My Latest Bread Project

Pain D'Epi

Many of you know that I love the South Beach Diet. I lost 20 pounds a couple of years ago and kept it off until this summer. Presto Pasta Nights hasn't helped, even though I usually use multigrain or other non-white flour pasta. And then Joanna, my bread making daughter gave me her old bread machine. So now I'm back on bread with a vengeance!

I've mentioned that I don't like the shape of bread baked in the bread machine. That led to several people recommending preparing the dough in the bread machine and then baking it in the oven....fantastic idea, so now I'm making bread alot...focaccia, my own pizza dough and one of my favorites...Norene's best brown bread.

And as if that wasn't enough, it was suggested that I buy Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day . Being hooked, I bought the book and over the course of a week or so, bought the few pieces of equipment I'd need....like the missing dough hook for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer and a five quart container with a lid - not air tight (to hold enough dough in the fridge for 4 loaves), and a pizza peel to move the dough into the oven.

Finally, I'm ready and...naturally I choose not the simplest loaf in the book, but to me, the prettiest ...Pain D'Epi, which looks like a wheat stalk or a loaf of connected rolls.

This was my first attempt, which just sort of looked like a deformed baguette. The taste, though was perfect...that crispy crust and chewy insides.

I can't tell you how impressed I was with myself (naturally all the credit goes to Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois the authors of the book).

Attempt number two, still not right, and you can see that someone (okay it was me) didn't want to wait for the picture taking and ripped off a delicious piece. I just stuck it back for the photo.

Attemp number four is at the top of the post. Still a work in progress, but much closer to the ones in good French bakeries...next one's the charm, I'm sure.

But if you want the real deal on how to make it....visit ArtisanBreadinFive for a gorgeous step by step illustrated post.