Ask a Question

Questions? Start with the Search Bar: I’ve been posting recipes and answering questions on this site since 2007, so if you have a question, there’s probably a post that addresses it somewhere on this website. So, the first thing to do is to use the Search Bar on the Home Page. In narrower laptop or desktop displays, it sometimes appears right underneath the orange BreadIn5 logo, and on phones it’s right above where it says “How to make bread in five minutes a day?” Just type in the bread style, ingredient, or technique that you’re interested in, and the search-engine will show you posts on the topic, with recipes and answers to many questions.

Another place to look: the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page (there’s also have a Gluten-Free FAQs page). If you don’t find your answer in the FAQs, you can post baking questions and comments, but please be brief, so I can get to all the questions.  

If neither of those get you to the answer you need, click on any “Comments/Reply” field at the top of any post (it doesn’t have to be here on “Ask a Question”) and scroll down to the bottom; then enter your question or comment. Don’t look for the response in your personal email… Come back here to the site on the page where you posted, to look for the answer.

Questions are answered here on the website within 24 hours, often with a reference to a page number in our books where possible.  Please remember that the blog is moderated, so your post may not appear until I’ve read and approved it; this can take 24 hours.

Note: BreadIn5.com is reader supported. When you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.

6,789 thoughts to “Ask a Question”

  1. I am over-the-moon crazy about your new Artisan Bread in 5, and am baking my way through it! Question: I understand that the water/cornstarch glaze is primarily to hold seeds, etc. intact on top of a loaf. What will be the result if I try the glaze on a regular (say, the master recipe) boule? Thanks so much for this wonderful book!

    Reply

    1. Hi Renee,

      Thank you for the lovely note! You can use the wash on the Master recipe, but honestly, I think brushing it with water does the trick just as well and is much easier.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Any hints for how to store the bread overnight so that it keeps its nice crust and soft interior? I usually bake bread that will be eaten that same day, however – I need to bake a loaf a day in advance of a party. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

      2. Hi Renee,

        You want to store it in a paper bag, so that you don’t ruin the crust. You can also try our refrigerator technique. You form the loaf, set it on parchment, wrap loosely with plastic and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator (or you can do it in the morning to bake at night), take it out while the oven preheats and bake as normal once the oven is to temperature. This allows for a long rise and you can bake it right away when you get home.

        Thanks, Zoë

      3. Hi
        Can I use a stoneware loaf pan for any of your sandwich loafs? What do I do to prevent sticking?

    2. Using your basic boule recipe , my first loaf was a complete success, however, the subsequent loaves were not. The dough seemed very wet , and when baked ,while looking great, didn’t seem to be cooked through .My refrigerator dough container was left with the lid slightly ajar…should I have closed it completely? My oven seems to be true , having checked it with an oven thermometer . The oven and stone were allowed to heat for over 40 minutes each time.
      This is the second time I have experienced this problem of the follow up loaves not being as successful as the initial one. The dough was used before 14 days was up.
      What am I doing wrong with the subsequent loaves? Do I need more flour added? Thanks so much!

      Reply

      1. When you say “basic recipe,” which one do you mean, we have many? Which of our books and which page number are you working from?

      2. The book is “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day”, pages 26-31…”The Master Recipe”.
        Thank-you, Diane

      3. Hi Diane,

        How old was the dough you were using the second time? Was the dough discolored at all or just didn’t rise? If the dough is at the end of it’s storage, it may need a longer rise before baking.

        Thanks, Zoë

    3. Zoe, You were here at our house on October and showed us some pizza skills. Yo also mentioned and showed us some buckets for dough and told us where to get them and I lost the info. Can you resend me the info.
      I remember it was baker… something.
      Thanks Steve k

      Reply

  2. I recently got a copy of The NEW Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and am about to try making my first batch of dough.

    Just a few weeks ago, while shopping at a local kitchen place that has all kinds of great cooking and baking items–I got a bag of Diastatic Malt Powder from King Arthur.

    Would it be OK to add some of that to my batches of dough, having any benefit with your method?

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael,

      I have never tried the diastatic malt in the recipe to see if it would be a benefit. it certainly won’t hurt the dough, if used in a small enough amount and could result in something interesting. We do use non-diastatic in the bagel recipe as a flavoring. If you try it, please let me know what you think.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  3. Re Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

    I’d like to thank you for this book. Been making your rye breads for some time, with gratifying results. Am about to turn my attention to semolina bread, and have a question about durum flours.

    Pp. 80-81 Semolina bread and p.9 Semolina flour

    Do you prefer a grainy type, like Bob’s Red Mill, or a re-milled durum semolina from Italy, like Caputo? King Arthur flour offers both a semolina flour and a durum flour – both made from durum semolina – which would be preferrable for this bread, and why?

    Reply

    1. Hi Helene,

      Jeff developed this recipe and he said that he preferred the results with a finer ground durum flour that he got from King Arthur. He also used a coarser semolina with good results, but liked the durum a bit better.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thank you, Zoe, I’ll go with a fine flour then.

        Just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with my new ability, thanks to you, to make rye bread. Even here, on New York’s upper west side, choices for good rye bread, fairly dense, with lots of caraway seeds, are narrowing. There was, I thought, always Williamsburg, home to some of the best rye bread ever – but it seems the Hasidim have turned to spelt. My world rocked!
        Zabar’s remains, and trips to Scandinavia – and now, my kitchen.

      2. Hi Helene,

        I am so pleased to hear it. Shame all the good rye has disappeared, but thrilled you are baking your own.

        Cheers, Zoë

  4. I seem to be the only one with recipe instruction confusion for the Five Minute Artisan Bread.
    1. When the dough goes in the fridge should the container then be sealed?
    2. Instruction #5. Place dough on prepared peel. That would mean to take the peel out of the oven and put the dough on the hot peel???
    3. If the dough has been resting on the peel it will no longer be hot???
    Please explain.

    Reply

    1. Hi Nancy,

      The lid should be cracked just a hair to allow the gas from the yeast to escape. This will prevent an alcohol smell in your dough. It shouldn’t be open so much that you end up with dry patches on the dough.

      The peel is a flat board that is used for delivering the bread and/or pizzas to the oven. I think you are referring to the baking stone, which stays in the oven and should be preheated.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. You’d have to work it in– which means you’d knock a lot of the gas out of the dough, which isn’t desirable. It might be OK if your goal is to use this dough for flatbread or pizza.

        Bottom line– this might not work, but could be worth a try. If your intention was flatbread all along, a better strategy might be to brush on olive oil just before baking.

    1. Hi Jed,

      Do you have our New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book? If so, you could make the panettone dough, but leave out the fruit and add orange zest instead of lemon. I think that will get you pretty close.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  6. Hi, I wanted to try making Asiago cheese Bread using your techniques (which I love!!!!), but can’t find a recipe on the web site or in the book (NewBin5). So wondered if you had one to share?
    Jim

    Reply

    1. We haven’t specifically tested a bread with Asiago cheese (except for pizza), but I’m guessing that Asiago would work just fine as a swap for Cheddar in our Vermont Cheese Bread on page 176. The water content of Asiago may be different from Cheddar, so if you want to be cautious, cut the cheese by half the first time you make it. This kind of thing also works with a partial whole wheat swap, see this post for guidelines: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/09/18/whole-grain-loaves-without-vital-wheat-gluten-and-highlights-from-the-mill-city-bread-festival

      Reply

  7. Do you have any low-carb breads? I have been experimenting with some gluten flour and almond flour recipes without any success.

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Our lowest carb breads are our 100% whole grain ones, from any of our books, whether wheat-based or gluten-free. That said, our breads are mostly made from grains– a carbohydrate food. None of them are really low-carb even though they’re whole grain (they’re just lower in carbs than white bread). We do use some nut flour/nut meal in GF Bread in 5 Min/Day (https://amzn.to/1msOBmY), but in only one recipe: Almond Coconut Loaf. Its about 30% nut flour by dry weight. When we pushed the nut flours beyond that, we just didn’t have much success– as you’ve found.

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Jeff. I have your books and couldn’t find anything listed as low carb. I have enjoyed your breads and books.

  8. I just made the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread (The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day, page 332)and it is absolutely scrumptious. Would it work to make this as a boule? If so, how would I do it? Thank you for your wonderful, wonderful recipes and approach to making incredible breads!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Nancy. It may spread a bit as a boule, but maybe not. I’d just make a 1 to 2-pounder, bake at the same temp, and consider a shorter baking time if it spreads sideways since the center will be easier to bake through in a shorter loaf. That’s likely to be true in general, probably closer to 45-50 minutes, especially if you go with a one-pounder. Bake it on a baking sheet prepared with parchment, a silicone mat, or butter.

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Jeff, I will give it a try. BTW, I sold Master Recipe boules and baguettes at two small farmers markets in SE Minnesota during the 2015 season with great success. I plan to add to my “repertoire” next season!

  9. Any ideas on how to get a more “sour dough flavor” into my sour dough bread? I use your recipe for the base and add my own sourdough starter (about ¾ cup) in ½ batch …two loaves. My only option is to add more starter, but not sure that’s the right way to go?
    Jim

    Reply

    1. You can use more– up to about 1 1/2 cups of activated starter (about a pound) in a half-batch of our stuff. That’s what I do. The other thing is to drop the packaged yeast for a purer sourdough flavor. It works, but it’s slow. I’ve found that this dough is storable just like our regular stuff, but I’ve limited it to 5 days or the flavor’s too strong.

      Reply

      1. Thanks Jeff, I will try that. I also read on elsewhere that using whole wheat flour in the starter and making it a little drier encourages the yeast to create more acetic acid so a stronger sourdough flavor. I’l try all approaches at once (no controlled approach for me!) and let you know how it goes.

      2. I’ve started many batches with 100% WW and I like the result very much. If you go too dry– it’s tough to get it to start.

  10. Hi! I have the Artisan Bread and Healthy Bread books and love your method. One member of my family has developed a wheat allergy so I was wondering if you had any recipes that do not use wheat flour at all or if there is a recipe in one of those books that I could modify. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated!

    Reply

  11. I make Betsy’s Seeded Oat Bread (ABin5) frequently. I make half the recipe and bake it in a loaf pan. It comes out great! I would like to make it so that there is more whole wheat flour (I usually use white whole wheat) than white flour – in fact, I’d love to make it without any white flour at all. Should I substitute ww pastry flour or ww bread flour or should I use some combination of some type of ww flour and less white? Help! Love this bread!

    Reply

  12. Hi, Jeff. Just to clarify: 1. when I make the 1/2 recipe of this in a loaf pan, I can use white whole wheat flour and do not need to use ww pastry or bread flour? 2. And also then do not need to use any white flour in the bread? And 3. When you say 1/4 to no more than 1/2 c. water, that is IN ADDITION to 1.5 cups of warm water that I use for the half recipe? Thanks so much !

    Reply

    1. First– this will rise less without white flour–you’re correct in that.

      Then–yes, you can use all WWW and you don’t need ww pastry or bread flour (though the bread flour won’t hurt and you’ll need a couple T more water). I wouldn’t use pastry flour in bread, it’s too low in protein.

      Yes, that’s additional water, but I forgot you’re making half-recipes, so it’s 1/8 to 1/4 cup and see how it goes.

      Reply

      1. Jeff: Thanks so much. Very clear. I will let you know how it works out. It will be a while because I just made the bread today before I received your reply. Interestingly, I flipped the measurements for the two flours, so that there was more www in it than white, and added a tiny bit more water. It came out very well. In fact, even better than the original recipe. Can’t wait to try the complete whole wheat with your suggestions! Thanks again.

      2. Great. That particular recipe gets a lot of attention– people really like it. That said, it was inspired/developed by a reader!

    1. Hi, Jeff: As a follow-up to the email conversation above, I wanted to let you know that I tried the Betsy’s Seeded Oat Bread with more white whole wheat than AP flour and found it to be rather dry, even with the extra bit of water, so I’m sticking with the original recipe. But now I have a few questions;
      This past week I made both the Anadama Bread and another Betsy’s Seeded Oat. Both of them turned out so wet that they were unworkable. I have made the Betsy’s so often that I can’t figure it out. The only thing is both was the Gold Medal Unbleached AP flour … and it was probably at the end of its Best By date. Could that have made the difference?? What else could it be?

      Reply

      1. Hi Jane,

        The age of the flour is unlikely to be the culprit. If the flour was more aerated than normal in the container you were scooping from it can result in too little flour. If your dough is ever too wet, you can always add a bit more flour to the bucket. Be sure to mix it in and then let it sit for an hour before using it.

        Thanks, Zoë

  14. I would like to make chicken filling croissant roll type of main dish–recipe calls for Pillsbury instant dough, but I don’t want to!! I have ALL of your books 🙂 Which recipe would work the best for croissant dough? Thank you for your help!!

    Reply

    1. Well, that’s enriched, so I’d say the first choice is the any of the brioche doughs. For something lighter, less eggy: challah. Whole grain or white at your choice (depending on the book)– see the enriched chapter in your books. We do a crescent roll in HBin5, so you’ll see what I mean.

      Reply

      1. I didn’t even think about HBin5!!! So, if I go with the recipe in HBin5, I do everything exactly the same with chicken filling instead of cinnamon & sugar! Thank you!!

      2. Yes, and you could use any of the brioche recipes, from any of the books, it doesn’t have to be the HBin5 one–that’s your call. Then, about filling it with chicken instead of cinnamon+sugar: it might behave differently; the chicken’s going to “weigh down” the dough more than light sugar and cinnamon. If you use a lot, it could get heavy– this might take some experimentation, though I’m betting it’ll work with a modest amount of chicken. Enough to feel like each one’s a sandwich.

  15. I’ve been trying medium rye flour and combinations of dark and medium rye flour in your rye bread. The two flours combined make a very flavorful loaf, but the egg wash I’m using (having had little success with the cornstarch wash) is suddenly dull instead of glossy. The bread tastes great, but looks pretty unappealing. Any suggestions, explanation?

    Reply

    1. It’s the bran and germ in medium/dark rye– those dull the crust, that’s just the way it is. When using whole grains, I’ve found no advantage with any brushing so I just use water.

      That said, I guess you can try the two-coat way. So, do a brushing just before baking. Five minutes before loaf’s done, brush another coat (even if you’re brushing over seeds), then finish baking. I remember this working for cornstarch wash, but I haven’t tested it a lot– it’s a bit of a bother.

      You’re using steam in your oven? That’s a big one for making the crust look appealing in whole-grain breads, even if it doesn’t produce glossiness.

      Reply

    1. Ah, genius! The two coats of egg wash worked wonders.

      One more question- what makes a loaf skinny? (Still doing rye breads from the original edition) Instead of widening out as my early loaves, which used dark rye flour, did, now that I’m using a combination of dark and medium rye, my loaves are skinny. They rise nicely at the resting stage, but stay long and narrow,

      Reply

      1. Must be related to protein content in the flour you’re currently using. Rye has some gluten, and medium rye has a little more than dark, so it holds it’s shape rather than spreading. Interesting, most people are concerned that it’s spreading too much. Maybe just shape them wider in the first place?

  17. I purchased “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” and love it. Does ” The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” have more gluten free recipes and information than the original? I don’t want to miss out.

    Reply

  19. Do you have any suggestions to achieve a loaf similar to Burgen Muesli bread.

    This contained fruit, seeds, oats etc… a heavy loaf with crunchy bits…

    Reply

    1. We have a granola bread that’s pretty similar. Do you have “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2007)”, or “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (2013)”? It’s based on our home-made granola.

      Or, in the first edition of “Artisan Bread…” we just roll some Swiss Muesli into challah or brioche dough, let it rest, and bake– a “Swiss Muesli Bread.”

      Reply

  20. Yes have seen the Granola bread. However unlike muesli Granola is also full of oil and sugars.

    Your Granola has 2/3cup sugars and 1/3 cup oil…

    Then the Granola bread has 1/3 cup honey…
    Seems a lot of sweetener.

    The Burgen muesli bread is not so sweet. (except from the fruit) so closer to raisin bread but with grains and seeds…

    I sent you a link to the product information of the Burgen – you will see the nutritional information.

    Reply

    1. Why not just use a muesli that you like (or make), and use that in the granola bread recipe? Can drop the honey and adjust the water.

      Reply

  21. I was worried about the effect of the raw grains on the dough. When I had asked about adding more grains to get a wholegrain(rather than wholemeal) bread you had indicated that might be a problem due to hydration issues.
    The grains raw would obviously take up water differently when not coated with a layer of toffee formed from oil and sugar.

    Reply

  22. It is the GI of the bread that makes grains rather than flour a much healthier option.
    While white bread in Australia has a GI of low 70’s wholemeal high 60s Burgen bread is around 50… Slow fermenting helps – and Burgen is a slow fermented bread.

    So with some intact grains your bread would be low GI I think – although of course you never know until you test as the grind or flour, starch ratios of grains etc all change it.

    Reply

  24. I once found a website that was user friendly and did a good job analyzing nutrient value like on a commercial food label. I like to watch carbs, calories, protein and fiber. Plug in the bread recipes and see the results. Does anyone have a recommendation for a nutrient calculator website? Unfortunately, when I was using it I didn’t bookmark it. Thanks

    Reply

  25. Do I close the lid air tight when I store the dough in the refrigerator? Or do I keep it a little bit loose the whole two weeks? I can’t find where that is clarified.

    Reply

    1. It’s best to leave a little ventilation, especially in a breakable container. For plastic which doesn’t make a perfect seal, I usually snap the lid shut at 48 hours).

      Reply

  26. Hello,
    I’m wondering about your take on using Whole Wheat Bread Flour. Will that still require a change in water content from your master recipe (abin5)? Also, for your new book – would Whole Wheat bread flour allow for skipping the vital wheat gluten since bread flour is traditionally higher in protein?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Yes, there’s always experimentation needed when swapping in whole wheat, depending on the brand you’re using. In general, more (not always, again, depends on the brand). Bread flour does help avoid the need for VWG (or not as much), but it won’t be as airy if you eliminate it. For some of our testers, that was worth it to avoid the extra gluten.

      This’ll take some experimentation.

      Reply

  27. I want to try adding some shredded Italian cheeses to the Italian semolina bread. How much is safe to use without substantially altering the texture? Any adjustments I should make to the ingredients?

    Reply

    1. In the book that has the recipe you’re referring to, we have a bread called “Vermont Cheddar Bread,” which would represent the upper limit of how much cheese the bread can take before it’ll get too dense. You’ll have to experiment because semolina’s a heavier flour, and Italian cheeses like Parmigiano have less water and more solids (assuming that’s the kind of cheese you meant).

      I’d go half as much cheese as VT-Cheddar for your first exeriment.

      Reply

  28. Thanks – ii will let you know how it turns out. I made the cheddar bread and it was great. Maybe it’d be best to use the Italian cheese in that loaf instead? Any adjustments?

    Reply

    1. If the cheese has similar moisture level as typical Cheddar, then no adjustments. If drier (like Parmigiano), then you might need a little extra water. I say “might” because cheese has fat that liquifies and then adds to the moisture, so might not matter so much. You may have to experiment.

      Reply

  29. Jeff, Zoe,
    Are you aware of a counter top oven suitable for baking bread? I guess the crock pot would qualify.
    Thank you and regards,
    Don

    Reply

  30. Spinach Feta Bread recipe on page 110 of “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day” book. Can I use frozen spinach? Or does it need to be fresh?

    Thank you!
    Twyla

    Reply

    1. Can use either, just follow the instruction to exclude excess liquid and you’ll be fine. Or decrease the water in the recipe to account for it, if you want to salvage the nutrition in the liquid.

      Reply

  31. Do you have a recipe using your Master Recipe but adding canned pumpkin puree to the dough? I have made your recipe for Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread which I love but would like to make a loaf that is a boule and lighter in texture and that could also be used for rolls. I have also seen your Brioche recipe but do not want to use all those eggs. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Sure, that should work. Use the O-P bread as a starting point, with a cup of puree and see how it goes. I bet it’ll tolerate it quite well, but you may have to adjust the flour-hydration ratio.

      Reply

  32. I just made the onion rye recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 (the original) p. 63. It tastes fantastic but has that ugly gap between the onion and the dough that makes it not work for sandwiches. Would it help to brush the dough with water before rolling? Or not let it rise for as long? I let it rise for about 1 hr. 15 min. after rolling. I often have this problem with cinnamon raisin bread as well. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Honestly, I don’t think either of those are going to solve the problem. Maybe try cutting the onion into smaller pieces? Or, consider mixing the onion in with the dough rather than incorporating it as we do after the dough is already mixed.

      Reply

      1. Thanks. I was considering just scrapping the onion swirl, so I’ll give that a try. Any suggestions for a cinnamon raisin bread that really depends on that swirl?

      2. Same thing– you can mix the additions in with the water and flour at the beginning rather than rolling it in.

  33. I saw that you’re both from Minneapolis, so I hope you’ll be able to help. How do your gluten free bread recipes compare to Breadsmith bread? I used to get Breadsmith bread all the time and really miss it since finding out I have celiac.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    1. Assume you mean their wheat-based breads since I’m pretty sure they don’t have GF. Short answer, their wheat breads are good– they taste like wheat, and no GF bread can claim that flavor. I think our GF loaves are better than any GF bread I’ve ever had– but the flavor is different than wheat’s. I can’t really describe it– you’d have to try it.

      Reply

  34. I am trying to make boule using your master recipe. After shaping, during the rest time the loaf seem to spread out and become flat. It did rise some in the oven, but not enough to look like a boule. Id did taste great. How do I get it to keep its shape?

    Thanks

    Reply

      2. Great– check out the question at the bottom of page 40 in the Tips and Techniques chapter. The other question is whether you’re using a lower-protein flour than what we tested with (which was Gold Medal all-purpose). If so, you’d definitely need to increase the flour a little (or decrease the water) to dry out the dough a bit.

      3. Thanks for the advice. I use Gold Medal all-purpose flower and the batch was already made. So the only thing left was more kneading. I worked the bread for a lot longer – 5-15 minutes and it came out much better.

        Ron

  35. I love making your ABin5. It really is fun to do and makes great flavored bread.
    Problem: my bread has HUGE holes in the top of each slice to half way down. Then from there to bottom: dense crumb. What am I doing wrong? Use gold medal and probably added a little too much water. Dough was wet.

    Reply

  36. I like sour dough bread. I keep and use a homemade sour dough starter. I also like “San Francisco Style” store bought sourdough bread.

    Can I take a few slices of the “San Francisco Style” store bought bread, put it in warm water to dissolve it, and then use it as part of my own sour dough starter in my next sour dough bread dough?

    I am guessing that it will take some experimentation about how many store bought slices to use for a certain amount of water, and then how much of that slurry to add to the sour dough recipe.

    Reply

  37. maybe the silliest question and mistake… i forgot to add the salt to the master recipe…and i realized that 2 days later…how can i add the salt?

    Thank you

    BTW heard about your book 2 weeks ago from a friend, and now i am buying it for everyone for Christmas. You have awaken my childhood with this bread 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hi Elena,

      I’m so thrilled you are enjoying all the bread you are baking!

      You can mix the salt into the dough at any point, but you’ll need to let the dough rest for a couple of hours before using it. Because you will be kneading the dough to work in the salt, you will want to let your shaped loaves rest a bit longer than normal before baking.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  38. Hi Steve and Zoe,
    I’ve been working from Artisan Breads in 5 minutes a day. I’ve been baking the Deli rye Bread, which is the best rye bread in the city of Tucson, AZ. My problem is that the bread dough is soft and ends up making a flatter bread rather than a higher, rounder loaf. I have added additional flour and that has helped, but not enough. I’m afraid that if I add too much extra flour, the bread will become too dense. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    1. Hi David,

      What kind of flour are you using? The brand and type of all-purpose and rye? Some brands have less protein than others and is ground differently, which can make a difference in your dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  39. I’m using the whole wheat recipe from HBin5. I’ve been trying to get sourdough, so have been incorporating about a cup of previous dough and it’s been about 2 months since I started.

    My most recent batch, after a week in the fridge, the top is gray and underneath is too soft/liquidy. Is this still okay to use? Can I save it somehow?

    Reply

      1. Thanks! Is there anything I can do to get a closer to normal loaf, since now it’s been slightly kneaded? Also, what do you think is the optimal time in the fridge before baking?

  40. Can I refrigerate pizza dough made with instant yeast and for how long? Thank you, I’m a beginning baker and am trying to learn.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dennis,

      Which of our recipes are you using? All of our doughs are meant to be stored in the refrigerator for several days and some up to two weeks, and pizza dough is no different!

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. This was just a general question as I do not have your books yet,(hopefully for Christmas).
        Dennis

  41. If we’re grinding our own wheat and don’t know the protein percentages, can you give us rough guidelines on a ratio of how much hard vs. soft wheat to use to get close to a store bought 100% whole wheat flour? We don’t have access to the protein percentages as we buy our wheat berries from a local co-op.

    Reply

    1. Hi Marty,

      Most of the wheat we test with is a hard wheat. We’ve found that the biggest difference with commercially ground and home ground wheat is how fine it is ground. The home ground wheat tends to be a bit coarser and doesn’t produce the same gluten structure as the commercial flours. If you find the dough is too wet this may be the cause. If so, I recommend you add a bit of vital wheat gluten to the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  42. I sometimes use my own Oklahoma grown hard winter wheat, and grind it myself. I grind it again. Then, I put the four through a VERY fine sieve.

    I then grind again whatever did not go through the sieve. Sometimes is takes a few re-grinds.

    I do add some gluten. It works for me.

    Phil

    Reply

  44. Hi, Zoe; Thanks for your quick reply. Unfortunately, I only really found out how wet the dough was when I reached in to get it out of the container. So, to clarify, if I suspect it is wet, I should add the extra flour you mentioned and wait another hour BEFORE it goes into the refrigerator as it sits for two hours? … or AFTER I take it out the next day when it looks too wet? By the time I try to shape it, it seems like it’s too late. I do use the scoop and sweep method, Gold Medal flour, etc. I can’t figure out what went wrong as I am have been making these breads for at least a year or more. Anyhow, if you can answer these questions, I’d appreciate it!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jane,

      It may be as simple as missing a bit of the flour when you were gathering the ingredients, it’s happened to me many times. If you notice it is wet when you are first mixing than add more flour and it only needs to rest for 2 hours. If you don’t realize it is too wet until you are ready to use the dough and it has already done it’s two hour rise, then you’ll add more flour and you’ll have to let it sit for an hour to let the flour absorb into the dough.

      Here is a video on shaping very wet dough, which may allow you to use it as it is: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/03/08/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Thanks … that was very helpful. I have watched that video before, but I have to tell you that my dough was so wet that I could not even get it out of the container. I’m going to re-make both recipes and just hope that there were gremlins about the day I recently mixed up the batters because usually they work out fine. I will use all of your helpful advice, too.

  45. Page 46 Book- Artisan Bread

    Made two loaves of peasant bread exactly per recipe. Looked picture perfect out of the oven, crisp outside. But bread was damp inside after the cool down. Tried again, this time added 1/4 cup more of all purpose flour and used 1/4 cup less of water. Same results. Checked oven thermometer, and oven is ok. Not sure what went wrong with bread. Why was the bread damp? Any thoughts appreciated. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. I forgot to include that I put the bread back into the oven for 20 more minutes in the second attempt and it was still damp.

      Reply

      1. Also, the dough was just made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. No discoloring of the dough. Over is checked and it is okay.

    2. Hi Valerie,

      I would suggest that you let the dough rest another 20 to 30 minutes after the loaf is shaped and before baking. Be sure your stone is preheated thoroughly, which can mean 40-60 minutes for a thicker stone. If you have a large capacity oven, it may not heat as intensely (I have such an oven) and you may need to bake for an extra 5-10 minutes. Lastly, the loaf needs to be cooled to room temperature before you cut into it or all of the steam may not have dissipated from the loaf. Once you cut a loaf, you can’t bake it longer to reduce this issue.

      Thank you, Zoë

      Reply

  46. I have made your bread 10 times, and it is always dense. I have added more water or less water, and the results are still the same. Very frustrated. The only success I have had was with dinner rolls on thanksgiving day. Please Help!

    Reply

      1. Thanks. I found that a little difference in the flour’s protein content makes a big difference. Also trying to let it rise in a very warm temp, like an oven. 80 to 90 degrees helps. Working hard at getting this right. Thanksgiving rolls were superb!

      2. Went with 7 cups of Gold Medal all purpose/unbleached flower at 3 g of protein(as opposed to 6.5 cups) to three cups of water. Seems to work much better.

  47. I have your book “Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” I am trying to make my breads without yeast right now. Do you have any recipes for flat breads that do not have yeast or extra gluten in them, in any of your books? Also…may I use sprouted wheat flour?
    Thank you! 🙂

    Reply

  48. I have your health breads book and have enjoyed it for a number of years. Recently it was recommended that I follow a low FODMAP (short-chain carbohydrates) diet. I also try to avoid eggs. I can actually have vital wheat gluten, but not the other parts of wheat. Dietician has recommended commercial gluten free bread which is awful. Would it be possible to make something edible using wheat flour substitutes and vital wheat gluten?

    Reply

    1. Hi Amy,

      There are several gluten-free recipes in that book you can try. I’ve never tried to combine gluten-free flours with the vital wheat gluten, since it is the gluten most folks are trying to avoid. If you do the experimenting, make sure to start with small batches until you find a combination you like. Most of the recipes in the gluten free chapter can be made with egg replacer.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Janis,

      You can, but spelt absorbs less water, so you will have to reduce the amount of water you add to the recipes. The spelt also doesn’t have as much gluten structure, so the dough may not rise as much as you are used to.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  50. I would like to bake with Sprouted Spelt flour without added gluten. Which of your books would help please.

    Reply

    1. Hi Glynis,

      We are just working with sprouted grains, so you’ll have to stay tuned. They aren’t in any books quite yet.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *