There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread to fill a kitchen with warmth, eager appetites, and endless praise for the baker wh... read full description
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May 20, 2009
Teri
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The theory here is that you make a big batch of dough one day then stick it in your fridge for up to 2 weeks (it becomes more like sourdough the longer it is in there) then it is ready when you want it, hence the 5 minutes a day. It's an amazingly simple recipe with no kneading required (my favorite feature), however it is "artisan bread" so I have to remind myself not to expect a big loaf of soft crusted wheat bread. My results were good though. A little round loaf with crusty outside
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Jan 14, 2010
Punk
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Cookbook. Here's the deal, you take flour, warm water, salt, and yeast. Toss it in a bowl, stir a little. You're done. Let the bowl sit on the counter for two hours and you can grab a hunk of dough, shape it into a ball and bake it. Seriously, it's that easy. Put that bowl of dough in the fridge and it will last for days, and you can make pretty much anything out of it, sometimes three or four servings of anything, and you'd never know it was no-knead bread.
This book explains the the More...
This book explains the the More...
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Dec 31, 2008
Ruth
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My first batch of dough is now in the fridge ready for our first loaf in the morning. I know purists may scoff at the premise of this book, but if this is a way I can have real bread each day, with that great smell in the morning, and my kids eat it, then rock on. Josh loved to see how much the dough rose.
The idea is to make a big wet batch of dough that you keep in the fridge for a week, taking off a chunk each morning and cooking it. Taking the "no-knead" idea one more st More...
The idea is to make a big wet batch of dough that you keep in the fridge for a week, taking off a chunk each morning and cooking it. Taking the "no-knead" idea one more st More...
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Jan 11, 2009
Darby
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This book is getting 5 stars although I wished it had 4 1/2 because I feel the title is misleading (not really 5 minutes a day). Otherwise this book is FANTASTIC. It is one I would like to own. I have only made the master recipe so far but it worked really well. I even did them in loaf pans instead of free form and also used it for a pan of cinnamon rolls.
I have a bread machine that I love and use often but what stops me from using it a lot is - time even though it does save time. More...
I have a bread machine that I love and use often but what stops me from using it a lot is - time even though it does save time. More...
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Dec 13, 2009
Jeff
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A dough recipe that you can make in large batches and refrigerate!
The process is a little different from making traditional doughs, but it's streamlined.
It's perfect for somebody who wants a loaf of bread in 30 minutes instead of 2.5 hours. I find that I'm not willing to put in that much time/effort all at once unless it's a weekend.
The book centers itself around one master recipe, and the other recipes are versatile modifications. I've baked 8 loaves of the master More...
The process is a little different from making traditional doughs, but it's streamlined.
It's perfect for somebody who wants a loaf of bread in 30 minutes instead of 2.5 hours. I find that I'm not willing to put in that much time/effort all at once unless it's a weekend.
The book centers itself around one master recipe, and the other recipes are versatile modifications. I've baked 8 loaves of the master More...
Jun 06, 2011
Micah
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First, the positive: this is the book that started me baking bread. A complete baking novice, I read the article in Mother Earth News, bought the book, and found that it really was an easy, fool-proof recipe. The idea of keeping a large amount of dough in the fridge to use as needed is the most useful idea in the book. And it's not bad bread.
But it could easily be better. Cut back on the yeast, cut back on the salt, and give the initial rise more time. The flavor improves, the More...
But it could easily be better. Cut back on the yeast, cut back on the salt, and give the initial rise more time. The flavor improves, the More...
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May 08, 2011
Audrey
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Five minutes a day is a bald-faced lie but I suppose if you count only the minutes your hands are actually on the dough, it's probably around five minutes. The directions for making the dough is confusing at first (what's a gluten cloak?) but once you get the hang of it, it's all good. Most of the breads came out fantastic - a crunchy outer crust and a nice, firm but moist inside with a nice chewiness to it.
The authors recommend a bunch of baking equipment (from Williams-Sonoma, I bel More...
The authors recommend a bunch of baking equipment (from Williams-Sonoma, I bel More...
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Jan 22, 2011
Michelle
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It's hard to come up with the adequate superlatives for this book. Unbelievably good. Amazing. Those words just don't do it.
Basically, you mix 4 ingredients (water, salt, yeast & flour) in a bucket with a spoon. Let rise at room temp for 2 hours. (or six, it's forgiving). Put in fridge and next day, reach in, grab a blob of dough, shape it (a 30 second process), let rest for 40 minutes. (or 90 minutes, again, it's forgiving). Bake on hot stone.
No kneading, no "pr More...
Basically, you mix 4 ingredients (water, salt, yeast & flour) in a bucket with a spoon. Let rise at room temp for 2 hours. (or six, it's forgiving). Put in fridge and next day, reach in, grab a blob of dough, shape it (a 30 second process), let rest for 40 minutes. (or 90 minutes, again, it's forgiving). Bake on hot stone.
No kneading, no "pr More...
May 26, 2010
Angelia
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I've been baking bread for over 20 years and was really skeptical about a cookbook promising to eliminate kneading and make bread-baking a simple culinary exercise. Easy bread? Pffft!
Well, I was happily surprised to find that bread really can be that easy. There are some breads I won't use this book for (not all respond well to the high moisture content theory behind the book), but for the majority of the breads I bake, this book is perfect.
Another plus of the book is al More...
Well, I was happily surprised to find that bread really can be that easy. There are some breads I won't use this book for (not all respond well to the high moisture content theory behind the book), but for the majority of the breads I bake, this book is perfect.
Another plus of the book is al More...
Apr 03, 2010
Sam
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I love this book! It's simply fabulous - it gives you a couple of very, very easy base recipes that involve no more than 5 minutes of effort (plus time for rising and resting, of course), and then it expands the basic recipes with more decorative breads and meal ideas. However, all the recipes hinge on a handful of simple doughs that you can keep in your refrigerator until needed - for example, pull out a hunk of dough for pizza for dinner, than another hunk for bread for sandwiches the next day
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Dec 05, 2009
Holly
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Is it silly that I sat down and read through this recipe book today? Perhaps it is. However, I found the original recipe on the Mother Earth News website, and have been making the basic boule recipe with crazy success ever since, and have been coveting this book from the first delicious loaf that emerged from my oven. And lo, I was gifted with this book for my birthday by my wonderful in-laws. And, therefore, I have sat and read a cookbook most of today.
First off, the basic boule r More...
First off, the basic boule r More...
Oct 21, 2009
Jeannine
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Ok, here's the thing.
This is a great method for baking bread and the results in my own kitchen have been nothing short of astonishing.
But it doesn't take "5 minutes a day".
It takes more like 10 minutes, once a week to mix a batch of dough which will yield about 4 loaves.
Once the batch of dough is mixed, it will rise for about 2 hours, after which you put it in the fridge and then you can pull from this batch during the week to make indivi More...
This is a great method for baking bread and the results in my own kitchen have been nothing short of astonishing.
But it doesn't take "5 minutes a day".
It takes more like 10 minutes, once a week to mix a batch of dough which will yield about 4 loaves.
Once the batch of dough is mixed, it will rise for about 2 hours, after which you put it in the fridge and then you can pull from this batch during the week to make indivi More...
Aug 07, 2009
Kate
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This book requires a bit of faith and fudging of numbers - the 'five minutes a day' is a gross understatement, but it's still more convenient than the usual time-and-labor intensive methods.
The 'secret' in this book is to make a huge batch of wet, unkneaded dough and keep it in the fridge. Each day as you want bread, you pull some off, let it warm on the counter as you cook dinner, then bake.
You still need to make dough, and you still need to let it ferment for a few hours More...
The 'secret' in this book is to make a huge batch of wet, unkneaded dough and keep it in the fridge. Each day as you want bread, you pull some off, let it warm on the counter as you cook dinner, then bake.
You still need to make dough, and you still need to let it ferment for a few hours More...
Apr 06, 2009
Leeda
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It is difficult to rate this book because the idea is brilliant and I love it. Even if the "five minutes a day" is a lie--they admit they do not include rising/resting/baking times--the breads I've made so far are great. However, as a book, it is 242 pages that I was able to sum up in TWO PAGES in my recipe journal (and that includes several variations). The authors even seem to know this: "It's 6 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons yeast, and then add 13 cups of flou
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Jan 08, 2010
Rachel
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I LOVE to bake bread. I confess, I am a breadaholic. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my mom and have to admit, I was skeptical whether it would deliver on the promises it makes. I am used to making a sourdough which demands time (2 days), attention, and fiddling with started. etc.
Oh my gosh! Does this book deliver! I mixed up my first batch last night, let it sit in the fridge, baked my first two boules today....the BEST bread I have ever baked! And I bake a lot More...
Oh my gosh! Does this book deliver! I mixed up my first batch last night, let it sit in the fridge, baked my first two boules today....the BEST bread I have ever baked! And I bake a lot More...
Jun 23, 2010
Rebecca
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Looked this book up in the library after visiting with my sister-in-law and having her amazing homemade pizza. It's going on our wishlist now. This was the best success I've had to making artisan bread at home, and their website goes further to help troubleshoot should you have any problems with the process. I made one (small) loaf after the first rise the first day, two loaves after the dough had been in the fridge for a few days, and a pizza tonight. So good.
It is a bit misleading More...
It is a bit misleading More...
Apr 05, 2011
Jessica
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I usually don't review books, but this book is really all it's cracked up to be. Back story: I used to make our bread, but after my third bread machine broke, I was done with bread machines. It really could've been bad luck and my fourth bread machine was going to be the one that lasted for 15 years, but I wasn't spending any more money. My brother-in-law introduced me to this book, and so far, we've been enjoying fresh bread nearly daily. The concept is simple: you make about two weeks wort
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Sep 15, 2010
Rosanne
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Three months ago I finished out the school year teaching at King’s Academy, and as I “retired” from teaching (in anticipation of the arrival of our twins), I set a new goal for myself: instead of buying bread from the store, I was going to bake all of our bread. So far I have stuck to that plan fairly well. Since the beginning of June, I have made approximately 20 loaves of sandwich bread and have bought exactly two loaves of sandwich bread from the store.
The keyword there, however, is More...
The keyword there, however, is More...
Feb 22, 2010
Escroston
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First, I am not a baker. I love to cook and not follow directions to the tee. With baking you have to. I was frustrated that I was not very good at baking - I was given a bread machine years ago - used it a lot at first but was never really satisfied with the bread or just the dough that came out of it. I searched for a long time - trying diffferent recipes from different sources. Most books were too technical for me - things took too long - I did not have the patience. Then I read this book - I
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Jan 06, 2011
Sarah
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This was my first book of 2011, and it was fantastic! I pretty much read through the whole thing in one sitting. I love cookbooks that are read-able. One of my goals for the year is to stop buying store-bought bread, and I think this book is going to make that attainable even though I own neither a bread machine nor a stand mixer. I've actually heard from people that the best way to mix this dough is with a wooden spoon, which happens to be something that I *do* own :)
The core reci More...
The core reci More...
Mar 15, 2009
Laura
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I'm going to try out this book's method to see if this may help me make more of our own bread. The authors claim that once you've made the dough, it only takes about 5 minutes of active time to have a freshly baked loaf of bread. You keep the dough in the refrigerator and can keep using it for up to 2 weeks (or until you use it up!). I'll let you all know how the experiment turns out. They have a 100% whole wheat recipe which I'm going to try first.
Update: I tried the whole wheat More...
Update: I tried the whole wheat More...
Nov 28, 2010
Ashley
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Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day is not a cookbook; it's a course in a more relaxed style of (high-quality) breadmaking. I'm sure that once you make the steps habit, it would take you 5 minutes a day (or less) to bake delicious bread at home. However, be prepared to make an initial investment of much more than 5 minutes a day to understand the technique and follow the steps: I found the writing to be somewhat confusing the first time around and had to go back and reread a few steps several
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Jul 29, 2011
Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François take the mystery out of breadmaking by applying a problem-solving approach to the process. In this book, they examine the science behind breadmaking, question each of the steps in the process, and then find a faster and simpler way to achieve the same results. A few special tools are required, such as a baking stone and a pizza peel, but the methods save so much time that it is well worth it. I would argue that the title is a little misleading; you can make bread
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Mar 24, 2010
Sharon
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NOTE: depending on the version or book you have, your book may have errors in it. Go to the author's website: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and follow the "errors" link. I did and just wrote the changes in my book.
This premise is not super convenient for the working chef with more than a 5 minute commute! Case in point: even having the dough 'ready' in the fridge, it still needs to warm up a bit and rest, and then bake. So since I work until 5, commute 45 minutes, More...
This premise is not super convenient for the working chef with more than a 5 minute commute! Case in point: even having the dough 'ready' in the fridge, it still needs to warm up a bit and rest, and then bake. So since I work until 5, commute 45 minutes, More...
Feb 23, 2010
Jana
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This is the first cook book that I have reviewed, but after tasting the bread, I felt I needed to share this gem. This book has you mix up a simple dough (no kneading), then store it in the fridge. You can cut off pieces for loaves when you are in the mood for fresh bread. Yesterday, I cut of a piece of dough that I had made the day before. Then, it only had to rise for 20 minutes. We had fresh bread in less than an hour of getting the dough out of the fridge. It was amazing bread! We all
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Dec 04, 2008
Heidi
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I've tried "no knead" bread recipes before, but I was surprised by how nicely the master recipe in this book turned out. Chewy but not heavy, and surprisingly reminiscent of good French baguettes. Except my crust wasn't very crusty, even though the book told me it would snap. I only baked one loaf, so I'm guessing it was my technique at fault.
The best part about this book is the wide range of recipes. More than just a compilations of recipes for what you can do with the mas More...
The best part about this book is the wide range of recipes. More than just a compilations of recipes for what you can do with the mas More...
Jan 19, 2012
Monty
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Yesterday was a snow day, and I spent part of it baking whole wheat bread and have yet to try baking artisan bread. The dough is quite wet and is best handled with wet hands when shaping, which was new for me though it was so easy to form it into a shape that would fit into a bread pan. It was strange for me not to knead it. I want to try artisan bread, which is made without a bread pan. The recipe said it would make three loaves but I wound up making two. It was nice and moist, had a good
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Oct 04, 2011
Penelope
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I think this is one of those cookbooks that should be added to any "basic" cookbook collection. The core concepts are sound and well explained. Plus, I'm all for baking bread that doesn't require a complex process of kneading/rising/resting etc.
That said, I had mixed results with the recipes I did try from this book. I'm sure that most of the failures were due to user-error and if I'd been really persistent I probably could have worked out the kinks. This book does contai More...
That said, I had mixed results with the recipes I did try from this book. I'm sure that most of the failures were due to user-error and if I'd been really persistent I probably could have worked out the kinks. This book does contai More...
Mar 25, 2009
Pickett
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This book really changed the daily menu at the household where I cook. So easy. Am waiting for the next edition, which I hope has weight measurements. The 5 minutes is the active time. Took me 5 minutes to mix the dough. (Then you let it rest, then you stick it in the fridge). Take it out of fridge the next day ( or whenever), cut of a piece, shape for 20 seconds, put on peel. Turn on oven. Wait 1/2 hour. Bake. Really way less than 5 minutes working time to do a loaf once the 5 minute dough asse
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Mar 12, 2009
Sarah
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This book is fantastic! So, so good. I'm sure I'll be exploring for a long time coming. If you buy the book make sure to reference the book's website as there are some mistakes in the recipe.
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_...
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_...
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