“Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day” is a revolutionary idea that makes bread baking simple. Don’t think this means you can bake homemade bread in just 5 minutes! The process is to make the “master dough” in 5 minutes, then refrigerate up to 14 days. Each day, you cut off a pound of dough and proof it for up to 90 minutes, then bake it for 30 minutes. Genius!
This photo is a blast from the past. This is one of the first photos I took, when my point-and-shoot finally bit the dust and I upgraded to my new camera. I never blogged this post, and it’s time that I do; please forgive that some of my shots aren’t quite as colorful as I’d like.
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day has been blogged about over and over again. If you haven’t tried this easy way to bake your own bread, this might calm the fears of those of you who shy away from working with yeast. See that Danish Dough Whisk? I used it when I blogged about the Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins that I made. It’s become my new “go to” tool for mixing dough.
The idea is so simple and requires only flour, yeast, salt and water. King Arthur Flour Unbleached Flour , has a higher gluten content…and I don’t particular want to use bleached flour, now that I’m more aware of how it’s made. (If you’d like to know more about bleached flour, click here.)
I bought a set of plastic food storage buckets at my local restaurant supply store. These are devoted to making my bread/pizza dough and store them in the refrigerator. To mix a batch of dough (that yielded 4 lovely loaves of bread, over the course of two weeks), just dump the ingredients, with water, into the bucket and mix it together. Just a few minutes…
wo hours later… the dough has risen and it goes into the refrigerator. The longer the dough ferments, the more flavor that develops.
To bake a loaf, just cut off a piece of dough (I use my kitchen shears)….
Shape it, let it rise 45-60 minutes and get ready to bake your first loaf of Artisan Bread.
This is the first, of many, loaves that I’ve made. Each time I make a loaf, it gets better. Oh! There’s even a whole wheat version in their Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day. Each cookbook has recipes that starts with the master recipe– from cinnamon rolls to beautifully shaped breads.
Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day Whole Grain Recipe
Equipment
- 1 5-gallon food grade bucket with lid easily found at restaurant supply stores TIP: Drill a couple of holes in the lid.
- 1 Baking Stone highly recommended for serious bread baking for crispier crusts
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast can decrease
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt can adjust to taste or health concerns
- 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten (or vital wheat gluten flour) 4 tablespoons
- 4 cups lukewarm water about 100 degrees F
Instructions
Optional bread toppings
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of whole seed mixture for sprinkling on top crust: sesame, flaxseed, caraway, raw sunflower, poppy, and or anise
Master Dough Recipe:
- First, measure the dry ingredients into a 5-quart bucket or bowl, and whisk them together (you can also use a fork, or if it’s lidded, just shake them well). Mixing the dry ingredients first prevents the vital wheat gluten from forming clumps once liquids are added:
Mix-In Wet Ingredients:
- Add the water to form a very wet dough. Don’t add additional flour to dry this out:
- Cover loosely (leave lid open a crack) and allow to rise for two hours at room temperature (if you decreased the yeast, you’ll need more time). NEVER PUNCH DOWN or intentionally deflate. The dough will rise and then begin to collapse. Refrigerate and use over the next 14 days, tearing off one-pound loaves as you need them.
Baking day:
- On baking day, cut off a grapefruit-sized piece of dough (about a pound), using a serrated knife or a kitchen shears:
- Quickly shape a loaf. Basically, you pull the top around to the bottom, rotating quarter-turns as you go. DON’T KNEAD or otherwise knock all the gas out of the loaf:
Dough resting time:
- Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest on a pizza peel covered with cornmeal or parchment for 90 minutes (40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough. Whole grains take a longer rest than white doughs. Depending on the age of the dough, you may not see much rise; our loaves depend more on “oven spring.”
Bake the loaf:
- Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), with a baking stone placed on a middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray (I use an oven-proof skillet) for holding water on any other rack that won’t interfere with rising bread.
- Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top with water and sprinkle with optional seed mixture. Slash the loaf with 1/4-inch deep parallel cuts across the top (or a singe lengthwise cut). Use a serrated bread knife held perpendicularly to the loaf:
- …and carefully pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray (or skillet or pan), which is essential for creating a great crust):
- After a 30-minute bake, cool on a cooling rack, and serve however you’d like. You have the basis for a complete, nutritious meal, bursting with healthy vegetable oils (from wheat germ), fiber (from wheat bran), and vitamins.
Notes
i would like Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day.
Yum! I have the first book, so I'd say I want the Healthy one, lol! Thanks Deb!
I don't have either book but would like the Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes A Day.
Judy in MO
I've never made bread before but have been wanting to try. I would love the AB in five book!
Congratulations to Kim!
I would really like the Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes A Day.
We, too, do not use bleached flour. In fact, what I have recently learned about some wheat farmers has moved me to purchase ORGANIC flours! Baking bread has been something I have enjoyed for many years. I'm anxious to try the artisan breads.
That Artisan Bread looks fantastic! I enjoy fresh bread and make Flat Breads quite often.
NativeNM
I love making bread, but rarely have time during the week – 5 minutes a day sounds perfect! Can't wait to try this recipe!
I love making bread, but rarely have time during the week – 5 minutes a day sounds perfect! Can't wait to try this recipe!
I have a recipe for English Muffin Toasting Bread and it is so good and easy. My KitchenAid dough hook does all the kneading.
I think the bread recipe my friend just gave me is similar to this recipe, with some differences. I haven't done much yeast baking but this recipe has encouraged me to do more. I would prefer the Healthy Breads book.
I like making Jim Leahey's no knead recipes. I've always wanted this book too.
I would love to try the Healthy Bread!
blueblanket@hotmail.com
I would love to read the Artisinal Bread book! I love breads! I would much rather make & eat breads than pastry any day.
Wow I think I would love to try the first cookbook! I never made a bread before so I think it's time too.
bolcacs@gmail.com
I just made my first loaf of bread from scratch, without a breadmaker, last month! I would love to get my hands on some great bread recipes to help encourage this new skill. I love white flour breads (I am a true San Franciscan sourdough enthusiast!) but am trying to incorporate more delicious wheat bread into my life.
I would love to try the Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day to jumpstart my wheat-bread endeavors!
I would love to try healthy bread!
I have HBinFive and LOVE IT! That bread of yours with those big fluffy holes…love it.
I have been exclusively buying unbleached flour also. I enjoy making yeast rolls, crescent rolls, and honey wheat rolls. I would love to get the original AB book!
I have this book as well, Debby, and love the recipes in it. This is such an easy way to always have a loaf of fresh home baked bread on the counter. Too easy sometimes. I bake a loaf and then can't leave it alone. I always try the same few recipes and I need to branch out and try more of them. Lovely post.
Yum, I love making bread at home! Sullivan Street bread is so great but I just made a great French bread recipe!
I would love the Healthy Bread book – I try to use healthier flours in my bread and I've really come to love the taste and texture.
Hooray! I'm so excited to win. I tried sending you an email last night but I got a failure message. My email is tony.tracy@att.net.
That's some good lookin' bread you got there.
Your bread looks delicious Debbie. I usually fall back on Jim Lahey's recipe and it works like a charm.
I'm still working on 'gettin' good' at making bread. You've helped. I'd love to own the Artisinal Bread book! Thank you.
I would love "Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day"> I have the first book and love love love it!!! I use the first book a lot and would love the other. Thanks!
My favorite-favorite-favorite is Sourdough <3 I love it!!!
Thanks for your inspiration in the kitchen. I haven't tried break in so long but would love to take it up again.
:~)
oops – of course, I meant bread…though I haven't tried break dancing in a long time either.
I like making my Mom's sweet yeast bread. Love your blog!