Q&A MISC. 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
Hi Beth,
It is harder to slash the wet dough. Make sure you are using a very sharp and preferably serrated knife. If you need to you can go over the cut area again and again until you have a deep enough slash. You may also need to pry the slashes apart once the second one is cut. All the while being gentle. A tall order I know!
You may also try adding flour to the top of the loaf first if you are not already. If it is really too sticky, you may even want to add a 1/4 cup of flour to your next batch when you are mixing.
Good luck! Zoë
Hello!
I firmly believe that I have just spent the best two days and $32.94 of my entire life!
I’ll explain:
I live in North Pole, Alaska where we have been beseiged by a lengthy cold snap (Negative 60F at my house). Recently, I decided to take weekends off from my healing arts practice, so this past weekend was basically my first one with no place to go.
Relaxing with my Internet connection, I looked up straw bale construction, because someone had suggested this might be a good option for our next home. That search led to some other sustainable living and self-sufficiency type websites, which led to some websites about gardening in cold climates, etc., etc.
We already have a small farm, raising huacaya alpacas and laying hens, and I’d been lamenting the swiftly-rising cost of groceries lately (a pound of butter, a 1/2 gallon of milk, or a fairly-decent loaf of bread here are all over $5.00, for example), when a friend suggested that I look into a co-op that she’s a part of. I took her suggestion and am *amazed* at the cost savings that participating in the co-op will represent for my family!
Suddenly inspired to be more frugal and creative in the kitchen, I worked diligently to prepare my first co-op order. My husband called shortly thereafter, to ask me to go get some lemons at the local grocery. UGH! It was 55 Below Zero! I did *NOT* want to go out for ANYTHING… but I did.
And so, since I was thoroughly disgusted with the fact that the lemons were $5.92 per pound, I decided to peruse the magazine rack for further inspiration toward better options.
The cover of the December issue of Mother Earth News grabbed my attention. The top heading was “Back to the Land”, the second was “Easy Crusty Bread in 5 Minutes a Day!” and the third was “Tap the Culinary Wisdom of our Ancestors”.
Well, let me tell you… I have only gotten through that bread article! I was *thrilled* with the idea of saving time and money! YEA!
I called my local bookseller, who happened to have your book, which I picked up yesterday; read the first 25 or so pages, mixed up my dough (after having memorized the 6-3-3-13 without realizing I was doubling the recipe by doing so, but oh-so-glad I did), let it rise, put it in the fridge, followed the rest of the steps and…. WOW! AMAZING RESULTS!!!!
I will NEVER purchase another grocery-store loaf of yuck again! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
I made two loaves of Boule, baked them at the same time (without even guessing that I might not be able to), made my home smell like heaven, and our bellies full of bread and glee!
Really, I did try to wait until the loaf was cool before slicing, but I couldn’t stand the anticipation any longer, and decided that since I’d made two loaves anyway, if the first one got funky because it got sliced open too early, we’d have a spare. Well it didn’t matter, since that loaf didn’t last long enough to worry about anyway!
Anyway, I know this is long-winded, but I just had to share the round-about way that I found out about your round loaves of deliciousness.
And, I do have a couple of questions:
In an effort to conserve energy costs, I wonder whether it is possible to store the prepared dough in a root cellar rather than a fridge? If so, what would be the warmest temperature that the dough could withstand before going ‘bad’, and would it still keep for days or weeks in the root cellar?
While watching a TV program recently, a Finnish woman was preparing a rye dough in a wooden bucket that had a lid that (I think) had a couple of holes in it… Any idea where I can find something similar? I’d much prefer to use wood rather than plastic.
Thank you again for such a wonderful technique, book, website, and responsiveness to you ‘adoring public’!
Monica
Thank you for such a great book! I am on my 3rd batch of dough since purchase, and love the taste of these breads, but like the first post I read here from Bonnie Benedict (2/11/08) I am having trouble making this dough attractive. I am an experience bread maker, and have tried “rolling” the dough on a very lightly floured surface in addition to your method of cloaking, but for some reason, the loaves always turn out very high and misshapen. Is it better to let the refridgerated dough rest until completly room temp? I am also cutting the dough deep enough, have no trouble sliding it off the peel, and am using a scale to measure 1 pound loaves… Any help or tips are appreciated!
Rebecca: Our 40-minute rest times were a compromise, and you’ll probably like them better if you go 60 or even 90 minutes. It will lose it’s chill by that time (though it probably still won’t quite be @ room temp, just a lot closer to it.
Have you looked at our videos on cloaking: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=63. See if you’re doing it the same way. Also, assume you’re using unbleached all-purpose where white flour is called for.
I bet it’s the rest time though.
Monica: Your letter’s awesome, thank you so much for taking the time. I’m so glad the recipes are working for you.
As a Minnesotan, I feel your pain– it’s cold up there/here! I bet your root cellar is fine. Is it 45 degrees F? 50? I bet up to 50 is OK for at least a week. 45 would be better. If it gets all liquidy too soon and won’t hold a shape, you know it was too warm.
‘Fraid I don’t know where to get that Finnish bucket, but you know, if you’re off plastic, glass, stainless steel, or ceramic work beautifully. Just don’t make an airtight seal like a screwtop.
Thanks! Jeff
I received this book for Christmas and am looking forward to baking! I am definitely a novice bread maker.
My question is, can I use “bread machine yeast” for the recipes? Our stores seem to have two kinds: the kind in packets, and then “bread machine” yeast in large jars.
Also, I saw someone mention up top that they freeze yeast. How long can you freeze it before it goes bad? The jars I was looking at have an expiration date about 18 months from now but say to use yeast within six months of opening. THANKS!!!
Rae: Definitely can use any kind of yeast, makes absolutely no difference in stored dough. Instant, non-instant, bread machine. It’s all fine.
Yes, you definitely can freeze yeast, virtually indefinitely. Jeff
Hello!!!
First I’d like to say that I’ve VERY excited about your method… (I do not have your book YET but I’ll buy it ASAP!!! lol!!!) I always have been disappointed with many baked goods out there but did not have hours and hours of free time to make it myself…I also love waking up and having a fresh loaf of bread for breakfast but sadly could not do this…)
I have a collection of really good bread recipes and was wondering… is there anyway that I can convert/alter them to work with your method??? so instead of waiting 24 hours for a yummy baguette (not to mention that the traditional method will ALWAYS be done around dinner time instead of for breakfast/brunch like I would prefer…) maybe there’s a way that I can just pull some dough outta’ the fridge, shape and bake in time for breakfast/brunch using the same recipe!!! Please let me know if this is possible!!!
Also, I’ve heard about the ‘Cornell Triple-Rich Flour Formula'(1 tbsp Soy Flour + 1 tbsp Dry Milk + 1 tsp Wheat Germ + Flour to make 1 cup total) It’s said to boost the nutritive value of refined flour and again I was wondering, would it be possible to just substitute this with your method/recipes without any side effects taste wise and performance wise??? thanx so much for your time and efforts!!!
Iman: Once you have the book, read through the Master Recipe Chapter and the Tips and Techniques chapter, which will give you a good idea of how our method works, how high the moisture level needs to be, etc. Much to voluminous to try to recreate here, although you might want to read through all some of the pages under “Bread Questions” here on the site (click on the left side of home page on “Bread Questions”).
What you suggest about the bread being ready for breakfast/brunch– if you make it flat, or skinny, you can have something on the table within 40 minutes to an hour of taking dough out of the fridge. Though we think you should wait for it to cool 🙂
That triple-rich mixture will absorb more water, so increase the water a bit, you’ll need to experiment. Jeff
I just got your book in the mail yesterday! I love it! Quick question: my wife cannot eat gluten. Is there a type of gluten-free flour (oat, corn, coconut, rice) that is an easy substitute for regular flour in your basic recipe. Thanks for any help you can offer!
Hi Jeff,
Thanx so much for the reply… Here’s another question for ya’ since I’m still a bit confused… Are the ‘master’ recipes (in the book) the ONLY way for me to achieve bread using your method??? Or is there any way possible for me to reconstruct/alter my existing recipes to work with your method??? I love the idea and concept of your method… (make a big batch of dough, let it sit in the fridge, pinch off what’s needed, shape, rise and bake) but I would like to use other recipes… Is there any hope for me??? lol!!! Thanx again!!!
Joseph: We’ll have nearly a dozen gluten-free recipes in our next book, tentatively titled “Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” to be released in 12/09. Answer’s yes, but you can’t just swap out the ingredients, there’s lots more to it than that. We won’t be releasing any of our new recipes on the web until the book’s actually out… Hope you understand.
Iman: Definitely, but I can’t really explain all the complexity in this format. Virtually all recipes can be converted, with a little work and experimentation, but there are complexities especially around high whole wheat (the subject of our next book). https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142 goes through some of that. Hope that helps! Jeff
Thanx again Jeff!!!
That makes me happy… lol!! As I do not have your book yet… I would like to know, is there information to help me convert recipes??? or is there some other way I can achieve this??? (sorry for the million of questions… I’m just not sure how this works…) The breads I’m most interested in converting are Peter Reinhart’s Baguette and Italian Bread recipes and of course Julia Childs’ Baguette recipe. I would LOVE to have freshly baked bread EVERY SINGLE day in minimal time… lol!!! thank you soooo much for your time and I’ll try to get my hands on your book ASAP!!!
Jeff,
Thanks for your advice! You guys are great to answer all questions, it shows your true passion to inspire people to bake. I can’t wait to check out your forthcoming book as well…
reposted because I think this is a better fit:
I have a sourdough starter that I have been maintaining for 2 years now. Is it possible to use it for some or all of the yeast in the master recipe in in addition to jump start the sour character that 5 days of refrigeration fermentation yields?
Clearly, your book is an enormous hit at our house!
I had to make loaves 5 & 6 before dawn this morning, because 1-4 were devoured yesterday, and the entire family is completely impressed with the results!
About the Finnish bucket I asked about yesterday: I figured out that probably, any wooden bucket and lid would serve the same purpose; in looking at wooden buckets online last night, they look quite similar to what I saw on the show mentioned. I would just need to drill two holes in the lid, and voila’!
My husband is requesting a Mexican Sweetbread recipe (Pan Dulce) using your method, and I would like to know if it is somehow possible to add herbs or other ‘goodies’ into the individual loaves when shaping, versus adding them in to the entire batch when mixing. What do you suggest for both questions?
Thank you again!
G’day – Happy New Year – got your book and love it. Thanks.
we are caravaners and wouder if the dough could be broken up after say an hour and packed into plastic bags.
this would enable storage in limited refrigerator space and perhaps make it simpler to cook the bread if one is camping.
regards peter
Iman: We have a baguette recipe (page 32), and several Italian breads (page 80, for example). The conversion wil e clearer once you have the book. I’m not familiar with the recipes you mention so I can’t directly comment on them. Jeff
Monica: Just make sure that the wood bucket is food grade. About adding things to the bread, that will be clearer once you have the book, or look at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=337.
Matt: Starter definitely works in the method. I’ve used a cup or two, adjusting the flour and water in the recipe to maintain the expected dough consistency. You can certainly decrease the yeast– you’ll have to experiment at that point. Jeff
Hi Peter,
You certainly can break the dough up into smaller packets, but I would wait until it has had its full first rise, about 2+ hours. If you wrap it up while it is still rising, it will bust through the bags and you will have dough everywhere!
Enjoy your journey and the bread!
Zoë
I recieved your bood as a Christmas gift and am excited to start my first batch…but have a couple of questions.
First, what is an ideal temp for storing the dough? We have a mud room that has stayed about 32-34 degrees consistently this winter. Is that too cold?
Also, our house is about 60 degrees. Will that effect the resting time? What is the ideal temp for that? When I’ve baked bread in the past, I put the loaf pan on an overturned bowl in a sink with warm water for it to rise. Should I do somthing similar?
Lastly, I don’t have a broiler pan. Can I use something else for the water to create steam?
Thanks so much!
Alison
Alison: About the mud room, so long as it doesn’t freeze, should be fine. You will need longer rest times once the loaves are formed. Start with 90 to 120 minutes and see what you think (not 40).
But you say your house is kept cool too. Given that, I bet you’ll end up with 2 hour rest times. I do my rests at 66 to 70 degrees, which speeds things up. You can definitely try warm humid environments to speed things up. I sometimes do the oven (off), with a pan of hot water and the door closed.
Alternatives to the broiler pan:
1. Spray with a food-grade water sprayer every 30 seconds, total of 3 sprayings– at the start of baking. Spray liberally.
2. Bake in a covered cast iron or clay pot (no steam needed).
3. Cover with a roomy aluminum foil roasting pan. It traps steam just like #2. Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks so much for your quick response. I baked the boule this morning and it turned out beautifully! A little flat, but I think the dough might have been a bit wet, and I’m not sure I cloaked it enough. The crust was beautiful and crispy, though, with lots of shiny holes inside. I ended up using a cookie sheet on the bottom rack for the water, and it seemed to work. Also, I did the rise for 2 hours in the sink with some warm water on the bottom.
I gave a chunk of the dough to my 3 year old to play with this morning and we threw her ball in with the loaf–it turned out well, too. She ate her bread with lunch today and kept saying “yummy, yummy, yummy!”
Thanks again for the great book and your quick response this morning. I’ve already got the dough made for WW and am anxious to try it.
Excellent, I’m so glad. My kids always got their own balls of dough to bake with when they were little too. Fun memory.
If you’re doing the 100% WW bread, take a look at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142, which anticipates our next book (manuscript submitted to publisher yesterday!). Jeff
I thought I read some place that the doughs can be froze. Can they all be, do I have the book. Am I just missing it?
Yep, freeze any that you like. Let them defrost overnight in the fridge, then let them rise as usual at room temperature. Jeff
I never have luck baking bread but this was incredible!! I can’t believe I baked it! Here’s my question, though. Any idea what would cause my baking stone to crack? I have (had!) a Pampered Chef baking stone that I’ve used for years. In the middle of baking bread yesterday, it cracked into three pieces. I’m just wondering what could have caused it so I can maybe avoid the problem with a new stone.
Candy: Unfortunately, sometimes they crack. Years ago I bought the one from Williams Sonoma because it’s lifetime guaranteed. Save the receipt — my stone cracked after 11 years, and they honored the guarantee. The thin ones seem to crack more quickly, but the 1/2-inch ones seem to be more durable.
Jeff: Thank you for your input. I am going to try a loaf tonight. Thanks for creating so much interest in hand crafted food in so many people!
Yeah, let us know what you think. I’ve done it with zero commercial yeast, but it gets temperamental at that point. See how it goes.
I am trying to replace store hamburger buns and deli rolls. I use the deli rolls for homemade brats. I found a previous post suggesting using the pita bread recipe for hamburger buns but in reading that part of the book I don’t see how I can stop it from ‘separating’ the top from the bottom.
So, my questions are, how would I best make hamburger buns (even if using the pita recipe) and what would you suggest using for deli/hoagie rolls.
Thx in advance, super book, saved my life!
On the baking stone cracking, I have a friend who works for pampered chef and she said to always make sure the stone isn’t cold as that will cause it to crack.
Ro Anna on 12/26/08:
Re: Caramelized Onions.
I made a double batch of the onions and have made two (soon to be three) loaves with the onions rolled up inside. I followed the same instructions for olive bread – used about + or – 3/4 cup of the onions scattered over the surface. Roll up loosly, bend ends under to make a boule shape and let rise on the peel. My husband’s praises followed me out of the house when I went into the garden yesterday. Said it was the best loaf yet. You will get some marbeling and pockets around the onions when you cut it, but who cares? Secret is not to be afraid of the dough. It’s infallible.
Pecan Sticky Buns:
It;s me again… First attempt at the sticky buns was wonderful, but the dough tended to get dry very quickly by the next day. Second attempt, I drizzled 2 or 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the surface and filling before I rolled it up. As a result, rolls were more moist and lasted longer the next day. As if any receipes from this book last long in this house! Next time will probably add 3 to 4 T of the butter.
Hi!!
I’m from Spain. I don’t know so much english so I hope you understand me.
I would like to buy your book, but… in spanish. I hope you could publish the book in spanish, it would be great to have your book.
Good luck!!
Welcome Ines, Spain’s one of my favorite places in the world. Unfortunately we can’t get the publisher to commit to publishing it in non-English languages. Thanks for your enthusiasm about our method!
Come back and visit anytime you have questions. Jeff
Thanks Toby: Glad you’re having so much success with the rolled-in doughs. Other suggestions for the caramel rolls/dryness of the dough. Assume you mean in the bucket? Could transfer to smaller bucket as you use it up… or lay a piece of plastic wrap over the surface. But we’ve never done either of those, this dryness in the bucket doesn’t seem to affect the dough. Jeff
Brian, re-rolls for hamburgs and others. People usually want a soft result for hamburgers etc., so use a lightly enriched dough. Challah (page 180) works; you can cut the oil and eggs by half and replace with water at least partly. Same for hoagies. You can also try using a lean dough (like the Master, page 26 or any whole wheat) but paint the surface with oil or butter before baking to keep it soft.
I use the pita by just putting the hamburgers into the pocket. Different effect though. Let us know which you prefer.
Turkish pita with black and white sesame seeds: made this today (from the last small piece of peasant dough)and had to let you know how delicious it was! Served it for lunch warm with olive oil for dipping and added rosemary and parmesan to the EVOO. Great alongside the reheated veggie/penne stir-fry from last night. Not sure where I found the recipe for the sesame pita but I think it was from this site as it had some suggestions from you(Jeff)included – I had printed it out for future use. How is the best way to search for previous info from the ABin5 site-there’s so much great info here, but hard to locate.
Love the book. Love the bread. However, I prefer to work in Baker’s Percentage. Do you have the formulas for your Brioche dough?
Thanks,
Jeff
Hi Amy,
You can go to the “search” function at the very bottom of the left hand side of any page on the website. Scroll all the way down and you should see it.
Your pita sounds wonderful!
Thanks, Zoë
Zoe,
Do you have a recipe for Pan Dulce (Mexican Sweet Bread) using this method?
Thank you,
Monica
I heard your piece on The Splendid Table a few days ago (listening to archived podcasts) and I nearly fell out of my chair at work. I’ve been trying to bake bread the old fashioned way and have been mildly disappointed with the results.
I’m a college student and this is absolutely perfect for me. I baked my first piece–a trial roll, and it came out perfect, crisp crust, soft pillowy interior.
Thank you both so much for creating and publicizing this. I will be buying your book(s) as soon as I can, and will be making bread using this method exclusively for the rest of my life!
I can’t wait to bake and eat the rest of my dough!
Again, my thanks,
Anna
Hi Zoe, First is an update to my question re pickle juice in the deli rye recipe, I made the dough January/7 with 1/2 cup pickle juice & 1 tsp( approx) dill seed. The dough rose more than before. I baked a loaf today & it came out awesome !!! I may try more juice & dill weed the next time !!!! Considering my husband & sister & family reaction using the rest of the dough before 2 weeks will not be a problem !!! Thanks for your answer & I love the book, had not made bread in years, tried the bread machine plan & did not like it. I got the book & was going to share with my sister, got partway thru & ordered her a copy of her own & since then, a copy for a friend!!!! Great job,thanks !!! It is cool to go to Wegman’s or Harris Teeter & ignore the bread section,since thanks to you, I can do better !!!!!! Diane
Hi Monica,
Pan Dulce is a slightly sweeter dough than our brioche recipe, but I bet you could use it to create this bread. Before it is baked you would just make a sugar topping of sugar, flour, butter and some kind of flavoring like cinnamon. Some recipes even have you add an egg to hold the topping together on top of the loaf.
I’ve eaten them, but never made them. If you try it let me know how it goes!
Thanks! Zoë
Hi Diane,
That is so exciting! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for writing back and for sharing the book with your sister! 🙂
Zoë
Jeff said: Brian, re-rolls for hamburgs and others.
Thx for your reply Jeff. How long should I rest a hamburger bun? I measured out 3 oz. Also, I am guessing that I should use a baking sheet rather than the stone (don’t want crust bottom), paint the top with fat (butter), go ahead and score the top for a roll but not for hamburger bun, and do not add water to the broiler pan since I don’t want crusty top… All that sound about right?
I am currently going to try a single bun with a 20 minute rest.
Thx again!
Hi Jeff & Zoe,
I have been asked to demonstrate your method of bread making in a cooking class. I have been using your method since May ’08 with great success and made many loaves for our small farmer’s market this summer. I continued making loaves this fall for my regular customers and some co-workers this fall after the market ended.
My question is-can I use your method for this class?If so, I will bring my personal copy of the book and let people know where to purchase it.
Anna: Thanks so much for the lovely note, much appreciated.
Brian: About the buns, your 20-minute rest sounds great, all your other ideas should work as well. Let us know how it goes.
Kathy: Thank’s for putting the word out there. Sounds good to us. Jeff