Baking Bread -- the easy way!

I've been obsessed with making good bread for years and I've found a few recipes that are good, but none of them are particularly easy or --  more importantly -- quick.  So when I saw this book, I knew I had to give it a try.

The book is Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, and I have to say that I'm loving it!  The concept here is simple -- you make a large batch of dough, stick it in the fridge, and slice off a chunk of it whenever you want fresh bread.  The basic dough keeps for 14 days and is easy to mix up (no kneading!)   It uses only very basic ingredients and you can do a lot with it.  I made a batch of the basic dough and we have had fresh baked bread with dinner 3 times this past week. 

The book also includes some other dough recipes and then expands on these so that you can use the dough to make all kinds of different loaves.  I'm looking forward to trying one of the richer breads -- like the brioche -- soon.

What I like most about it is that I can make a family sized loaf.  There are only three of us, so I hate to make a huge loaf that goes stale before we can use it all.  And I also love that you only mix up the dough once every week or so.  Taking out all the ingredients and then cleaning up afterward takes most of the time in baking.

I wish I had some bread to show you, but I'm afraid it doesn't stick around for more than about 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven!

Comments

[Zoe Francois]

Hi Julie,

My name is Zoe and I am Jeff's co-author. Thank you so much for trying the bread and sharing it with your readers.

While you are working your way through the book be sure to visit our errata sheet, which lists all of the mistakes we didn't catch while editing. Sad but true!

www.artisanbreadinfive.com or
www.zoebakes.com

Thanks again and enjoy all the bread!!!

Zoe Francois

[Brandie]

Sounds like a fabulous book ... but can I ask you a question? Are there any gluten-free recipes offered in the book?
Thanks so much!

[amanda]

That books sounds fantastic! I agree, when I make bread, it is the getting out and measuring the ingredients that is the hard part. That method sounds like a great plan. I am going to look for the book and give it a try!

[Catherine]

Thanks so much for your comment and link on CMB - this sounds perfect! I'm going to check it out right away! :)

[Tracey]

Ooh, this reminds me. I used a cinnamon roll recipe this weekend that didn't require kneading the dough. You just let it rise in the bowl. Would you like me to pass it along?

[amy k.]

okay-i was just going to write you about this book-i have been so curious--thanks for the review!

[Phi]

I just got the book from Amazon today and I've been going crazy waiting for it. I originally read about the book in the Chicago Tribune and baked my first loaves last weekend from their recipe. Fabulous. I made a second batch 2 days ago. Now the book is waiting for me to get into it tomorrow!

[susiej]

I'm here from the Angry Chicken -- and I worked all weekend with the King Arthur bread book, and Peter Reinhardt's bread book, trying to find a simple recipe -- the one you described. I gave up! Thanks for the review!

[Kathy]

Yeah! I've been looking for exactly this kind of thing. Thanks for the review and the link!

[Oiyi]

This book sounds great. Thanks for the review.