The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

basics

sustainthebaker's picture

Baking Teacher

April 11, 2012 - 11:41am -- sustainthebaker
Forums: 
General

I will be teaching a class on baking soon and wanted to gather what we all thought would be valuable to teach to beginners. Just curious as to what you all out there think is important to know and what you learned first and thought was invaluable to your baking skills. I have been baking at home for over four years now and am self taught. I want to make sure I am not missing anything important.

Any thoughts?

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September 27, 2009 - 7:41am
Muffin Man's picture
Muffin Man

'Round and 'Round She Goes .. .

  I recently rewatched an old King Arthur baking DVD and thought, well, why not try it.  It was revelatory.  I had gone over to weighing everything (a la Peter Reinhart) and using my Kitchen Aid (a Christmas present four years ago from my son).  In the vid, Michael Dubinski measured all but the flour (OK, so he used cups).  He brought the mixture from liquid to dough manually, adding only as much flour as was needed.  i tried this and rediscovered why I started baking some 5 years ago (I'm an old, slow learner).  What joy, watching ingredients transform into a dough before my eyes.  In a production environment, machinery is necessary for survival.  At home, it is pure joy to watch the dough develop, ferment with only the warmth provided by sunlight and the moisture in the air (not a problem in Florida), being shaped and proofed (again by the warm air found here) and finally baked into a delicious bread.  I look forward to as many years as I am given to baking continually.

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