"Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" Zoe Francois (2010–)

[Quasar]

Hi Heidi,

Thanks for the response, not sure how to get 'oven spring' but it sounds nice

I mix up my batch of dough, let it rise for 2 hours and then put it in the fridge overnight.

On baking day, I am letting the dough rest for an hour and a half before putting it onto a preheated pizza stone at 450 (230 celsius).

I have a pan sitting on the bottom oven shelf and pour in a couple of cups of boiling water.

Am I missing something?

Thanks for the help.

Quasar

[Luke]

Quasar,

Have you tried leaving it in the fridge for 3 days or more?

How large / what shape is your loaf? Can you provide a photo?

What type of flour are you using?

Luke

[Heartsurgeon]

Quasar

are you slashing the bread just prior to baking? no mention of this in your post

it would help if you listed the exact formula your using, and the brand name/type of flour your using, yeast etc. without the details, we are all just guessing at the answer.

it's best to do baking formulas in grams

also, do you have a oven thermometer to actual check the temp of your oven?

as i've posted before, different flours (all labeled "all purpose") can have astonishingly different optimal hydration ratios.

[Jmahl]

Tried something new today to form a loaf.

Let the loaf rise in the ring of a 7" springform pan.

I put a paper collar around the inside of the ring and then removed the ring and paper after 20 minutes in the oven.

This loaf is half a regular batch and weighs one lb. 12oz.

What do you think of the results.

[Heartsurgeon]

the crust looks superb, how was the crumb?

i like it when the bread appears to have "exploded" open at the slashes,

in my experience that seems to be associated with a really open crumb.

[Aember]

Hi folks! I'm wondering if anyone has done the ABin5 thing with a Cuban bread recipe?

I'm jonesing for a Miami style Cuban: soft, slightly fluffy crumb with good holes like the ones in these photos; crust is a bit underbaked, very thin, just barely beginning to golden (so as to get further color when you hot-press it for a Cuban sandwich!). The most promising recipe I've found is here, using vegetable shortening & unbleached flour: http://www.tasteofcuba.com/pancubano.html. Right now, I'm trying the master HBin5 recipe, adding the 4 TBSP shortening in this recipe. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow & see how it turns out.

Sure would be nice to know if anyone else has tried this, though. I'll post results. Thanks!

[Aember]

Hi folks! I'm wondering if anyone has done the ABin5 thing with a Cuban bread recipe?

I'm jonesing for a Miami style Cuban: soft, slightly fluffy crumb with good holes like the ones in these photos; crust is a bit underbaked, very thin, just barely beginning to golden (so as to get further color when you hot-press it for a Cuban sandwich!). The most promising recipe I've found is here, using vegetable shortening & unbleached flour: http://www.tasteofcuba.com/pancubano.html. Right now, I'm trying the master HBin5 recipe, adding the 4 TBSP shortening in this recipe. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow & see how it turns out.

Sure would be nice to know if anyone else has tried this, though. I'll post results. Thanks!

I didn't do the pre-dough starter, though. I figure I'll get the right flavor via the usual HBin5 method.

Oh man, there's nothing like Miami Cuban bread hot from the oven, spread with butter or olive oil, & a hot cup of cafe con leche.

Edited March 23, 2011 by Aember (log)

[Aember]

I did it! I did it! It's the perfect flavor and just the right texture! Soft, fluffy, perfect, just like I remember. I'm GIDDY! I'll post pics later...Gotta chow!

[Aember]

Here they are!

[lesliec]

Aember, you're a genius!

Inspired by your last few posts, I grated some cold butter into a half-quantity basic recipe, left it to sit while we went shopping then shaped/baked when we got home. It's brilliant - I wouldn't describe it as 'fluffy' but it's a little lighter than the straight recipe and the crust is delicious. Next time (and there'll be a next time) I'll make smaller loaves rather than the single 'normal' size one to change the crust/crumb ratio in favour of crust.

Thanks for the idea.

[Jmahl]

Tried the Brioch recipe from the book.

Here are the results. Baked in a ring mold from the dough from half a batch.

This is the crumb. Really good.

[Genkinaonna]

I've done the Brioche, and I just didn't feel like it had the lacy, pull apart type crumb that I get from my other brioche recipe...it was like the gluten development just wasn't there. However, the flavor is great, and it makes killer hamburger buns!

I've been using the olive oil dough to make pizzas on the grill...super easy and great for a quick meal once you've got a batch hanging out in the fridge...

[cookingofjoy]

I just made the pumpkin brioche (from the healthy bread book) into cinnamon rolls for this morning. We've really liked the crescents, but they're not as make-ahead friendly. The rolls worked out really well in a 9x13 pan in the fridge overnight. I used half the batch for that pan, and have another pan in the freezer to try out next weekend. I'm hoping they freeze well, too!

[ChrisTaylor]

I've finally got around to actually attempting to use the book. I have a bit of a problem. I hate supermarket-grade bread--can't stomach it--and I hate the waste of buying good (expensive but nice) bread only to use maybe 4, maybe 6 slices from the entire loaf. At work I end up eating a lot of shit for lunch. It's expensive. It's bad for me. I'd be better off with, yes, bread.

So I opened up the book and mixed up my first batch of the main recipe. Bought a shiny new 7.something litre container to house it. I'm not intending to use it for a couple of days but I figured I'd let it mature a little.

[ChrisTaylor]

The basic loaf isn't much to write home about on day two or three. After a week, tho'? It's really good. Mixing a new batch of dough tomorrow. Won't touch it until the following weekend.

[Heartsurgeon]

you might consider adding a small amount of malt to boost the "bread" flavor. see previous posts for the details.

[Jmahl]

A second attempt at the brioche recipe

this is good stuff.

This loaf and the two mini loaves from a half batch.

[Lior]

OMgoodness!! Tha looks so delicious!!

[Heartsurgeon]

epic picture of the brioche!

if that isn't gastro-porn, i don't know what is.

what was the recipe?

what did you do differently the second time?

[Jmahl]

epic picture of the brioche!

if that isn't gastro-porn, i don't know what is.

what was the recipe?

what did you do differently the second time?

This was a half batch recipe right out of the book. Can't think of anything different except I didn't think there was enough for two loaves so I put two balls of dough in those little cast iron Cocottes from Staub.

[Jmahl]

Tried a new form as suggest in the book. It worked.

Lately I have been making 40% whole wheat bread - grinding hard winter red wheat here as home. Great hard crust and great whole wheat taste. I give the standed receipe a good dose of honey. This is good bread.

[heidih]

Wow! I want to play with whole grains in my "no knead" and this looks like a great concept - maximizing the crust. You actually take the wheat berries and grind in what process?

[Heartsurgeon]

your crust looks great.

i've been trying variations to my basic recipe.

now i'm substituting 15% whole wheat (KA white whole wheat), and i think it makes the crust crunchier and brown quicker compared to 100% KA all purpose flour.

i've also added 7.5% steel cut oats to the standard bread recipe. Adds some nice texture and flavor inside the bread.

i've got a friend who is growing some winter wheat, so i'll be trying the home ground whole wheat later in the year.

[Jmahl]

You actually take the wheat berries and grind in what process?

Exactly.

[lesliec]

That is a beautiful loaf.

I've also been fiddling with the basic recipe and have a variant which is gaining rave reviews (at home).

I substitute just under a cup of whole wheat flour for one of the six cups of white in the standard recipe, plus I throw in about ½ - ¾ cup of kibbled grains and a rough handful each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and linseed (aka flax seeds). When forming the loaf (this method) I roll the dough in a bit more kibbled grain.

The texture is if anything slightly lighter than the 'plain white' version, with a good crunch to the crust being helped by the kibbled grain sticking to it. I'll see about a photo sometime soon.