By Bread Alone...

Baking is something that I enjoy, but I usually stick to muffins, cookies, quick breads, and those kinds of things because they don't take very long to do.  Seldom do I actually bake yeast breads.  However, for one of my Christmas presents that I chose for myself that my husband gave me, is a cookbook called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  I have to admit, I was skeptical--yeast bread in 5 minutes a day?  Yeah, right.  But over the weekend I had chance to look at the book, and it really did sound super easy.  So, I picked up a few supplies (including an oven thermometer, pizza peel, and some yeast) and decided to tackle the first recipe.  Hello, easy!
The premise is that you mix up the large batch of dough (which with a stand mixer takes only a couple of minutes), then you refrigerate it.  Then, whenever you are ready to bake, you cut off a hunk of dough, shape it, let it rest, and the bake it off.  The dough recipe is designed to get more flavorful as it is in the fridge, and the other steps really do only take 5 minutes. (Of course, the rising takes a while and the baking as well, but you can do other things while those are going.)

Here's the dough blob in my refrigerator bowl. The amazing book is in the background.

Once you cut off the hunk of dough, you shape it (and for some of the other recipes you add in other spices, toppings, etc) and let it rest on the peel:

Then, after it is risen, you bake it on a stone with a steam bath.  What you end up with is a gorgeous final product with the perfect crusty outside, and delicious chewy inside.  A-MAZING!

Of course, it only took us 5 minutes to eat it too.  Here's where you can order the book:

Book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertberg and Zoe Francois  

Artisan Bread in Five Website