The concept is that you prepare a batch of dough that you keep in the fridge for up to 10 days. Each day, you take some out, let it sit for 20-40 minutes, then bake. Actually handling time is about 5-10 minutes per day. I tried the light whole wheat bread recipe, but increasing the whole wheat to about 50%. I had to add more liquid as the author said it is wetter than you are used to. It made the best loaf of bread I think I've ever made. It had a beautiful texture. I didn't use the water bath because I prefer a soft-crust. Sadly, I didn't have any rye flour on hand to try the peasant breads, so I recommend picking some up before you get the book. Finally, if you like bagels, there is a recipe for New York/American bagels and a different recipe for the Montreal bagel. Don't worry, you can use your regular store bought yeast and you don't have to make a sponge or sourdough. It works! Most recipes are vegan, others can be easily adapted.

Can you really make an Artisan Bread in only five minutes a day? Not exactly. It looks good, but the flavor and textures of these breads are "immature". The texture can be a bit gummy, and the flavor of some of these breads are a bit lacking. Honestly, once recipe for ciabatta, baguette and pan toscano! It is a good introduction into bread baking for the novice, since you can get a crusty product better than you could with a bread machine. Serious bakers should stick to the more time-honored methods for more complex flavors and textures.

I always thought bread baking was too scientific for a slacker like me to make. No more! The basic recipe is hard to screw up, but leaves a lot of room for perfectionists to work, too. Turns out the definition of "bread" is a surprisingly loose one. A great guide for artists looking to bake bread to their own personal taste!

I was skeptical of this book and finally tried a recipe (the first one) the day before it was due back. Honestly, it was easy and tasty bread. The five minutes refers to the mixing time - and if you use the same container for mixing and storing, you save yourself the clean-up! Will be taking it out again to try the Montreal bagels and pita recipes. I liked that other recipes were included too - like toppings and sandwiches.

I consider our home now "off the bread grid" because of this book. I have rarely bought bread since reading this book 6 months ago, and it takes me less than 5 minutes each day I make the bread; I don't count the time I wait for the oven to heat or dough to rise, only 'work time'. I think that is what the authors were referring to.

It takes 5 minutes (or less) to make the dough -- don't expect to have the bread ready in 5 minutes. Anyone who has kneaded bread dough will notice the difference. I can mix the dough while I am waiting for the kettle to boil for tea. And you don't need to bother with all the equipment the book lists. I mix 1/2 batch of the dough and store it in a 2L frozen yogurt container. Then I bake small loaves in the toaster oven on parchment paper (no baking stone, pizza peel or cornmeal required). I bake all of my own bread and this book has changed what used to be a chore into a minor task -- but I do need to find a new upper body workout!

I made the dough, let it rise for two hours, let it sit in the fridge over night, cut off a bit to form a loaf. Let it rise again for 40 minutes and then let it bake for 30. Still looking for the 5 minutes day bit. However, the bread is good and the recipes relatively easy to make. Just don't think it will really take 5 minutes. Maybe I missed that chapter?

5 minutes, they must be joking, fibbing or wrong. But no, I think their method might be very do-able. I have yet to try it, but if you are familiar with bread dough (and even if you're not), bread dough kept in the fridge seemingly allows for 'five minute bread' (active time). The book is really well organized, nice recipes and a very basic approach (nothing too fancy except the results). Now, if I just had more room in my fridge...