Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - Book Received
The book came yesterday. Mai, my wife, had asked for some whole bread so I looked and found a recipe for whole wheat sandwich bread on page 78.
The recipe called for, in addition to 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose flour, yeast, water, and salt, some honey, butter, wheat germ and a small amount of rye flour. We were out of honey so I used molasses instead.
I mixed the dough last night, let it rise for two hours, and then put it in the refrigerator. I came home somewhat early this afternoon, took half of the dough out of the container, and shaped a small loaf in a pyrex loaf pan. I let it sit for two hours and then baked it at 400 degrees. I didn't steam the oven; I just misted the top of the loaf.
The loaf was ready (internal temp over 200 degrees) early, and I took it out. We had some with dinner tonight, Mai told me to keep track of the recipe. I still have the other half of the dough in the refrigerator, and plan to bake that on Sunday.
Unlike some of the other recipes in the book this one limits the refrigerator time to 5 days. But that works fine for me. I can prepare the dough on a Saturday, bake half on Sunday and the other half during the week.
Colin
Whole Wheat - Bread in Five Minutes
I'd love to see a photo of the bread. I'm glad you liked it because I'd like to give it a try. weavershouse
Okay, I added a photo of the crumb to my original post.
Colin
I guess a rating of 'keep track of the recipe' is a good review? Sounds great! Can't wait to see pictures!
My wife liked it a lot.
I added a photo to the original post.
Colin
thanks for posting Colin!
I've been wondering about that book... Please post any other comments on it as time goes on, I have so many bread books, I was thinking of ordering it, but was hoping to get some feedback in advance or reviews on it first.
1) I use parchment paper a lot. I was a little bit surprised that there was no mention in the book (that i could find) of using parchment paper for dough handling.
2) The recipe I did first came out well, but the loaf was rather small, too small for sandwich bread in my opinion. The loaf I made was slightly under-risen (perhaps because of my substitution of molasses for honey), but not that much. When I do it again, I will use more dough per loaf.
3) I wouldn't take that "Five Minutes a Day" part of the title very seriously. The only time that is cut out is the kneading, which is only about 5-10 minutes in most cases.
4) The amount of refrigeration time they advocate is attracted me. i want to be able to prepare the dough, let it go through the first rise, and then keep it in the refrigerator for several days, baking portions of it on different days. The book says that the highly hydrated dough allows for a longer refrigeration time, and even develops a sourdough-like flavor in yeasted over time.
5) Their "Master Recipe" claims that you can pull a piece of the dough out of the refrigerator, shape it, let it sit for 40 minutes, and then bake it in a preheated oven. I am skeptical about that short a period of time for warming up and proofing, but I haven't tried it yet.
Colin
I received the book as a Christmas gift. Initially I cut the master recipe in half and baked around four small loaves. Turned out pretty well. I found that proofing in an oven with a bowl of hot water beneath the loaf is more successful than proofing in a warm (but dry, in my case) room.
The deli-style rye is excellent, BTW. Until today, I didn't have a baking stone so I've been using parchment paper on a cookie sheet with good results.
I think the concept is great for those who work during the day and don't want to be baking bread at midnight. I'll use my weekends for the intricate breads.
I have also been having success using this concept with my usual recipe of Oatmeal Maple Bread. The long fermentation really adds flavor. I am shaping them into boules, instead of loaf pans and they really turn out very attractive. My husband really likes this the best so far of anything that I have made. If it is in a warm place, I would say more like just about an hour to proof. I bake mine from a cold start at 480 degrees for 10 minutes and then cut back to 400 degrees til done. I don't steam, but I do put water on the boule and add poppy seeds. I use parchment paper also on a sheet pan. The one thing that is nice about this is I can the bread as large or as small as I want for the occasion and not have to plan so far in advance. Works great when having soups and stews.
Ramona,
I haven't tried a boule with this, and am wondering how much the highly hydrated dough will spread while proofing. You didn't have a problem with that?
Colin
No, I don't have any spreading problems. That is why I am very excited about using the refrigerator method with this. I made Harry's rye bread by putting it into the refrigerator overnight and it worked out well for me too. I have started to put just about all of my yeast baking in the refrigerator overnight now, because it makes it so much easier to handle and I get great shaping from it. With using whole wheat flour, it needs to have a higher hydration, so this is another reason that using this method really helps to work out. I do put a bowl over my boule as it proofs.
Yesterday a little after noon I decided to make their Master Recipe. I didn't have a 5 or 6 quart container conveniently at hand, so I used a 4 quart Camsquares container I had bought at Smart & Final.
The mixed dough was below the 2 quart mark, and four hours later when I put it in the refrigerator the risen dough was an inch or two below the lid.
A couple hours later I checked it, and the dough had pushed off the top of the lid. I had to push it down a bit to get the lid back on.
I checked it again a few minutes ago, and the lid was pushed off again. The dough had kept on rising overnight. I pushed it down again and reclosed it.
I hope all this doesn't affect the dough quality. Next time I will use a larger container.
I plan to let the dough continue in the refrigerator a few more days. The books says it continues to develop flavor for several days.
Colin
This dough just keeps on rising no matter what! I've made it several times already and even though I mixed the dough and put it right away in the fridge without the initial rise on the counter, it still reaches enormous heights! I don't understand why the recipe calls for this first room temp rise.
Collinwhipple I doubt your dough will be affected by the deflating - in fact that is what happens to a certain extent each time you take out a portion of the dough to bake.
L_M
I thought I would try this concept with the recipe for a cheese braid I prepared teh dough on Friday afternoon and let it sit til Saturday. I made one braid and then put the other half of the dough back into the refrigerator and make it two days later. I made the snails this time and they turned out really well. My family really gushed over them. I used all hard, red spring wheat. I don't use sugar, so when they come out of the oven I brush the edges with a combination of maple syrup/ melted butter. Letting the dough ferment for a couple days really does increase the flavor.
This is my first try at a boule from the master recipe. I let it sit after I shaped it longer than the recipe said, and it rose very little. But then I got a lot of oven spring.
It almost split apart where I slashed it; I think you can see that in the photo. I wonder if it would be better if I let it warm up a bit before I shaped it.
Colin
I get great oven spring as well. Are you using all whole wheat? I thought you said that you were, but this boule looks like it has white flour. Twice I have had the areas where I slash, open up more than I would like, but usually the slashing really adds a beautiful appearance.
It is from their Master Recipe, not the whole wheat sandwich bread recipe.
I baked the second loaf from the whole wheat sandwich dough tonight also. Mai tells me it does not taste as good as the first loaf.
Colin