The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Anyone Still Doing "Five Minutes a Day" Recipes?

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

Anyone Still Doing "Five Minutes a Day" Recipes?

I recently bought a copy of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" and just made my first batch of dough.  I haven't bake any of it yet, but in reading the book, I've had a number of ideas/questions/ponderings, and I wonder if anyone esle has thought about or tried any of these things.

1.  It seems to me that adding some sourdough starter (or even some discard) and perhaps cutting back the yeast would give it more flavor.  And it seems it could only help the texture, too.

2.  In his review Floyd describes this book as sort of the next step for people using the no-knead bread recipe, which has me wondering if it will prove disappointing for someone who is accustomed to baking artisan loaves from BBA or Bread.  Have any of you "serious" bakers tried the five-minute method, and if so, what did you think?

3.  This bread seems like it might be better to make as a pan loaf for sandwich bread instead of trying to create a true artisan bread.

I'm OCD enough that I will probably follow the master recipe precisely for the first few batches and then will likely bake my way through the book.  I just hope I'm not disappointed in the results.

beeman1's picture
beeman1

I have been doing them on and off for a while. I would suggest you check out there website. There is a low yeast and a sourdough varient.

Oldcampcook's picture
Oldcampcook

When I made my first batch, the dough was very, very slack.

I watched their videos several times and it finally dawned on me that she was doing the "scoop and level" method of measuring her flour whereas I weigh my flour.

So I did the scoop and level method with my measuring cup and found out that it weighed 148 grams where I use 135 grams for my cups.  So, if you use that difference (13 grams per cup) times the 6.5 cups in the recipe, there is quite a difference.

I used the 148 grams in the second batch and the dough was much better.

However, the bread is a tad bit too salty for my taste, so the next batch I will cut back some of the salt.

The bread had a nice crust and pretty open crumb with a good flavor.

I used yeast, but will probably try using starter in a batch in the near future.

beeman1's picture
beeman1

Thank you oldcampcook. I never noticed that. It explains a lot.

Janedo's picture
Janedo

I have tried it, just to know what it's all about and what struck me the most is that there is WAY too much yeast. The dough stunk of it! I think the idea is interesting and can make some decent bread with little effort... but use less yeast.

Jane

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

Thanks for all the responses.  I also weigh my flour for most breads, but I did use the scoop and level method, as they stressed it so heavily in the book.  Jane, you are right that it seemed like a lot of yeast.  I will cut it back next time, especially if I use a sourdough starter, too.

I'll let you know how my first batch turns out, and what else I end up altering.

swtgran's picture
swtgran

Someone on here suggested using only 1 tsp. of yeast and leaving it out on the counter longer before putting it into the fridge.  That is how I have done it since and it is so much better.  Terry

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

I baked my first loaf from the five-minute dough today.  It flattened out a bit on the peel (I will remember to give it a stretch and fold partway through next time), but it baked up nice -- crisp crust, beautiful custard crumb with lots of holes.  And the kids devoured it.  So, I'll stick with this bread for a while, although it won't replace my sourdough.

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

I baked a second loaf yesterday and attempted two modifications, neither of which worked.  I tried to proof the dough in a banneton, and when I tipped it out, it "melted" onto the parchment.  So, I tried to strech and fold, as I mentioned in my last post.  That didn't work either.  I ended up shaping it per the recipe, letting it rest for about an hour, and baking per the book.  It wasn't much to look at, but the crust and crumb were great and it tasted just like the first loaf.

Smita's picture
Smita

I tried their recipe for an overnight challah using whole wheat bread flour and it worked very well. Some caveats - 1.I am a novice baker. 2. I do not own a stand mixer. This recipe got me closest to the texture of real challah with the least effort / expense. I have also noticed that these breads do not age well. The challah bread does not hold up over more than 2 days. I would reccommend freezing the bread after the first 2 days.

mrpeabody's picture
mrpeabody

Because of my schedule, the "Artisan Bread in Five" method is just about the only way I can get any bread baking done.  I've used their Challah recipe and really like it.  I do find that the longer I let the Challah dough age in the refrigerator, the weaker the oven spring.  It makes for really great French toast and the dough is also good for fast cinnamon rolls.

 

Mr. Peabody

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

I finished off my Five Minute dough the Saturday after Christmas and mixed another batch right away (so I wouldn't have to wash the container or waste the pate fermente.  I got busy over the next week or so and let it sit in the refrigerator.  I remembered it was in there tonight, so I pulled some out and made ciabatta.  Having never made ciabatta before, I was quite pleased with the results.  As someone else mentioned before, the older dough (this had been around for about 10 days) definitely had a strong sourdough tang to it, which I love.

I will finish off the dough tomorrow, and I plan on mixing up the whole wheat version next.

ema2two's picture
ema2two

I just got the book, as an inexpensive addition to my growing bread library.  The semolina sesame italian bread intreigued me, and I had he semolina in the house, so mixed it up to bake in the AM.

tbednarick's picture
tbednarick

I make the Oatmeal Bread or Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread once a week.  It's great for my two year old's pb&j sandwiches...and mine too :). We love the pizza dough recipe too.

I typically recude the yeast to a teaspoon and let the dough rise for 10-12 hours for better gluten development.

My mom had our family Christmas gathering this last weekend and I had 1/2 a batch of oatmeal bread dough left in the refrigerator.  I made rolls that turned out great.  I used a tip from the author's web site about putting some flour in a bowl to weigh each roll and they turned out so nice and uniform I think they suspected I purchased the rolls

Tonya

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

Tonya, I have been cutting back the yeast each time I make this dough, too.  I'm not quite down to 1 tsp., although I think I'll try that with my next batch.  I've baked my way through the Master Recipe section (I'm going to do the sandwich bread tonight), and am ready to move on the the Peasant Breads.  I haven't even seen the Pumpking Bread recipe yet!

tbednarick's picture
tbednarick

Less yeast works great as long as you have lots of patience to wait. I also like to refrigerate the dough overnight and let the shaped loaf rise about 4 hours.

I should mention that the first few times I made the oatmeal bread and the oatmeal pumpkin bread it had a pretty floppy consistency due to lack of gluten development.  Hence the reduction of yeast and increase in time.  I don't have a lot of time for hands on work, but plenty for just letting it sit there.

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

Do you mean you refrigerate the dough at least overnight when you make a new batch of dough, or that you shape your loaves and let them chill overnight?

I haven't let mine rise as long as 4 hours, but I did read the technical correction on the website where they say it's better to let them go about an hour and a half, instead of 40 minutes like the recipes in the book instruct.

tbednarick's picture
tbednarick

Sorry I wasn't clear.  I like to refrigerate the entire container of dough overnight and remove what I need in the morning for a loaf.  I shape the dough and let it rise for several hours (yesterday it was about 4). 

I've found the longer rise works better for me.  The short rise resulted in very dense loaf, so I let it go until it is about doubled in size.  This may be because I have a gas oven and get very little oven spring in uncovered baking.

Tonya

tbednarick's picture
tbednarick

I'm probably not a serious baker, but I do make a loaf or two of sourdough every week (lately lots of caraway rye, but I do try new things when the mood strikes) and I still like some of the recipes in this book.   I wasn't totally thrilled with the deli rye or the master recipe, but, as I said earlier, I've found several sandwich type loaves that I really do enjoy. 

I've added some leftover sourdough starter to the pumpkin bread recipe and thought it was a nice addition.  I'll have to try that again next week and give it a serious taste test.  It would probably really improve the master recipe.

Tonya

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

The second time I made the master recipe, in addition to not washing the dough bucket, I added a bit of sourdough.  It really did make a difference. 

As I stated earlier, I'm CDO (that's OCD with the letters in the right order, as they should be) enough that I'll probably bake my way through the book.  But assuming for the sake of argument that I didn't do that, which recipe would you suggest I try next?

Earl's picture
Earl

Been hanging around for awhile. A good baker would kick me out of the kitchen. :-) Really. I just mess around baking this or that. Do the No Knead Bread pretty good, and just got the 5 Minute A Day book. Here's a loaf from the 5MAD, basic recipe, click on the link below. Dough is 4-5 days old, sitting in the garage [kinda coolish in there here in Ohio.] If the crumb looks ok I'll post a picture.

I want to thank all of you for your expertice and postings. Great lot of bakers here. I also have the 1847 sourdough.

Earl

 

http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/d/13568-2/Artisan+Bread+5+Min_+Day.jpg

sybram's picture
sybram

I ordered the book this morning, but I want to make this bread now.  I've seen the recipe on this site, I think, but I can't find it now.  Actually, I have the ingredients, but not directions.  Do I just dump it all in together and mix (how long), or is there more to it than that?

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

The method and recipe were printed in this Mother Earth News article.  It will get you started until your book arrives.