff

      Reply

  15. I just want to tell you the ciabatta bread is tricky to master, but people really liked them! I made 1/2 pound size, because it was easier to work with. I found a trick–flour the spatula that you use to work the ciabatta off the pizza peel onto the hot stone. That way, the wet ciabatta won’t stick to the spatula! The 8oz. size is perfect for a sandwich! THANKS!

    And, oh, I figured out how to warm the breads. Thanks for your help.

    Reply

  16. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I would love to bake some raisin-cinnamon loaves. Is it possible to add cinnamon and raisins to your American Soft white bread and bake it in a loaf pan?

    If so, how much cinnamon can I add? I read somewhere that cinnamon retards the yeast in expanding.

    And should I roll out the bread, spread some raisins on top, and then roll it up like a log? Or should I add the raisins when I add the water to the yeast?

    Thanks so much!

    Judy

    PS It’s a good thing we exercise. Within the last week, I’ve made the olive oil boule, challah, bagels, and ciabbata bread!

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      It is funny that you should ask about cinnamon raisin bread, since the recipe in our book is named after a friend of Jeff’s named Judy!

      You can add cinnamon without worrying about the dough, it would take quite a bit to make a difference in the recipe.

      Here is a post about it: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=337

      Enjoy! Zoë

      Reply

  17. Hey guys. I love this book…and I have the waistband to prove it!
    But I have a question. I seem to have some over-fermentation going on after having left the dough in the fridge for about 2 and a half days. It smells a little extra yeasty, and there are some brown spots in it. Also, cloaking is difficult, as the skin keeps breaking.
    I think I need to look into another storing receptacle. In the meantime, though, is this bread safe to bake and eat? I understand it may be sub-par. But, will it harm me?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Liz,

      It sounds like you may have had the lid on too tightly to allow the gases to escape. This will cause an alcohol smell and a brownish liquid to form on the dough. Both of these things are perfectly natural and are not at all harmful. If you pop the lid very slightly this should not happen so quickly. When you use the dough often and dust it with just a bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, this also feeds the yeast and will keep the dough more resilient. You are not adding more yeast to the dough, but just the smallest sprinkle on the top seems to help prevent some of what you are talking about.

      So glad you are enjoying the bread! Zoë

      Reply

  18. Wonderful book, wonderful bread, wonderful site! I have had your book for less than a week and am having a great time trying the recipes.

    I would like to make hamburgers on the grill this weekend and was wondering if one of your recipes could be made into hamburger buns?

    Thanks!
    Susan

    Reply

    1. Susan: Two ways to do it… you can make small pita breads. Or, shape patty-shaped buns from an enriched recipe. The enrichment keeps the crust soft, which you want in a hamburger bun. Or use a non-enriched dough but paint the surface of the buns with oil or butter before baking, which also keeps the crust soft. More bun recipes in the new book (stay tuned). Jeff

      Reply

  19. Hi Zoe,

    Thanks for getting back to me on the raisin bread in the book.

    I am skeptical about making the raisin cinnamon bread because it must be made without milk products. I’ve learned that milk products make the loaf more tender, but I’ll try it with water. How much cinnamon can I add? I know that cinnamon retarts yeast growth.

    Second, this will be my first time making your loaf bread. I went out and bought a silicone loaf pan to make this, because my glass pans aren’t nonstick. You have mentioned that the pan must be nonstick. But the silicone pan isn’t very stable, I’ve never used one. Could I use some spray Pam, or should I try the silicone pan for this recipe? I think the person that wants it will want a loaf to slice for the toaster.

    I am looking forward to trying the forcaccia in my pie pan on our grill.

    I just purchased the Williams Sonoma stone yesterday also! The Asheville store said the lifetime guarantee is against manufacterer defects, not usage.

    Thanks so much!

    Judy L, TN

    Reply

  20. oh, found the your cinnamon raisin bread, and the quantity of cinnamon. I think the reason I discarded this recipe from my mind is that it needs buttermilk. Any non-dairy version I could do?

    If not, I think I could make this in a large pot that I use for only dairy products. But could I use the glass loaf pans that I use for dairy? Or maybe I should use a foil loaf pan?

    I have confusion! 🙂

    Thanks,
    Judy

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      I think that there is enough sweetener in this bread that you could try making it without the dairy and it will be tender enough. You could also try making it with the Challah dough instead.

      If you are baking it in a silicone loaf pan you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for greasing. Some may recommend it, in which case I would. Does the loaf pan come with a metal frame to give it structure? I’ve used one that did and it came out wonderfully!

      When you are filling the loaf pan, of any variety, I always fill the pan at least 3/4 full. Let it rest for an additional 30 minutes and bake it for an extra 10-15 minutes. This will give you a larger loaf that I find is better for sandwiches.

      Jeff just recently returned his stone, after 10+ years of use and Williams Sonoma took it back without questions. He did have receipt!

      Thanks and enjoy the raisin bread.

      Zoë

      Reply

  21. Have cooked pizzas most Sunday evenings for about 20 years. liked the look of you ‘method’ so have bought the book and am trying it out. One question: Would the difference between metric cups and American cups make any difference?

    Hope to finish a wood fired oven in Spring (NZ) so hope to have the recipe sussed by then.

    Cheers

    Reply

  22. A quick update. Just completed a loaf (boule) for lunch. Apart from a soft bottom the loaf was superb. Cant seem to explain it though, i was sure I left half the loaf on the breadboard but it seems to have evaporated.
    The grin on my wifes face says it all.

    Thanks guys for a great book. Cant wait to get the woodfired oven completed.

    Reply

    1. Hi Peter,

      Are you baking on a baking stone? If not, that may be the reason why the bottom crust wasn’t crisp enough. If you are using a stone, you may need to allow the stone to preheat longer and make sure that your oven is the proper temperature.

      Thanks! Zoë

      Reply

  23. Thanks for getting back to me zoe. I am using a baking stone and did wonder about only leaving it for 20 mins as it is quite thick.
    I also only used the top and bottom element on the oven and wondered if I should use the fan bake.
    I havent used a thermometer so the oven temp may also be a little low. Will slip into the city tomorrow and pick one up.
    I originally came across your post on baking the bread in a dutch oven but thought I would get it right in a conventional oven before I moved to that.

    Lots of opportunity to experiment but being so close on my first attempt is a real buzz.

    Cheers

    Reply

  24. My american daughter-in-law introduced me to your bread making method. I used to do all the traditional kneading , etc. but now i am converted to Artisan bread. My first loaf was such a success that it was eaten in one meal. We loved it.
    Now I want to make a larger loaf. Are there any instructions for making a two pound loaf? How long should It be in the oven? Any other hints would be appreciated.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judith,

      How exciting that you are baking the bread in Australia. So glad that the recipes are working for you. To bake a larger loaf you will need to increase the resting time to about 1-1 1/2 hours and the baking time to about 40+ minutes.

      Thank you and enjoy the bread!

      Reply

  25. Sunday 2:14pm. Heavy rain and expecting a winter storm so a great day to be inside working on the bread.

    The 2nd loaf is in the oven and looking a lot better. Managed to double the height from the first loaf and the bottom looks as though it is cooking well.

    What did I do differently.
    1. Raised the oven temp to 450F.
    2. Increased the heat up time to 30 minutes
    3. Placed a smaller baking tin in the bottom of the oven for the water.
    4. Turned on the fan bake.

    The only thing I can see at the moment is that I didnt make the slashes quite deep enough so the crust is ‘tearing along the middle of the slashes.

    I hope to post a couple of pics on my website later on so the difference can be seen.

    Just a side note. I have settled on fine semolina for ‘lubrication’ of the peel. I originally tried cornmeal for pizza bases but found it still seemed to stick. Moved to semolina and havent looked back.

    Again my thanks to you both for opening up a new world for me.

    Cheers

    Reply

  26. Dear Zoe,

    Thanks for your kind and thoughtful response–especially to my confused and frantic post. And I think you might understand why I am having difficulty with this.

    I rechecked the recipes. Although the buttermilk bread recipe has very little sugar, the cinnamon raisin bread recipe has 1/3cup sugar. Does the sugar tenderize? I thought honey does, but not sugar. If so, I could try a batch where I substitute water instead of buttermilk.

    My silicone pan is a Wilton. No metal frame, but they want me to bake on a cookie sheet. Maybe I should return this one and hunt down one with a metal frame?

    I would love challah dough and raisin cinnamon. But I think the person who wants this would like regular white style bread. So how about this option–make up a batch of buttermilk bread dough in a large kettle that I have used for dairy before. Use buttermilk. Then–how about lining my glass loaf pan with parchment paper???? I scanned earlier posts and you suggested this to a person having a stone pan. I don’t think I’ll be using a loaf pan often (I could be wrong), so this would be my preferred option.

    Thanks so much for your patience!!!

    With fondness and appreciation,
    Judy L, TN

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      You could also try using the foil loaf pans that are often available in the grocery baking section, that would be easiest and insure that your loaf pan doesn’t get the buttermilk dough in it.

      I have not tried the Wilton pan, but they generally have good products so I think you will have success with it.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  27. Hi Zoe and Jeff,

    I opened up the Williams Sonoma Pizza Stone. Those clerks in Asheville were wrong. It says: ”

    This Baking Stone is guaranteed for life, Following the enclosed care and use instructions will maintain your stone. It should not crack during normal use.
    If it does, simly return it to your nearest Williams-Sonoma Store for a replacement.”

    I’ve made 2 copies of the receipt AND this statement. One copy will go in my files, and another in your book. I don’t want to chance getting an unknowledgeable clerk again!

    Hopefully, last question on the raisin bread–will my customer have a hard time getting her bread out of the foil loaf pan?

    Thanks,
    Judy L

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      That is in keeping with Jeff’s experience with the WS stone. I’m glad they were wrong!

      I’d remove the bread from the foil as you would with a regular loaf pan, so that the bottom of the loaf is not soggy. You will want to coat the foil pan well with oil and/or line it with parchment.

      Let us know how it goes!

      Zoë

      Reply

  28. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I wanted to contribute some info, you have been so helpful.

    I don’t know if you caught Splendid Table today, but a caller called in about freezing bread dough. She said she has concerns about freezing bread dough because the outside would overrise well before the inside would defrost. I wonder if that would happen with bagels, if I freeze them after boiling.

    Another thing is a book I am just LOVING. I almost tried sneaking down in the middle of the night to read my friend’s copy when I stayed overnight at her house. It’ss called “A Blessing of Bread, Recipes, Rituals, Memories and Mitzvahs…” By Maggie Glezer. I am just loving the stories of the old time bakers–all around the world. If you look at the proportion of how their doughs are made, I think I can learn a lot. I think that I might try pita dough with less yeast. They have lots of recipes scaled for a 5 pound bag of flour. I won’t be using most of the recipes–they require kneeding. But I love the stories and the pictures of how to braid many strands. I love the one strand braid that looks like a bird! Enjoy!

    Reply

  29. I just took my first loaf out of the oven and it’s beautiful! It will be inhaled in no time at all by my large family. I would like to bake two or three of the 1 lb basic master loaves at a time. Can you tell me if this would work or would you recommend one larger loaf ?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandi,

      I bake several loaves at once all the time. You just need to make sure that the loaves have enough space on the stone to expand. You can also bake larger loaves, you need to let them rest longer and bake longer to get a nice interior crumb. I usually let them rest an extra 30-40 minutes and bake an extra 10-15 minutes.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

      Reply

  30. Hi there!

    My boyfriend and I have been baking bread from your 1st book for a few monthes now and have found the convenience of your method really fits our life well! Yesterday we made our first batch of home-brewed beer and so we have a bowlful of spent grain that I would like to incorporate into bread. Do you have any recipes or recommendations for how to use this grain to make bread using your no knead method?

    Reply

    1. Hi Kip,

      I’ve never tried it, but have mixed in other soaked grains. I’d say you can try mixing in about 1 cup of the soaked grains into the master recipe. You may want to add 2-3 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to compensate for the non-gluten forming grains. you can find it easily in most grocery stores int he baking section. Bob’s red mill and Hodgeson mills both make it.

      Let me know how it goes.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  31. I love making the breads. Thank you for the book and the site! I will buy your new book and have it on pre order with Amazon.

    I want to eat “healthier and more fiber filled” breads.

    I bought some wheat bran to make the recipe on page 72, Bran Enriched White bread.

    Since the bulk of the bread recipes have a mixture of flours that get you to a total of 6.5 cups, can I substitute 3/4 C of wheat bran into any of the recipes without problem?

    Also, If I can substitute bran into most recipes, what is the max amount of wheat bran that you recommend?

    Also, if you had a search function just for the forum, that would be great! I searched for the answer without success.

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    1. Hi Scott,

      The problem with adding lots of bran to the recipes as they are is that you will mess with the amount of functional gluten. The bran tends to cut the gluten strands and makes the bread dense. In the new book we introduce methods to compensate for additional bran, non-gluten forming whole grains and other healthy ingredients that otherwise make the loaves dense. Until the new book comes out I highly recommend playing with it and pushing it as much as you want, as long as you are still enjoying the breads!

      Thanks, October will come soon!!!!

      Zoë

      Reply

  32. Hi,
    I am wondering about storing the dough in a ziploc bag in my refridgerator for a day or two. Would you recommend against this? Also, should I leave a corner of the bag open so that it is not airtight? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi J,

      You can store small pieces of dough in a ziploc bag. Storing the entire batch may prove to be unwieldy in a bag, but a 1-pound piece does just fine. If the dough is very fresh, than leave it opened about a 1/2 -inch on the corner.

      Happy baking! Zoë

      Reply

  33. Hi Zoe and Jeff. I recieved your book for Fathers’ Day and love it. My problem: the crust is too thick, which is great for ciabatta, but not good for a rye bread loaf to slice. How do I get a thinner crunchy crust?

    I also made the ugliest pizza I ever saw. Everything stuck to everything. I think I’ll patronize my pizzaria from now on.

    Reply

    1. Hi Alan,

      A couple of things come to mind for your crust.

      1. Oven temperature. Do you have an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven is running at the right temperature? If the oven is too hot your crust may get too thick by the time the loaf has baked for the recommended time. the same can be true of a too cool oven, the crust gets too thick if you have to bake it longer in order to get a nice color.

      2. Using a baking stone will produce a thinner crisper crust.

      For the pizza it is really okay to use a bit of flour to work with the dough. It is like working with pie dough, you want enough to keep it from sticking to the counter, but not so much as to make the dough tough. You can also try using more flour, cornmeal or even parchment paper under the dough if it is just a matter of getting it off the peel. The most important thing is to have all of your toppings ready to go so that the dough is sitting on the peel for as little time as possible.

      Thank you for trying the breads and please let us know if you have any other questions!

      Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Alan,

      With many convection ovens you have to reduce the temperature by 20-25 degrees. I’d check the crust after about 90% of baking to make sure it isn’t getting too dark. It may take some experimenting to make sure that the interior is done when the crust is nice and richly browned.

      Zoë

      Reply

  35. Hi Zoe and Jeff,
    The cinammon raisin loaf is a definite 10! Terrific! I took it over to friends and they said it’s very moist–usually cinnamon raisin breads have dry bread.

    I ended up thinking more positive about this dairy recipe and so bought some cheap flexible cutting boards for rolling it out, and an inexpensive loaf pan. I had my old wooden rolling pin tucked away in storage. I figured if it’s one of your and Jeff’s recipes, it should be something I’d like to make over and over.

    I made the dough on Sunday, and baked a test loaf today (Thursday). I had enough for 2+ loaves–each 1 1/2pounds of dough.

    Since I still have buttermilk, I’d like to made another batch of dough and bake 2 more loaves. I probably have 8 ounces left of buttermilk dough left.

    So can i just add to the dough remaining with ingredients for another batch? I plan to bake it on Sunday. The recipe for buttermilk bread said to use it within 7 days. Or should I try to bake the remaining dough into a mini loaf? Or maybe put the remaining dough aside in a ziplock and add it to a new batch that I mix up?

    Lastly, I forgot to put the eggwhite on the rolled out dough of the second loaf. But the dough was a bit sticky. It should be ok, shouldn’t it? I’m going to parbake it tonight and finish baking on Sunday.

    Should I put it back in the loaf pan to finish baking it?

    This is a good way to use up the remaining heat after baking breads at 450 degrees. So I think I’ll bake loaf breads last.

    Thanks for your help,

    Judy L, TN

    Reply

  36. Hi, I am about to bake my first loaf of bread (a friend sent me the book after singing its praises). I am wondering if it is OK to use a pyrex baking pan for the water rather than a broiler pan. I have broiler pan but it is stored in my basement and not handy. I can’t think why this would be a problem but let me know. Made the dough in my food processor which is only 11 cups so I halved the recipe. It took seconds to mix which was great. Looking forward to the bread. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. No, don’t use the pyrex baking pan. Please don’t use any glass or pyrex container for the steam-water— it will shatter. It has to be metal. We have this in other places on the website, and in the new book, but please pass the word.

      Reply

  37. Jeff, thanks for the speedy response. I had put off baking until tomorrow anyway, but am glad I asked. Surprised the pyrex could shatter but I guess anything’s possible. Dug my broiler tray out of the basement!

    Reply

  38. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I hope your holiday is going well.

    The cinnamon-raisin bread was FABULOUS. Men especially love it. My friend’s husband had 3 pieces, and gave me a huge hug when I left yesterday.

    My hubby said it’s just like my mom’s apple struedel she used to make (and I can’t duplicate). That is a huge compliment! He just finished the last piece today, and is more agreeable now, didn’t frown this time, when I told him that I would try making forcaccia bread on the grill. I’m getting a lot more “Yes Judy” from him. Because of this, I am going to call this bread, “Judy’s secret weapon.” After all, 2 Judy’s had great success from making it.

    We just finished the forcaccia bread, I used the remaining ciabbatta bread dough, to which I added a lot of flour. My hubby wanted to eat that now, even though there’s challah and a big chicken dinner in the oven! Bravo for a fun recipe!

    I am looking forward to the answers to my previous questions. If however, you are unable to before Sunday, I’ll just make up a totally fresh batch and later add the buttermilk dough to it.

    Thanks so much!
    Judy

    Reply

  39. For Aunt Melissa’s Granola Bread on p 114-5 of ABin5, there is no instruction on using the egg wash… I assume it is applied right before putting in the oven? Should we also pour a cup of water into the broiler pan with this recipe?

    Reply

    1. Howard– Yep, just brush it on. Steam isn’t crucial for this particular bread– the honey helps it to carmelize; try it both ways if you want to see the difference. Jeff

      Reply

  40. Judy: You should be able to mix up new dough right on top of the old ingredients, but since there’s dairy in it, give it the sniff test. If there are off-aromas, discard it.

    The only difference w/o the egg white will be a less impressive crust– it won’t shine. Finish the loaf w/o a pan. Jeff

    Reply

  41. Thanks, Jeff! I checked this page before doing the recipe. The best sniff test for me is the wonderful smell of risen dough! But I know what you mean.

    So I should finish baking the loaf on a cookie sheet, or on the oven racks themselves? Those are the other 2 options. I can’t use the stone in this case.

    Also, it’s gotten cooler lately. Weird, huh? So I’d like to make the forcaccia bread recipe in the oven. If I don’t use sauteed onion and use the ingredients like the grill recipe, what oven temperature should I use? Should I use my silpat and cookie sheet, or a stone. And should I use steam? I’m guessing I won’t need steam, just a hot oven.

    Thanks, and happy 4th!
    Judy L, TN

    Reply

    1. Judy: Oven rack might be a little better, go that way.

      Same oven temperature, and I do use steam for focaccia. Jeff

      Reply

  42. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I am making some light whole wheat bread, with sunflower seeds on top. I noticed that on page 74, it says “whole wheat flour for the pizza peel.” However, on page 75, it says to use cornmeal. Which is it? It’s not a biggie, I already dusted my peel with flour. But cornmeal is easier to work with. I didn’t find this in the errors section of the website.

    Also, you said to use the same oven temperature. Which one–the gas grill one was 450, and the regular oven was 425.

    Thanks. Tonight’s dinner is olive bread with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil and basil! And my husband’s all excited about the smell of the raisin loaf from the oven….

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy,

      With some of the breads we use flour, instead of the cornmeal, just because it has a more delicate flavor and less of a noticeable texture. Personally I love the flavor and texture of the cornmeal, but you can use anything you want, including parchment, to get the loaf off the peel.

      Because the grill tends to lose heat every time the lid is opened we tend to bake things hotter than in the home oven.

      Enjoy the bread! Zoë

      Reply

  43. Hi- I just got your last week and have been trying various things. I live in Norway right now, and cannot find bulk dry yeast. The inexpensive alternative here is refrigerated yeast cubes (?). They are about the size of 2 large bullion cubes. I’m having trouble finding the correct amount to use – doughs either overrise or are very flat. Do you have any experioence with this? Any suggestions? thank you

    Reply

    1. No experience with it, but I’d guess you should be able to find a good balance. What’s the threshold above which you get over-rising? My guess is you can go with less, and just wait longer. Jeff

      Reply

  44. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    The forcaccia bread recipe for the oven was FABULOUS! I always end up with 1/2 pound of dough at the end, so I used a pie tin to make that, just like on the grill. I covered it with foil for the first half, as if I were steaming it. People love it!

    Now I will try to make forcaccia bread with your light whole wheat dough. I think I’ll look at the olive oil dough and try to adapt that to the light whole wheat.

    My husband and I enjoyed our forccacia with cheese and more olive oil on top. A friend will turn hers into a pizza.

    Any suggestions on a whole wheat (or light whole wheat) forcaccia? I wish your new book was available already!!!

    Judy.

    Reply

    1. Judy: You can use the whole wheat recipes from our first book in the focaccia, but I can’t put up any of the new stuff just yet… 🙂

      Reply

  45. Hi Zoe and Jeff,

    I read in one of the forums about forming a loaf and then refrigerating for ?14 hrs but I havent been able to find the info.
    Would be grateful if you would post a url to this post or just give the info.
    Thanks
    Peter

    Reply

  46. Thanks for your great book! I’d like to know if I can use buttermilk powder in place of the liquid kind?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. VegasMom: You can, but you need to add in the amount of water called for to re-constitute it to normal liquid buttermilk strength. Jeff

      Reply

  47. I was out online shopping for supplies and saw the following “Ceramic pizza stones like this one are lighter-duty, more economical versions of our Cordierite pizza stones”. My question, Does it matter if I use the ceramic baking stone vs. the Cordierite. I’m on a tight budget. THANKS!!!

    Reply

  48. Oh, one more question, I have a gallon icecream bucket with a lid, will that be big enough to use for the dough? Thanks again, I’ve read the cookbook cover to cover and I’m excited to get started…I’m a true “bread-a-holic” and the thought of making it myself, when ever I want as much as I want…YUM!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kristina,

      Do you have two particular stones in mind? It depends how thick they are. We’ve had great luck with many types of stones and even unglazed ceramic garden tiles. A good rule of thumb is that the thicker the stone the better it retains and conducts heat. The thick ones also tend not to crack as easily.

      The 1 gallon bucket may be just a bit too small for the initial rise of the dough, but would be perfect to transfer the dough into once it collapses. Once it does collapse it never rises in the bucket again and can be transferred into a smaller container.

      Enjoy all the bread! Zoë

      Reply

  49. I read somewhere that if your dough gets to wet (like after storing for 12 to 14 days) you can bake it in a loaf pan instead of doing free form. Can you tell me what temperature to use and for how long (assuming about 1 & 1/2 pounds of dough)?

    Reply

    1. Hi Gretchen,

      You can bake it in a loaf pan when it gets that old. Just keep in mind that it won’t have quite the rising power that it once had, so it may be denser than earlier loaves.

      The other thing that we like to do is add the last of this batch to a fresh batch of dough to jump start the flavor in the new batch.

      Thank you and enjoy! Zoë

      Reply

  50. Thank you VERY much for your response Zoe…the stone’s I saw were 1/2″ thick…I’ll get the thickest one I can afford. 🙂 In these hard times, to bring some comfort to our family and home with fresh baked bread that is not only affordable, but easy enough to do with the grandkids and start building those “old fashioned” memories they can pass along…genius! This is something easy to pass along to the generations. THANK YOU BOTH!

    Reply

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