Artisan bread in 5 min a day or a bread machine?

I prefer home made bread to bread machine bread. Don't get me wrong, I like a good loaf of bread machine bread but its often drier. I like how crusty and crispy bread from the oven gets, plus I don't haveto store a machine

Artisan bread all the way. I've done both and the 5 minute bread is so much better.

Artisan bread, for sure! Have you ever tried making the artisan bread in a cast iron pot instead of the baking stone and steam? It's much easier and turns out great every time!

This is the recipe for the basic artisan loaf with instructions and tips.

For the cast iron method, I just take a portion of the dough and shape into a ball/loaf, slash the top and let sit for 90 minutes. After about 60 minutes, I start heating up the pot and oven. Set the oven rack to the lowest position before turning on the oven to 450 degrees. Place the cast iron pot with lid in the oven to heat, too. Let both heat up for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and place the dough ball inside. Put the lid on the pot and put back in the oven for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and let bake for another 5-10 minutes until the crust is deep brown. Remove the bread from the pot carefully and let cool on a wire rack.

Thanks for sharing this method - I'm going to try it!

Oh, thank you! I'll have to try this way.

I like to use my bread machine just to prepare the dough. I don't use it for actually baking the bread. So I run the dough cycle, take it out, shape it into loaf pans, let it rise again, and then bake it in the oven. I seem to have more success with this than using the bread hook on my kitchenaid to make the bread dough.

I haven't tried the 5 minute bread though.

I like the artisan bread better, but use the bread machine in the summer when I am paying to cool down the house and don't want to run the oven and just heat it up again.