Let's Talk BBQ
Recipes => Recipes => Baker's Corner => Topic started by: Smokin Don on January 29, 2014, 03:15:52 PM
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Jan 29 2014
I had baked a lot of bread in my bread machine over the years; most came out pretty good but was not like crusty artisan bread. The last couple of years I used Jim Lahey’s no knead recipe and baked it in my 5 quart Dutch oven and they all came out good.
A couple of weeks ago I made some that was a marriage of Lahey’s and Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day.
It did not come out real great. I checked out Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois’s book Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day. I watched some videos on it and like it better than the Lahey method since it didn’t take the long rise time of 18 hours. All you had to do was mix it up let rise for 2 hours then in the fridge for up to two weeks and would do four loaves. Baking day all you had to do was take a grapefruit size ball out, form it quickly then let rise for 40 minutes. Then bake at 450 deg. along with a pan filled with a cup of water for 30 to 35 minutes.
I ordered the New Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day from Amazon along with a Danish dough hook for mixing the bread by hand. I mixed a batch up yesterday and was happy with the Danish dough hook. It worked great and had it all mixed in several minutes. I let it set for two hours and it had doubled in size and looked the way it should. It went in the fridge overnight.
I baked my first loaf today. It didn’t go as well as the videos showed. I floured my hands and pulled some dough out; I had it all sticking to my hands before I could form it. It went back in the bowl; I washed my hands and then used olive oil on them. I was able to get a ball formed and quickly placed it in my 9 inch Lodge steel skillet, I had dusted with corn meal. It was to set for 40 minutes while you heated the oven to 450 deg.
I was glad I decided not to preheat the skillet; it was runny enough it flattened out but the skillet size stopped it or I would have flat bread! It did not rise any that I could tell but they said not to worry it would rise while baking. I cut slits in the bread in 3 places but they filled in and the center slice was the only one that came out ok. I checked it after 30 minutes and let it bake for 35 minutes.
I was happy with the outcome; it had a crispy crust and about doubled in size while baking. It didn’t go as well as I had hoped for. I will know more after I slice it for supper tonight. I will add a photo and any thoughts later.
Baking bread is a great thing to do when you can’t get outdoors to smoke or grill due to winter weather. It also helps to keep me from getting into trouble with the wife! ;D
Link to bread site and videos http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/
The book and Danish dough hook
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1280989_zpsa318ef28.jpg)
Dough mixed up
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1280990_zps64296336.jpg)
After 2 hours and ready for the fridge
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1280991_zps3d090aa8.jpg)
In my skillet and ready to bake
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1291000_zps52805306.jpg)
All done
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1291001_zps736a86ff.jpg)
Cooling
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1291004_zpsae390231.jpg)
Smokin Don
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Nice looking loaf.
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Thanks for all the great information on this type of bread ;D
Loaf looks great from here
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That's the best bread I've seen outside of a Dutch oven - great job, Don!
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That looks great Don!!
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Looks great SD.
About a dozen years ago or so I was bitten by the artisan bread bug. Never got good at it, and was humbled many times in the process.
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Here is the bread sliced. We had it with some of my Freezer Pork & Kraut leftovers. Even though I didn't think it turned out the way I wanted it to; it was delicious among the best bread I have made. Smokin Don
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1291009_zpsf48bd4fc.jpg)
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That slice brought back a memory.
When I was very young Mom use to make home made bread. We didn't have access to store bought.
My Dad, brother and I would be waiting at the table until it cooled enough to slice the. It was butter and jam ;D
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Boy that looks good, Don - wish I had a loaf of that right now - I'm all out of bread, hungry, and have a wheel of Camembert in the garage just begging to be opened and spread thickly on just such a slice of bread
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That is a good looking loaf, I got that book for Christmas and haven't had a chance to dive into it. I need to go ahead and order that whisk, I saw one on another post and have been wanting to get one.
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That bread looks great Don!
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That bread looks great Don!
X2
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Bread looks really good! I have done the Artisan in 5 method quite a bit and usually add flour until a somewhat sticky traditional dough is formed. Also it is important to give it the little 30 second stretching exercise they show in the video. It's also true what they say about more fridge time = better flavor. I like it with some cubed extra sharp cheddar and garlic powder. Jeff & Zoey are really good at personally responding to any questions on there forum.
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That is a good looking loaf, I got that book for Christmas and haven't had a chance to dive into it. I need to go ahead and order that whisk, I saw one on another post and have been wanting to get one.
I do like the dough hook, makes it so easy to mix there is no need for a mixer to do it and less to clean up. Don
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Bread looks really good! I have done the Artisan in 5 method quite a bit and usually add flour until a somewhat sticky traditional dough is formed. Also it is important to give it the little 30 second stretching exercise they show in the video. It's also true what they say about more fridge time = better flavor. I like it with some cubed extra sharp cheddar and garlic powder. Jeff & Zoey are really good at personally responding to any questions on there forum.
Thanks SS for that info! I have looked at their site but need to look at their blog. I am still going through the book. Don
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Very good job Don! Your bread looks mighty tasty! I've gotta get a dough hook like yours.
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:P Great looking bread! What a treat to get to share in your baking adventures while you're testing out this method! Just wish I was closer to enjoy some of the test runs! :)
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Baked my second loaf
Jan 31 2014
Today I was ready to try my second loaf of Artisan bread in 5 Minutes a Day. My first loaf I did after the dough was in the fridge one day. It did not go so well; I had trouble getting a ball formed and it flattened out while resting for the 40 minutes. In spite of the problems it turned out pretty good. They claimed the bread would get better the longer it set in the fridge for its two weeks life. Today was the third day in the fridge.
I was determined to do a better job of cloaking, (forming the ball), this time. I had a bowl with about a half cup of flour in to work over. I pinched off some of the dough, I got too much dough on my hands so washed them off. I then sprinkled some flour over the dough I had selected; I got it out of the bowl and working over the bowl with the flour in I was able to do pretty good cloaking it about 5 times dusting with flour each time and had a nice ball.
It was a little smaller than I wanted but placed it in my Lodge steel skillet I had dusted with corn meal to rest for 40 minutes. It flattened a little but stayed in a ball. I had the oven heating to 450 deg. with a pan to add water to. When it was ready to bake I put a cup of hot water in the pan, be careful it will steam up when you pour it in. I then placed the bread in the oven, set the time and checked after 25 minutes. I let it go for another 5 minutes then pulled it out to cool. Not perfect yet but I am getting there.
We had it with Kerrygold Irish butter for supper. I thought it was good but my daughter in law, who is my go to taster, said this is tastes better than your first loaf. That girl has super smell and taste but being mostly vegetarian I can’t get her to try some of the meat I do; what a shame with her tasting I could get better cooking everything!
My next batch of bread I will add ¼ cup more flour to the recipe so it’s a better consistency for forming a ball. They recommend using a peel and baking the bread on a baking stone but I am going to stay with my skillet until I get this down better.
Ball made
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1311014_zpsad4a554d.jpg)
After 40 min. ready to bake
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1311015_zps6d861125.jpg)
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1311017_zpsadbc9171.jpg)
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_1311019_zps99861a3c.jpg)
Don
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Looks like a good loaf to me, bet it tasted great.
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Don, you're really quite the bread baker!
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My 3rd loaf from the first batch. It had been proofing 8 days in the fridge.
Feb 07 2014
Nothing better to do on a frigid day but bake some bread; it never got over 9 deg. today. This was my 3rd loaf of No knead bread in 5. They had said you could get up to 4 loaves from a batch but I used it up for the loaf.
They recommend baking the bread on a baking stone but I did the first two loaves in a steel skillet I let it do the 40 minute rise in. The other day I bought a Lodge 10.5 inch round griddle; I could use this for the bread and do pizzas on plus other uses. It will be easier to store than a stone, running out of room.
I wanted to let the griddle preheat but I didn’t have a peel yet, glad I ordered one today! I had a little trouble again getting the ball cloaked, seemed like I used a lot of flour. I sprinkled some cornmeal on a flexible cutting board I have and placed the ball on the edge. I figured I could pick that up and slide it on the griddle. Well that didn’t go so well; it didn’t want to slide off and had to help it with a spatula. It deformed the ball some but didn’t turn out too bad.
They said a way to get your bread to taste better, a little more like sour dough, was to make up a second batch right away in the proofing bowl. It said to just scrape down the sides and incorporate it in with the batch. I used 7 cups of flour this time instead of the 6 ½ cups since It was too wet to me to form a good ball. I also never got my cuts to turn out as nice as all the pictures in the book.
I mixed the batch up and let it rise for two hours, looked good! It went in the fridge for proofing and I will have at least 3 loaves to bake over the next two weeks. I want to try a pizza from this batch too.
I sliced this loaf to have a couple slices with butter and red beans and rice for my supper. I reheated some pizza in a steel skillet with lid for my wife’s supper. I burnt the bottom but she doesn’t care for the crust much anyway and was happy eating the toppings! The bread was super and there’s plenty for our supper tomorrow.
Ball made and set for a 40. minute rise
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071079_zpse6975c78.jpg)
Done baking
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071081_zps1b008e5b.jpg)
Sliced
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071085_zpsf3b70e16.jpg)
Leavings from the first batch
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071082_zps018b18ff.jpg)
2nd batch mixed
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071083_zps5f26c50f.jpg)
A 2 hour rise, ready for the fridge
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2071084_zpse99f0cb8.jpg)
Smokin Don
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Great report Don. I'll be checking out that book.
Thanks to posts from you, Smoker Pete & PZ, I have been experimenting a lot with no-knead breads and have really enjoyed it! I never realized how easy it could be to turn out some really good bread with such a small amount of time involved.
They said a way to get your bread to taste better, a little more like sour dough, was to make up a second batch right away in the proofing bowl.
THAT is an excellent tip!
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Great report Don. I'll be checking out that book.
Thanks to posts from you, Smoker Pete & PZ, I have been experimenting a lot with no-knead breads and have really enjoyed it! I never realized how easy it could be to turn out some really good bread with such a small amount of time involved.
They said a way to get your bread to taste better, a little more like sour dough, was to make up a second batch right away in the proofing bowl.
THAT is an excellent tip!
And do NOT wash the container. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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Update: First loaf from my second batch.
Feb 11 2014
I mixed my second batch of bread up Feb. 07 so it had been in the fridge for 4 days. I used a little more flour in this batch and it did look better to me.
My new metal pizza peel had come today and was anxious to use it. I still have problems getting the dough out to cloak without getting dough all over my hands. I just plop it down in the bowl with flour, wash my hands and then form the ball. I did well with the cloaking and had a nice ball after 4 times around the bread. I had put corn meal on the peel and placed it there for the 40 min. rise.
I guess I didn’t put enough corn meal on the peel; I had to use a spatula to nudge it off and onto my cast iron griddle. After 30 minutes baking it looked done so took it out to cool. It looked nice even though I deformed slightly getting it off the peel. My slits came out nice and it was starting to look more like the ones in the book.
On the peel to rise
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2111112_zps8a473a6c.jpg)
Cooling
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Indoor%20cooking/_2111113_zps1a10b1b9.jpg)
Smokin Don
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Don...looks perfect to me..love fresh baked bread..when I make mine I put a silpat under it or parchment paper. Makes it so much easier to move around until you get the right consistency of the dough. Looks like you have it now. I also grease my hands with Pam before handling the dough. It does help some. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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Perfect crust!
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Let it set up just enough to slice, butter. That looks so good ;D
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Just an update and my thoughts on using this method for bread
2nd loaf from 2nd batch
Feb 16 2014
I had made up my second batch of dough Feb. 07 so this second loaf it had been in the fridge for nine days. I am getting better at cloaking, forming the ball; I did not have to stop and wash my hands while making the ball.
I was also using my stainless steel round peel. I wanted to place the ball right on the peel for the 40 minute rise before baking so I do not have to handle the ball any more than I have to. The first time I had trouble getting it to slide off the peel onto the cast iron griddle to bake. This time I added some flour and a little more cornmeal and had no trouble.
I have baked quite a few loaves of no knead bread using the Jim Lahey method of baking it in a cast iron Dutch oven. I think that with this method you do get a bit harder crust on the bread but the taste and texture is the same to me.
I like the Artisan no knead bread in 5 methods better. You don’t have to start the day before and you don’t have to mess with a heavy Dutch oven. I like the convenience of having dough on hand in the fridge. Sometimes I don’t know what I am cooking for supper until that day and run to the grocery for any needed items. If I start the bread an hour and a half before I have to start prepping for supper I can have a fresh loaf of bread to have too.
The loaf
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/Healthy%20Cooking/_2161160_zps9257e291.jpg)
Getting long so this will be my last post on this thread. Smokin Don
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If you want a tester I will pay shipping for overnight delivery.
Nothing like the smell of fresh bake smell.
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I use a slightly different recipe than the 5 minute,my dough seems drier but man.this artisan bread is good stuff!
You all have done some beauties there.