Fresh Bread in 5 minutes a day; what your family needs to know
It’s Valentine’s Day, and this is how I’m loving my family… with home made bread. Get this book, and you’ll transform your life and your home — in loving ways. I waited for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking, to show up at the library, got tired of waiting and ran to Barnes and Noble. Of course, the book was sold out, so I had to wait. The day it arrived, I fought ice and snow to get the book, toddler in tow, whining for the Batman Comic books, and we enjoyed our first freshly baked baguette that night.
Amazed, I was, at how effortless this bread-baking method is. These loaves taste and look better than many loaves I’ve made following the step-by-step kneading, rising and punching method. I’ve made 6 loaves in two days now, all of them are gone, save for the crumbs we’ll use as “crunchy bread” in our salad tomorrow. I’ve learned a few things that are missing from Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francoiss‘ book. Don’t get me wrong, the book perfectly, and step-by-step guides you on how to make delicious peasant loaves, flatbreads, challah, brioche, sticky buns and pretzels… easily in no time at all. However, having freshly baked bread available in your house every day – or at least the potential to have it – will transform your family.
Here’s what you should know before you proceed with his book:
- Find comfort in the fact, that once you have taught your children this simple art, they will never be a starved college student. With a few dollars, pooled together from their buddies, they can get themselves some yeast, flour and cheese, and create a terrific meal for themselves and their friends. Cheaper than Dominoes. Truly, this method is so simple, you could make this in a college apartment, no special tools required.
- Understand you’ll be making more loaves than you thought. My first loaf came out of the oven, and I headed for my camera to take the picture – it was such a beautiful specimen. I came back to the kitchen to find this one lone crumb.
- Hands-Off Until It’s Cooled. Fresh bread out of the oven is tempting. Your kids, and spouse, will give it maybe five minutes at most to cool, at most. Just cool enough to grab it and pull it apart just to watch the steam come out of those hollow holes inside. Teach them to wait. Opening the bread while it’s too warm will collapse the bread. The texture of the bread will improve dramatically if your family can learn to be patient.
- No kneading. This was a major disappointment to my boys – who eagerly relish the idea of
wrestling the dough ofhelping to mix the dough. You simply mix and set. There is also no “punching” and re-rising. These steps have been omitted, as they are unnecessary in this method. - Invest in a scale. Other bread books explain this in great detail, and it is fairly important. A cup of flour, depending upon how the flour is scooped, is not equal to another cup of flour. Since there is so little for them to do now, you can get the kids involved by letting them weigh the flour on the scale.
- Mix by hand. Also, there will be no bowl for the kids to lick as you store it in the same bow. I tried to mix the dough in my food processor, but the dough is so sticky (the stickier the dough, the better the bread) that it gummed up the blade and the blade wouldn’t spin. I found it much easier to just use a spoon and stir it up in the same container I store/proof the dough in. Dirty only one bowl. The book recommends this.
- Those green flecks are just part of the flour. Herbs like paprika, thyme and rosemary are full of vitamins – even in small doses. Adding herbs to the water and yeast bakes them right into the bread for an amazing flavor, aroma, and bonus nutrition.
- You’ll have a new “staple” in your refrigerator. Just like milk, the unbaked bread dough will reside in your refrigerator. The longer she sits, the better her flavor. You’ll have enough to make several loaves over the next two weeks — before she will need to be re-made.
- Your Mother and Grandmother will have lots of advice. When you bring a new baby into your home, mothers and grandmothers will come, ready, full of advice on the best way to handle things. They will advise you on the best way to feed and mix your starter. But alas, this is something that went out with the bathwater. Amazingly, she doesn’t need feed, stirred or messed with. Once you’ve mixed this starter, you simply let it sit. And that’s it. The closer the dough gets to two weeks, the more complex and delicious the flavor.
- Use two containers when doubling. Hertzberg does not mention this. I doubled the first batch, correctly believing I would be making lots of bread. This is what happened. (Check out those air holes!! That is going to be some GOOD bread!)
Understand you are spoiling your family. Bread will be so fast and easy to make, they won’t even think twice about asking for you to bake another batch. - Prepare them for the hiss. You create steam in your oven by pouring hot water into a boiler pan sitting in the oven. When the bread comes out, it actually hisses. It’s a beautiful sound to accompany the amazing aroma that comes with it.
- You’ll be eating more salads. You’ll always have that leftover chunk at the end of the bread that has been sitting out all day that no one really wants. Instant croutons, or as my sons call them, “crunchy bread.” Sauté them in olive oil with some garlic and herbs, and serve them on a salad. Add a fried egg, and dinner is served.
- Train them. Truly, this bread-baking process is simple enough for an 8-year-old to easily master. So, go ahead, teach them how to pull out the dough for the day, shape it, and let it rest for the twenty minutes. You can step in to help when it’s time to build the steam in the 450-degree oven.
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i am sooooo getting that book!! my kids love homemade bread. i don’t mind making it! i love fresh challah. but…that bread sounds delicious!
thank you for sharing!!
hope you have an awesome valentines day!
xo
Ooh, I am checking that out of the library tomorrow! I tried making starter a few times but couldn’t get it to work. I think I’ve got buttermilk biscuits down finally, so now it’s on to bread!
No starter to feed… amazing.
Sounds delightful! Your family are lucky!
Landscapes & Cityscapes
You are SO dangerous, Susie.
Must be something in the name.
I’m adding this book to my must get list. Thanks.
Hot buttered bread is like heaven. I could live off of bread, butter, and cheese alone. Well, maybe a little wine, too.
Great TT!
I agree… I could even skip the butter if I had good cheese.
OMG that looks delicious!! I just wish I wasn’t on this diet!!!!
Looks delicious.
I love breads! I used to make them when I had a bigger kitchen. Your photos of the bread is fab!
Hmm…home-made bread…
Man, I’m getting Homer Simpson flashes.
Happy TT!
Grace… trust me… No counter space needed for this.
My husband bakes all our bread by hand. Waiting for it to cool is definitely the hardest part!
I love fresh bread.
Your post made me hungry, all the fresh bread looked delicious even the one lone crumb.
Not feeling up to doing my own list this week, but wanted to wish all my fave 13ers a Happy Valentines Day
Now I’m going to go and get me some fresh bread! Yum!
Ever since my bread maker broke, there had been something missing in my life. No joke! I have to get this book.
OMG! I’m getting this book! I purchase frozen dough, but this sounds even better! Thanks for sharing!
Forget the breakdmaker! All you need is a spoon!
I’m getting the book!
I wonder if being at high altitude will make a difference?? I suppose shorter rising time…
I love homemade bread! Yummy!
I so love the smell of bread baking… Now that would be a perfume! (Though I hear that this is why many perfumes contain vanilla — for the associations with ‘mom’, ‘kitchen,’ ‘care taking’ and ‘comfort.’)
Yum … I love fresh homemade bread!
Hugs and blessings,
Well that looks just scrumptious! I might just have to pick that book up!
okay, you sold me.
i’ve done the “no-knead” bread from the times, but this is way intriguing.
Dang, I am soooo getting this book! Thank you so much!
Fantastic bread! Thanks for sharing how to make it, susie!
Oh yummy! I have a planned trip to the bookstore tomorrow…hmmmmm….thanks.
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Susie, I just had to let you know that my book arrived and I’ve already made 4 loaves! OMG this is amazing. Bad for my diet, but delicious! Thanks so much for sharing about it–I’d never heard of this method before your list.
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