The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Are the recipes measured in grams or cups?

Crumbly Baker's picture
Crumbly Baker

The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Are the recipes measured in grams or cups?

Maybe I put that badly..

 

But hopefully someone will know what I mean.

 

Thanks.

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

All the recipes are listed with ingredients given in cups(volumes, US), and weights(ounces), and baker's percentages.

No listings in grams.

Yumarama's picture
Yumarama

I bought a big-ish button and display, cheapo calculator for about $2.50 that is now a permanent part of the baking tools. It's also handy when you want to increase or decrease a batch size.

I take the weight ounces measurements in the recipe and multiply by 28.35 to get grams. I write these right in the book, even if in pencil (in case I make a booboo I need to fix). I did this for all the BBA recipes and now the Hamelman recipes as we go through them in the challenge. So even though they were not originally given in grams, I have that info now.

Write "28.35 grams = 1 oz" in the front of the book so you can refer to it for the first few times. It takes just a minute to calculate it all before starting the recipe, then the gram quantities are there for good.

Crumbly Baker's picture
Crumbly Baker

Thanks for that, as this was the difference between ordering the book or not. Now I know that I can use the book in grams... that's great.

I am also thinking about ordering 'Crust and Crumb' by PH.  Is that recommended too?  And finally I was going to order 'Dough' by Richard Bertinet, as I have his book, 'Crust' already, and I have made more loaves from that book as any other source.

I just feel I would like to try to expand my recip[e book somewhat.

 

Thanks for opiinons.

 

:)

jyslouey's picture
jyslouey

is a great book, the recipes are very clear wiith beautiful pics., it also comes with a DVD although I have yet to master his technique. My dough is normally not as highly hydrated and because I usually work with half the amount of the given recipe (this is in case I fail first time), the dough mass is too small to slap and stick to the work surface.  I enjoyed reading RB's Dough.  On the other hand, I have little use for "Crust" as I am not up to sourdough level yet.

Crumbly Baker's picture
Crumbly Baker

I have ordered all three now, on the strength of the replies, many thanks.

If 'Dough' is as good as 'Crust', then I won't go far wrong.

 

 

jyslouey's picture
jyslouey

You'll like Dough, I promise you.  It's a very well produced book and the recipes are fairly easy to follow although I must admit that I haven't had time to try out any of his recipes yet.  Catching up on TFL posts everyday  is alreadytaking up a lot of my spare time.  :)

Would love to hear yr comments after you've had time to digest the books. I'm currently reading Peter Reinhard's Artisan Bread Everday.