Mar 12, 2010

An Artisan Bread Update That’s Way Overdue

It’s been over two months since I made my first loaf of artisan bread using the method described in my favorite cookbook of all time, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.It’s the best Christmas gift ever, and I get giddy when I try something new and it works.

Earlier this week, I made fresh pita! I used the olive oil bread recipe in the book, and it was so much fun. It was like magic, rolling out the dough into 1/8-inch thick circles, popping them into the toaster oven, and watching them puff up! I couldn’t believe it actually worked. They tasted just okay, not spectacular, but I’m definitely going to try again. Did I mention it was like magic? (Read the authors' instructions.)

Also, the brioche dough makes fabulous cinnamon raisin bread. I love that the brioche dough can be frozen in one-pound balls, so I can make cinnamon raisin bread almost any time. It’s one of the kids’ most favorite things to eat, and it’s incredibly easy. Here’s the recipe for their brioche dough and cinnamon swirl bread. (I just added a couple handfuls of raisins to the latter.)

If you haven’t gotten the book yet, the authors posted their Master Recipe recently. You may want to watch this video, which shows how to shape a loaf.

These pizza rolls are now a lunch box staple, and I always have some in my freezer. The boys’ preschool will warm these up for lunch, but I’m trying to think of how I can make them portable for kindergarten. Maybe a shallow, wide-mouth thermos.

Lastly, but definitely not least, I’ve come to love the refrigerator rise, which is a working mom’s best trick. Shape the dough in the morning on parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and leave it in the fridge. When you get home, preheat the oven, and bake as normal. Fresh bread really is the bomb!

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2 comments:

Camille said...

Of all of the breads I LOVE to make (including that foccacia!) I HATE making pitas! :-) Now, I have not made it with the artisan bread so I may have to try it, but in general, I still just buy pitas because I can't stand making them. :-) Funny, eh?! So I'm glad you love them!

One of these days I'm going to break down and buy the book.

Chief Family Officer said...

@Camille - You reminded that the pita instructions were just posted online - I added the link to the post, but it's here. Next time, I may try doing them on the stove to see if I like the texture better.