So, WHY am I the ONLY person in C&C--

[eridani]

--who has fucked up the artisan bread recipe?!?!? :mad:

100 Percent Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Whole wheat flour has a nutty, slightly bitter flavor, and it caramelizes easily, yielding a rich, brown loaf. Milk and honey are tenderizers, and their sweetness complements the bitter notes. Although we’ve showcased a loaf-pan method here, this dough also makes lovely free-form loaves on a baking stone.

1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
5 tbsp neutral-flavored oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1⁄2 cups lukewarm milk
1 1⁄2 cups lukewarm water
6 2⁄3 cups whole wheat flour

1. Mix the yeast, salt, honey, oil, milk and water in a 5-quart bowl or other container.
2. Mix in the flour using a spoon, high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook.
3. Cover loosely, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top); about 2 to 3 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next several days.
5. On baking day, lightly grease a 9-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan. Using wet hands, scoop out a 11⁄2 pound (cantaloupe-sized) hunk of dough. Keeping your hands wet (it’ll be sticky!), quickly shape it into a ball following the method in Step 5 of The Master Recipe (above).
6. Drop the loaf into the prepared pan. You’ll want enough dough to fill the pan slightly more than half-full.
7. Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Flour the top of the loaf and slash, using the tip of a serrated bread knife.
8. 5 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with an empty broiler tray on another shelf.
9. Place the loaf in the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.
10. Allow to cool completely before slicing in order to cut reasonable sandwich slices.
Makes 3 1 1⁄2 pound loaves.

OK, it wasn't exact. I ground whole wheat for about 5 cups, added 1/4 cup gluten and filled out the rest with unbleached all purpose flour. Used sugar instead of honey (dissolved in the warm milk).

The initial rise went well on Friday, and I left it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until Monday. Divided the lot into three loaf pans. It was stickier than my last attempt, but not nearly ask sticky as on Friday. Internal oven thermometer read 375, and maybe I shouldn't ahve done the preheat with both elements on, as the top is a bit charred. Dividing by 3 didn't fill the pans half full, really, even after the second rest period. Tastes great, but still ain't SANDWICH bread!

[Tesha]

1. oh, you might just be the only one to admit it...

:hi:

every single time I make a loaf it turns out differently...

I've found this tho' - don't rush the rise time -

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. There is an error with the yeast amount

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=73

"Throughout the book we call for “1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast (1 1/2 packets).” It should read “1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast (2 packets).”

Although it's only an error if you used packets. I use the granulated yeast in a jar.

[Lucinda]

3. It does still work with 1 1/.2 packets, you just dont get the same initial rise

But i've had much better bread since I went to two packets.

[hippywife]

5. I used the jars, too, so

I never even paid attention to the packets because I already knew a packet = 2 1/4 t. from reading the jar.

[eridani]

9. I have the large yeast package in the fridge, and used 1 1/2 tbsp n/t

[Lucinda]

4. I've never baked it below 425. Maybe the 375 was the problem?

I've found a get better texture and rise if I cook in a covered pot and the water entirely.

I've preheated the pot with lid in a 500 degree oven, put bread in hot pot, turened it down to 425 and baked for 30 then uncovered for 10-15, and had great results.

I DID put the bread in a cold covered pot in a 325 degree oven and turned it up to 425, baked for 30 and then uncovered and baked for 10 more. I got the best rise with this one. ( i had a pan of something else in so the baking began at that temp but went up quickly to 425)

I did one experiment with molasses and didn't get the same rise when it baked. But it was still tasty.

[hippywife]

6. I have the worse time

with sandwich bread out of any kind I try to make. It never comes out right for me at all! And not all of us have had perfect loaves. :hi:

[GardeningGal]

7. Have you tried the King Arthur recipes?

They have a couple that I want to try but haven't yet.

[hippywife]

8. No, but that was going to be

my next stop. I really want to eliminate all bread purchases at the grocery store. I've gotten it down to occasional but I can't seem to find a bread recipe that both me and Bill like. He likes it heavily wheaty and I like it moderately so and a little soft, not so dense. I even bought some powdered milk and some vital gluten to experiment with.