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

[Jmahl]

Honey wheat loaf. Docs' recipe with extra honey baked at 450 degrees convection.

[Syzygies]

hree, the hydration level of our dough, although we avoid terms like that in the book, is about 75% if you are using average unbleached all-purpose flour. If you switch to KA all-purpose the protein level is much higher and you will want to increase the hydration to 81%. This means you will be adding about 1/4 more water to the dough. It should be wet and sticky, unlike traditional doughs. If it is too dry the crumb will be dense and it won't store for as long.

A reference back to this thread got me interested enough to buy the Kindle edition of the book. While I'm happy to help support the authors' research, I was taken aback by the lack of weights.

Searching the Kindle edition, the word "hydration" simply doesn't appear. Luckily, I found Zoe's comment above, so I can make an experiment using my spreadsheet recipe. I get the impression from this thread that the authors consider their method a viable choice for anyone, even people with experience baking. Was it the publisher who insisted on avoiding such terms?

The UK edition is published later, by a different publisher: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Five-Minute-Bread-revolutionary-kneading/dp/0091938945

I really need a plug-in for my Amazon.com account, that stops me when I try to buy a cookbook, and opens instead Amazon.co.uk.

Can anyone confirm that the UK edition uses weights? I was under the impression that, just as it is hard to get published in the US using weights, it is hard to get published in the UK without using weights. And traveling, they do seem to speak a more complex, nuanced version of the English language, at least as far as I can tell.

[Heartsurgeon]

I cannot stress the global implications of what Zoe's quote (listed above), means.

For every flour...the hydration level will end up being slightly different (based upon the protein characteristics). These proteins also play a roll in the rise and oven spring of the bread.

So, if your looking into "perfecting" your bread, and bake it reproducibly, you need to have a consistent flour, that you have determined the optimal hydration for through systematic trial. This hydration will typically range from 75-82%.

invest in a accurate digital scale, and weigh everything, and take notes.

[Bojana]

Question for those who use the Dutch oven method: which brand and size are you using?

[FrogPrincesse]

Question for those who use the Dutch oven method: which brand and size are you using?

I use a 5 1/2 quart (round) or a slightly larger oval duch oven (doufeu - I think it's a 7 quart).

[Carole Grogloth Hawaii]

Jeff and Zoe have a newer (2009) book out using whole wheat flour: Healthy bread in five minutes a day : 100 new recipes featuring whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and gluten-free ingredients / Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François ; photography by Mark Luinenburg. Same easy technique but geared more toward whole grains. Carole Grogloth, Hawaii

Edited March 18, 2013 by Carole Grogloth Hawaii (log)

[lesliec]

Hi Carole.

Yep, we know about that one - it's over here.

[FrogPrincesse]

No bread in the house the other night so I decided to make some. Dough ended up being a little too wet and I decided to shape it into fougasse. It turned out great despite my super casual/sloppy technique (not perfect by any means - but it tasted great with minimal effort which was the idea). The book says that they are not always crispy because the dough is brushed with olive oil, but it was slightly crispy in the end. Sometimes things are best when you don't overthink them.

After shaping

First rise

Out of the oven

[lesliec]

Beautiful fougasse, FrogPrincesse. I haven't tried them with this recipe, but it's a great solution if you're having trouble handling the dough. And what cocktail did they go with?

My most recent experiments with the 5 minute recipe have been using some spent grain from a colleague who brews beer. This gives a fantastic malty/chocolatey note to the bread. Since the grain is quite wet I've had to tweak the water/flour amounts, and it helps to have a bit more yeast and cook longer than usual. 2½ cups water/20g fresh yeast/3 cups spent grain/5 cups plain flour/1 cup wholemeal flour/1 tbsb salt with a cooking time of around 40-45 minutes gives a good result. Find a local brewer and see what you think.

[FrogPrincesse]

Beautiful fougasse, FrogPrincesse. I haven't tried them with this recipe, but it's a great solution if you're having trouble handling the dough. And what cocktail did they go with?

Thanks lesliec. The fougasse ended up being devoured with homemade tapenade & rillettes. The cocktail that day was a Rumble (rum + muddled blackerries).

My most recent experiments with the 5 minute recipe have been using some spent grain from a colleague who brews beer. This gives a fantastic malty/chocolatey note to the bread. Since the grain is quite wet I've had to tweak the water/flour amounts, and it helps to have a bit more yeast and cook longer than usual. 2½ cups water/20g fresh yeast/3 cups spent grain/5 cups plain flour/1 cup wholemeal flour/1 tbsb salt with a cooking time of around 40-45 minutes gives a good result. Find a local brewer and see what you think.

What a fabulous idea! There is no shortage of local breweries in San Diego so I should be able to try this. Thanks for sharing.

[heidih]

FP - on the fougasse - did you just make it all the same day without any refrigerator aging? I love the simplicity of this recipe concept and use it often. Agreed - overthinking not needed.

[FrogPrincesse]

Heidi - I made the dough late morning, went out of the house to run some errands, and baked the bread when I came home about 4 or 5 hours later.

This should actually read "second rise".

First rise

Edited July 19, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Jmahl]

Brioche following the recipe in the book. Really great stuff.

[FrogPrincesse]

Got a new packet (or rather, brick - it's the Costco size) of yeast so I am making bread again. Italian semolina bread. Crumb a bit dense but it was decent.

Is it worth getting the revised edition of the book? The update includes weight measurements (finally!).

[MelissaH]

Is it worth getting the revised edition of the book? The update includes weight measurements (finally!).

I, too, would like to know whether there's anything new other than the weights in the revised edition.

[Zoe Francois]

Hi Melissa and FrogPrincesse,

Other than the addition of weights, which I am very excited about, we have added lots of other details to the new version of the book. Here are a few other things I'm excited about:

1. We broadened the discussion about how much yeast to use in the recipes, giving bakers a range. Some people like the bread with the original amount, but many wanted a lower dose. We have a similar discussion about salt. I personally like saltier bread, but for some it was too strong, or in a rare case, not salty enough.

2. We added a discussion about using a sour starter in our method.

3. Many more pictures (40 color and 100 black & white)

4. 30 new recipes (including a discussion about how to increase the whole wheat in a recipe, without having to add vital wheat gluten.

5. We took the FAQ from our website and broadened the tips and techniques section of the book, so that people will have all the information in one location about how to bake a great loaf.

6. In that section we talk about how to improve the interior crumb, if you are finding the loaf denser than you like.

7. We've added G-F breads for those who have gluten sensitivities or are baking for someone who does.

8. And a fantastic new index (I know its a geeky detail, but I love a good index and this one is finally great. Our first one was not!)

Hope that helps. Cheers, Zoë

[rotuts]

Zoe Francois

thank you for adding to this thread.

Im going to start baking bread-ish things again, and I have the old and new book. i very much appreciate the measurements in

weight. Id like to ask those with experience in this technique, what Rx's work well in a loaf pan.

i say that because i have a 'smart-oven' and wish to bake in that, 1 1/2 lbs loaf pans fit nicely.

after that i might move to 'free-er'forms in that same oven

many thanks.

[lesliec]

Hi Rotuts.

I normally just bake on a pizza stone, but if for some reason the mix is wetter than usual I might dump it in a loaf tin. Maybe that's the danger of the 5-minute bread; the recipe is so forgiving you can afford to be a bit sloppy in measuring, hence (slightly) varying wetness of the eventual dough.

I'd just follow whichever version of the recipe you like and try it in your loaf tins without changing anything. The only thing you might need to watch is that cooking time will possibly need to be a little longer in the tin. Or it might not ... that's another thing the recipe is forgiving about!

[rotuts]

Many thanks,

lesliec

[rotuts]

Im enjoying the New Book.

I plan to bake in a BV-XL oven. Initially I had planed to get 2 1.5 lbs loaf pans but they recommend 1 lbs

so Ill go in that direction.

Initially I was interested in Chicago Metallic

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Stick-Pound-Loaf/dp/B003YKGS2C/ref=sr_1_11/184-3818987-0791140?ie=UTF8&qid=1382477476&sr=8-11&keywords=chicago+metallic+loaf+pans

then came across the USA pans:

http://www.amazon.com/USA-Pan-Aluminized-Steel-Americoat/dp/B0029JQEIC/ref=pd_sim_k_41

they interest me a lot.

they only go to 400 F the one Rx in there in a loaf pan says 450

Im assuming that you can do those at 450.

your thoughts ?

Edited November 5, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

Im enjoying the New Book.

I plan to bake in a BV-XL oven. Initially I had planed to get 2 1.5 lbs loaf pans but they recommend 1 lbs

so Ill go in that direction.

Initially I was interested in Chicago Metallic

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Stick-Pound-Loaf/dp/B003YKGS2C/ref=sr_1_11/184-3818987-0791140?ie=UTF8&qid=1382477476&sr=8-11&keywords=chicago+metallic+loaf+pans

then came across the USA pans:

http://www.amazon.com/USA-Pan-Aluminized-Steel-Americoat/dp/B0029JQEIC/ref=pd_sim_k_41

they interest me a lot.

they only go to 400 F the one Rx in there in a loaf pan says 450

Im assuming that you can do those at 450.

your thoughts ?

Rotuts,

I think you will find the American Style White Sandwhich Bread calls for bread pans and an oven temp of 350 F. You might want to start there.

[rotuts]

Thank you

Anna N

the newer book calls for 450 for the

Crusty White Sandwich Loaf.

the older book has such a @$*#)$@)#)!@#E index who can say

FD you dont spend time making a Cracker Jack Index in your books?

that's what Forever Purgatory is for. For You !

[Anna N]

Thank you

Anna N

the newer book calls for 450 for the

Crusty White Sandwich Loaf.

the older book has such a @$*#)$@)#)!@#E index who can say

FD you dont spend time making a Cracker Jack Index in your books?

that's what Forever Purgatory is for. For You !

Not the Crusty White but the Soft American-Style in the new book. I can't give you a page number as I have the Kindle edition.

[rotuts]

got it pp 324

thanks

[rotuts]

My understanding is that the loaf pan recommended is the 8 1/2 x 4 1/2, sometimes called the 1 lbs loaf pan.,

but they add 2 lbs of dough to these pans and bake at various temps.

Ive started with the 10 grain bread mix from the "Healthy Bread in Five ..."

looking forward to this.