I baked the most incredible bread yesterday!

[Trailrider1951]

It's from a recipe on the Mother Earth News website:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx

The bread turns out really crusty on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside, just like I like it! The recipe is easy enough, 3 cups warm water, 1 1/2 Tbs salt, 1 1/2 Tbs yeast (I used 2 packets) and 6 1/2 cups flour (I used 4 cups unbleached white and 2 1/2 cups whole wheat). The instructions are rather detailed, so I included the link above. I changed it somewhat, using a non-stick cookie sheet sprinkled with sesame seeds for resting and baking the loaves. But I still put the pan beneath the cookie sheet, and added the water when I put the loaves in the oven. What a difference this made in the crust! Also, I mixed the dough on Saturday, and left it in the refrigerator overnight in a covered bowl (not airtite). How convenient! I still have enough dough to make another loaf sometime later this week. I'll report back on how that goes. Enjoy!

[DrDan]

1. I also made it yesterday - fantastic

I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar (I like a tad of sweetness in my bread) and a couple of tablespoons ov EVOO (just for a bit of flavor).

Sure was good. I did the herb-bread twist - with a cup of water and some herbs in a boiler pan.

[supernova]

2. Glad yours turned out well

I haven't made a loaf yet. I will probably do that this afternoon. I used 100% WW and a little brown sugar.

edit: I will probably try the herb bread next. I really love bread with a strong herby flavor.

I have to stretch it out though, since I'm wheat gluten sensitive.

[Lucinda]

3. Thanks for the post about this bread. I've been planning to try the recipe

Today just may be the day!

[Lucinda]

4. Came back to say that I have a batch rising now!

My thanks to the OP for reminding me I had this recipe!

[supernova]

5. I just set mine out to rise

I think I made the dough a little too goopy, didn't add enough flour.... I had to ad quite a bit to it to make a ball, and it's still wet.

I'll see.

It should still taste good though.

I wanted to make it late so I would get the heat from the oven on this snowy winter night. :-)

[Lucinda]

6. I misread the recipe in my magazine and only put 6 cups in the base

Just took mine out of the oven...seems like the basic recipe is pretty forgiving! We're going to crack it open when it cools!

[hippywife]

13. I think it's supposed to stay slightly wet.

It's one of the secrets to why it crusts over so nicely. :9

[Lucinda]

7. Photo of my first loaf :)

It's a little blurry!

[housewolf]

9. It's gorgeous!

And delicious, I'll bet! Nothing like a great-looking, delicious loaf of bread out of the oven to give you a big smile!

[Lucinda]

10. Thanks! We liked it a lot! I'm reading that it's even better as it "ages."

This recipe is definitely a keeper... I think it's going to be fun playing with different additions.

[hippywife]

15. If I remember correctly,

they also recommend that you not wash the container that the dough refrigerates in. After a while, it developes that sourdough taste.

[Lucinda]

26. Thats what I have heard. Youtube has a couple of interviews with the authors.

I think they may have mentioned it in one of the interviews.

[hippywife]

14. Congrats!

It looks lovely. I can almost taste it. :hi:

[Lucinda]

27. :) I love this bread!

[Tsiyu]

8. Wowee that was the issue I missed

I read all these glowing LTE praising that bread and I was upset I didn't get that particular issue. (Internet out at the time). And here it is! Thanks for posting it, I may make some Wednesday.

:hi:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

11. It's very good - I prefer this bread to the NYT "no knead" recipe

Which I love and have made many times. This bread has a finer crumb. Both breads are good, but this one I think is more like a bread one would eat daily. They have a LOT of interesting twists on it in their book Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day.

BUT, all the recipes seem to be for one pound smallish loaves. Has anyone tried a larger loaf - maybe double or triple the size yet? I am assuming you would just have to increase the baking time.

[Lucinda]

12. My last loaf was a double - cooking time was the same

Thanks for posting your thoughts on the NYT bread. I was considering trying it too, but we're really happy with this recipe. I think I'll just stick with it.

I thought I might need to adjust the cooking time with the double loaf, but it was ready in 30.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

16. Thanks! I knew someone must have tried a double loaf.

Interesting that the cooking time stayed the same - you probably saved me from incinerating a loaf. I still haven't mastered getting it off the pizza peel neatly.

[Lucinda]

17. I dont have a peel...and would probably suck at using one. :)

I haven't replaced my last pizza stone, so I'm just using a silicone mat and cookie sheet for the rise and bake. Works like a charm. :)

[hippywife]

18. Same reason I don't own a peel. LOL

Unless it was a metal one, I could see the mess I would cause. :hi:

[NMDemDist2]

19. i got one with my pizza stone

and it's not that hard really

the cornmeal will make a mess, but not as bad as flipping the NYT bread into the dutch oven

just give it a little shake before you head to the stove and make sure it's loose on there then it's kinda the same wrist shake move I use when shaking a saute pan

and getting stuff out I just use a spatula to 'help' it along

:hide:

[hippywife]

20. I don't flip my bread into tthe dutch oven.

I follow the CI instructions for that and let it rise on a piece of greased parchment paper inside a skillet.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

21. Lucinda had it perfectly. Double loaf but keeping everything else the same works perfectly

Now - this is the dream bread. This is a good size loaf with a nice crumb and a crisp crust.

Just as a side note : The Artisan Bread in 5 minutes and the NYT No Knead are variations on the same theme - a very moist dough that requires almost no working or kneading but is based on water and yeast doing the manual labor. It is interesting to note the major differences:

5 minute artisan takes less rising time and can be made in a shorter time. Ideally it requires a pizza stone, a broiler pan to put water in, and a pizza peel ( you can find workable substitutes for the peel- it is just about getting the dough onto the stone). It is baked in an open oven on the stone and the steam to make the crust crisp is created by pouring water into a broiler pan while the bread cooks on the stone.

NYT times bread requires a 14-21 hour rising time and has you putting the dough into a lidded preheated casserole which is how it recreates the highly heated stone and the lid creates the steam from the moisture in the batter.

I found it fascinating to see that 5 minute Artisan says that you will get a large crumb with significant holes - their version of Ciabatta(like the NYT bread) if you don't make the slashes in the dough that they prescribe. So, the finer crumb of the 5 minute bread must be due to the slashes. So interesting.

[Lucinda]

28. I just saw this. :) I've baked a batch and a half's worth of loaves

and always get a fine chewy crumb. No big holes. I'm using the balance of this batch to make baguettes tonight. I'm curious to see if I get holes without the slashes. They had a baguette in a youtube demo with huge holes using their base recipe. :)

[NMDemDist2]

22. I have two loaves (a full half recipe amount) in the oven right now

and a full batch rising on the counter ready to put in the fridge

it's gonna be the base for tonight's sloppy joes

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

23. Pictures!!

here's the loaves from a half batch

the bread isn't fully cool so the crumb still looks a bit gooey, but they were our dinner for sloppy joes

I have a full batch in the fridge right now, I used the 4+liter cambro and it rose to the VERY TOP on the counter, but it's decreased in the fridge

[housewolf]

24. WOW! Those look teriffic!

And I'll bet they're delicious!

Congrats, NMDem! Very well done!

[Lucinda]

25. Beautiful!

Do you bake it for 30 or adjust?

I just saw your comment above. Thats what I get for reading from the bottom up!
Beautiful bread!

[NMDemDist2]

32. i baked it about 35 minutes and they still looked a bit too light

but I'm at 3200 feet :shrug:

[Lucinda]

33. I was reading some comments of Zoe's on another board last night about baking times

She said that they can stand a bit of extra time because the dough is so moist, and recommended that we bake until the desired color is achieved. So I am going to try baking a bit longer tonight and see what happens.

[NMDemDist2]

34. I usually do the NYT bread for 45-50 minutes

I think it needs more time.

I did the long skinny loaf a bit longer but it needed more time too

and the salt is WAY too much IMO

I think I'll decrease the salt by half and figure 45 minutes for the baking time

[Lucinda]

36. The NYT recipe does cover on, then removed for browning right?

Whats the texture of their bread like?

I have two different No Knead books coming in via interlibrary loan. Cant wait to get them! I'm happy with the artisan in 5 stuff but I want to try some others. One of the books has ways to modify traditional recipes into no knead. Very exciting! LOL

I'm such a bread geek.

[NMDemDist2]

37. the no knead has the big airy holes in it, a much coarser crumb in other words

I actually think I like it better. it's crust is a lot crisper/chewier

and yes, you do it covered for 30 minutes (basically letting it make it's own steam) then uncover to brown up (20-30 minutes additional)

I'm gonna tweak on the 5 minute stuff, I like the crumb of it but really think the salt is overwhelming

:shrug:

[Lucinda]

38. Zoe also mentioned reducing the salt on that other blog...she said the amount wasnt critical

so I think you should be fine even at 1/2 the recipe amount.

[NMDemDist2]

39. I'm thinking I might get a better rise with less salt

the bread is a bit heavy, less salt would let the yeast work better

I think

I'll have to ask housewolf if it will hold in the fridge

:dilemma:

[Lucinda]

40. You might try more counter time in the initial rise too. Zoe suggests 2-5 hours.

Also if the room is below 70 you wont get as much lift.

[Trailrider1951]

29. Well, yesterday I baked the last of my original batch of bread dough

It tasted even better than the previous loaves. Much more like sourdough. So, I mixed up another batch, and it's waiting in the fridge for me to finish off the baked stuff. I'm glad everyone had good experiences with the recipe. I'll let you know if I find another keeper.
:9

[Lucinda]

30. I'm going to try a batch of rye today!

I'm so glad you started this thread!

[eridani]

31. I'm going to try the whole wheat. Question--has anyone tried making

--hamburger or hot dog buns with this recipe? Would that affect resting or baking times?

[Lucinda]

35. I think the resting time wouldnt be changed at all. And it's weird

but everything I've baked - small loves, baguettes, double loaves, etc, all cook in about the same amount of time, though I would expect burger buns to cook quicker.

The bread is too crusty for buns, for me, but I bet they will be tasty!