I’ve been really into cold proofing lately. It’s the ultimate breakfast baking method. The dough is prepared and fully shaped the day before and all that is left to do in the morning is baking the bread. It works especially well with little buns because they stop actively fermenting soon after they are placed in the fridge which prevents them from over fermenting and makes these types of recipes fail proof.

We’ve made cheesy breakfast buns and sweet berry filled ones topped with crumble. Now I wanted to make something heartier and healthier. This recipe contains 1/3^rd whole wheat four along with seeds inside the bread and covering the top of it.

These soft and tasty buns will make perfect little sandwiches to start your day!

This recipe makes 5 buns.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

200g (7oz) water

1 egg yolk

20g (0.7oz) melted butter

6g (0.21oz) salt

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.32oz) fresh yeast

30g (1oz) sunflower seeds

100g (3.5oz) whole wheat bread flour

200g (7oz) white bread flour

To top –

1 egg white for glazing

Black & white sesame seeds

Sunflower seeds

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Combine the water, egg yolk, melted butter, salt, yeast, sunflower seeds, and whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Whisk together. Add the white bread flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature around 23C (73F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust the room temperature fermentation time accordingly.
2. Cover and ferment for 40 minutes.
3. Fold.
4. Ferment for 40 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on a non-stick paper lined baking tray. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
6. Flatten the dough balls slightly. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with seeds.
7. Cover and cold proof for 12 – 24 hours.
8. Let the dough warm up at room temperature for 15 – 30 minutes before baking.
9. Bake at 180C (355F) fan on or 200C (390F) fan off for 20 – 25 minutes.

Leave to cool down slightly and make a delicious sandwich!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

I recently updated my cold proofed cheesy breakfast roll recipe, and that got me thinking about more cold proofed bakes. Cold proofing is an excellent method for saving time on the day of baking. All of the prep can be done on the night before and all that is left to do on the next day is baking. It’s a perfect method for breakfast bakes, but any time of day will do.  

This is also an updated recipe. I had posted a muffuletta vide a couple of years ago. Back then I still used to actively knead dough by hand which, as we all know now, is a waste of time and energy. This new version ditches the kneading step replacing it with a single fold. The glazing step in the old recipe was done on the second day just before baking. This time I’ve changed it so that everything is done on the first day. The only thing left to do on the next day is baking.

This recipe makes one giant bun which you can slice in half and fill with a ton of fillings and then divide into portions. It makes 4 decently large sandwich wedges. I could easily demolish two and then some, but then gain I am a pretty greedy eater sometimes. It should be enough for two normal people.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

160g (5.65oz) water

5g (0.17oz) salt

2g (0.07oz) instant dry yeast or 2.4g (0.09oz) active dry yeast or 6g (0.21oz) fresh yeast

15g (0.53oz) olive oil

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

For topping –

1 egg for glazing

Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top. You can use any seeds that you like.

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Combine the water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. Mix well to dissolve the salt and yeast. Add the bread flour and mix to a dough.
2. Cover and ferment for 40 minutes.
3. Fold.
4. Ferment for 40 minutes.
5. Dust the dough with flour and place it on a non-stick paper lined baking tray. Flatten it. Glaze it with the egg, leave it to dry for 5 minutes, and then glaze it again.
6. Cover the whole surface in seeds and gently press them into the dough with the palm of your hand.
7. Cover and leave to ferment for 15 minutes.
8. Place the dough in the fridge and let it cold proof for 12 – 24 hours.
9. On the next day take the tray out of the fridge and let the dough warm up at room temperature for 15 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
10. Bake at 170C (340F) fan on or 190C (375F) fan off for 25 minutes.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

It’s been a while since I’ve made any type of cold proofed bread. You already know how much I love cold fermentation. There are two types of cold fermentation – cold bulk fermentation and cold proofing. Bulk fermentation is the initial part that happens after mixing the dough ingredients. Proofing is the final part that happens after shaping and before baking. Both have their advantages.

Cold bulk fermentation is a great option for when you’re busy on the day and only have time to mix the dough and throw it in the fridge. Cold proofing is best for when you’re busy on the following day and only have time for throwing the bread in the oven and baking it.

So, cold proofing is the best method for your breakfast bakes because all you need to do is wait for the bread to be baked before you can tuck into your freshly made breakfast treat. And these cheesy rolls are a real treat!

It’s not the first time that I’m making a video for this recipe. This is an updated version. I’ve changed a few things in the formula, and I’ve reduced the recipe from 8 rolls to 6. The method is simplified making it a super convenient recipe.

The bread turns out soft but slightly chewy in a good way, and it has a super crunchy cheesy crust. I think the crispy crust is my favourite part.

Customize the recipe by using other types of cheese and perhaps mixing some herbs into the dough. You can just as well shape the whole dough into a loaf and bake it that way.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

150g (5.3oz) water

1 egg (50g; 1.75oz)

30g (1oz) butter

6g (0.21oz) salt

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.32oz) fresh yeast

80g (2.8oz) grated cheese (I used Gouda)

300g (10.6oz) white bread flour

For topping –

1 egg for glazing

80g (2.8oz) grated cheese to sprinkle on top

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

If you are curious about why the dough contains butter and egg, click the links to learn more about the effects those ingredients have on bread dough.

Method

1. Combine the water, yeast, salt, butter, egg, and grated cheese. Mix well. Add the bread flour and mix to a dough.
2. Cover and ferment for 40 minutes.
3. Fold.
4. Ferment for 40 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on a non-stick paper lined baking tray. Rest for 15 minutes.
6. Flatten the dough balls. Brush with egg, leave to dry for 5 minutes and then brush again. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the dough pucks.
7. Cover and cold proof for 12 – 24 hours.
8. Remove the tray from the fridge and let the dough warm up for 15 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
9. Bake at 180C (355F) fan on or 200C (390F) fan off for 20 – 25 minutes or until you’re happy with the colour of the crust.

Leave to cool down for a few minutes and tuck in!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

I love a little loaf with a nice ear, and I have published a few recipes for such breads already. The beauty of breadmaking is the infinite versatility and customizability when it comes to basic recipes just like this one. Throw in some fragrant toasted fennel seeds and a few tart and salty sliced olives to completely transform a basic loaf into an extra delicious treat.

A portion of the total flour is whole wheat which adds even more great flavour and improves the texture. The dough is cold fermented which makes it easier to handle and results in an even tastier bread.

I decided to use less than 1% yeast in this recipe because of the whole wheat flour which usually makes the dough ferment a little more actively.

This recipe makes a little batard which will fit in a 20cm (8in) banneton.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

50g (1.75oz) whole wheat bread flour

5g (0.17oz) salt

2.5g (0.09oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) active dry yeast or 7.5g (0.26oz) fresh yeast

6g (0.21oz) fennel seeds

60g (2.1oz) sliced olives. I used grilled halkidiki olives.

210g (7.4oz) water

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Toast the fennel seeds on high heat for a couple of minutes until they become fragrant and smoky. You can leave them whole or crush them or even grind them to a fine powder depending on how you want them to flavour the bread.
2. Make the dough. Combine the water, yeast, salt, fennel seeds, olives, and whole wheat flour. Mix to dissolve the salt and yeast. Add the white bread flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature around 24C (75F).
3. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Fold #1.
5. Chill for 30 minutes.
6. Fold #2. The second fold is there to help with gluten development. The bread will have a better ear because of it.
7. Cover and cold ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
8. Pre-shape and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
9. Final shaping. Place the loaf with the seam side up in a banneton. Cover.
10. Final proof 1 hour. Pre-heat the oven and the baking vessel to 250C (480F).
11. Invert the dough onto the pre-heated pan and score
12. Cover and bake at 220C (430F) fan on or 240C (465F) fan off for 25 minutes.
13. Remove the lid and place back into the oven for 10 more minutes or until you are happy with the crust.

Leave to cool down and tuck in.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

French bread sounds like an American invention. It’s basically baguette dough turned into a batard. Of course, baguettes are usually made with a commercial yeast pre-ferment like poolish or a natural leaven. So, I’m here veering even farther from the original recipe by using the cold bulk fermentation method. But it’s all good.

Technique and ingredients work together to achieve the desired characteristics in any bread, but when it comes to breads made with very few ingredients these things become even more important.

To achieve a super crispy crust, we must bake the bread at a high temperature. The surface must be steamed for maximum crispiness. The best ways to do this is by using a covered baking vessel like a cloche or a cast iron pot with a lid. Additional steam can be generated by using a water spray bottle. A long cold fermentation will not only improve the flavour but also make the bread extra crusty.

Follow this recipe and method for a super crusty loaf of bread with an extremely soft interior and a distinct fermented flavour. All will be achieved with the bare minimum of effort and very little hands-on time.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

300g (10.6oz) white bread flour

6g (0.21oz) salt

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.13oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.32oz) fresh yeast

207g (7.3oz) water

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, and salt. Mix well to dissolve the salt and yeast. Add the flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature around 25C (77F). My dough turned out warmer, but that’s not a big deal when cold fermenting.
2. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
3. Fold #1.
4. Chill for 15 minutes.
5. Fold #2.
6. Cold ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
7. Pre-shape, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
8. Shape, cover, and proof for 45 – 60 minutes. *During this time pre-heat the oven and baking vessel to 250C (480F).
9. Score, steam, cover, and place the loaf in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 210C (410F) fan on or 230C (445F) fan off.
10. Bake for 20 minutes.
11. Remove the lid and bake for 15 more minutes.

Leave to cool down and enjoy!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

There is no shortage of focaccia recipes on my channel. But I do like to update my old videos to fit my baking style as it changes over time. This focaccia recipe was a great hit, and it is one of the best ones I have ever made. But it had one big flaw and that was the fact that it required a lot of ‘slap & fold’ kneading which takes time, effort and makes a bit of a mess.

With this new recipe those problems are a thing of the past. Kneading is replaced by a couple of folds and the result is just as good if not better. The dough never touches the table and there is no oily mess when folding and shaping. So far, it’s the ultimate focaccia recipe.

You can skip the cold fermentation if you want to make this quickly. Simply bulk ferment the dough at room temperature for 1.5 hours with two folds at 30-minute intervals. The final proof will probably only take one hour.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

200g (7oz) white bread flour

50g (1.75oz) whole wheat flour

185g (6.5oz) water

2.5g (0.09oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) active dry yeast or 7.5g (0.26oz) fresh yeast

4g (0.14oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

For the roasted pepper –

1 bell pepper, cut into chunks

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

For the roasted garlic –

1 bulb of garlic

Olive oil

For the pesto –

1 roasted garlic clove

Handful of basil leaves

30g (1oz) olive oil

20g (0.7oz) parmesan

20g (0.7oz) toasted pine nuts

Pinch of salt

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration.

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, salt, and whole wheat flour. Mix well to dissolve the salt and hydrate the yeast. Add the white flour and mix to a dough.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Fold #1.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Fold #2.
6. Cold ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
7. Make the toppings.

• Mix the peppers with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 220C (430F) fan off for 20 minutes or until browned and softened.
• Pour a little bit of oil on the garlic, wrap it up in foil and roast at 160C (320F) fan off for 1 hour.
• Make the pesto by grinding all ingredients to a paste. You can use a food processor but be careful not to run it for too long or the basil will warm up and turn brown.

8. On the next day when you’re ready to proceed take the dough out of the fridge, fold it and shape it into a tight ball. Place it in an oiled baking tray and cover it with more oil.
9. Final proof will take around 2 hours.
10. Stud the dough with toppings and press them in well. Pour on some more olive oil if you like and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 210C (410F) fan on.

Leave to cool down and serve with the pesto.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

I’ve been playing around with adding unusual grains, seeds, and dried fruits to my breads lately. This pistachio, goji berry, and poppy seed loaf is one of the successful experiments. Pistachios add a nice texture, the goji berries bring sweetness, a bit of sourness, and they become nice and juicy as they absorb the water. Poppy seeds don’t taste of much, but they sure make the crumb look good.

A bit of honey goes well with the subtle sweetness of all the other ingredients. I had some leftover rye and einkorn flours and decided to work them into a scald. It will not only make the bread stay softer for longer, but it will also add an extra dimension of flavour.

You can adjust this type of recipe to your taste. Swap the pistachios for other nuts, swap the goji berries for other dried fruits, use some other type of seed instead of poppy, swap the honey for another sweetener or leave it out, and you can change the flours in the scald too all without adjusting any of the quantities.

This recipe makes a large loaf perfect for a 2lb (900g) Pullman tin. If you want to use a regular 2lb loaf tin, then I’d suggest decreasing the amounts of all the ingredients by around 20%.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the scald –

25g (0.9oz) wholegrain (dark) rye flour

25g (0.9oz) einkorn flour

25g (0.9oz) honey

25g (0.9oz) poppy seeds

50g (1.75oz) chopped pistachios

10g (0.35oz) salt

425g (15oz) boiling water

For the main dough –

50g (1.75oz) chopped goji berries

5g (0.17oz) instant dry yeast or 6g (0.21oz) active dry yeast or 15g (0.53oz) fresh yeast

480g (16.9oz) white bread flour

Oats to sprinkle on top.

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the scald for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. Make the scald. In a large bowl combine the rye flour, einkorn flour, honey, poppy seeds, pistachios, salt, and boiling water. Mix well. Cover and leave to cool down completely.
2. Make the dough. Add the yeast and goji berries to the scald. Mix to dissolve the yeast. Add the white bread flour and mix to a dough. *Desired dough temperature 23C – 24C (73F – 75F).
3. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Fold.
5. Cover and cold ferment for 12 – 24 hours.
6. Shape the loaf and place it in a greased loaf tin. Spray the top with water and sprinkle with oats.
7. Cover and proof for 2 – 2.5 hours or until it is twice as tall.
8. Bake at 180C (355F) fan on for 40 minutes.
9. Remove from the tin and place back into the oven for 10 more minutes.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

Pain D’epi is a type of baguette. What sets it apart is the scoring method. The process of preparation is identical to that of a baguette up until the scoring part. While a baguette is slashed a few times across the top with a razor blade, epis are cut into segments using scissors. The unique scoring method creates more surface area which makes the bread super crusty. It’s a great accompaniment to a soup or a stew. This recipe makes two epis. To make more simply multiply all the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

165g (5.8oz) water

2.5g (0.09oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) active dry yeast or 7.5g (0.26oz) fresh yeast

5g (0.17oz) salt

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

To learn more about no-knead bread dough temperature control click here.

The flour I use has a protein content of 13%. If your flour is weaker, then you may need to lower the hydration. 

If you are using active dry yeast, then you may need to let it sit in the water for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients or else it could take a lot longer to raise the dough.

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, and salt. Mix well to dissolve the salt. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
2. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Fold.
4. Cold ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
5. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and pre-shape. Cover and rest for 45 minutes.
6. Final shaping. Place on a non-stick paper lined baking tray. Cover and proof for 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 250C (480F) fan on.
7. Score, spray with water, and bake at 210C (410F) fan on for 17 – 20 minutes.

Leave to cool down slightly and enjoy!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.