July 6, 2015 - 6:32pm
Bread Books
So what's the ones you like? I just read Hamelman's book. It was good but a bit much into microbiology (I did like that since I'm an engineer) but not enough simplistic hands on thoughts . I got more from members here on this forum about steam then that book provided. I'm sure his recipes are good but maybe I should pester you guys more instead of buying books! :) But I just wondered what others are out there worth a read?
Share
Click on that and you'll get a bunch of input.
From a technical perspective, Hamelman's Bread is my favorite. For some really good European breads, Leader's Local Breads can't be beat (if you can identify the errata before charging into a formula). A sentimental favorite, The Complete Book of Breads by Clayton, has oodles of recipes, all in volume measurements. I like Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice but find I'm not baking from it so much these days.
Paul
Dave, I suggest you try some of the recipes from Hammelman, and check out his videos on youtube as well. While the recipes I tried are very good, more importantly, he introduces approaches that are very helpful no matter what recipe you follow in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL02A67F155E9A6668
One a book recommendation; the other, about other videos.
If you can, check out DiMuzio's Bread Baking. It's a text book, not a cook book. Quite useful.
Find the video link on the San Francisco Baking Institute website.( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo-e8yIsdAuPqyi_p5ZxNGg ) Compare/contrast to the Hamelman techniques.
It's technical, that's for sure but all of the others that I have looked at in the bookstore and library are not much more than glorified picture books with recipes that run on for several pages. Hamelman has all of the basic recipes that one will need and you can supplement those with what is posted here on TFL. There are enough videos on the Internet to show you all of the various techniques that you need which negates the need for the picture bread books. The only other bread cookbook that I own is "Inside the Jewish Bakery" by Ginsberg and Berg because of it's specialty nature.
Alan
On a side note, when I was 18, I lived on a Kibbutz in Israel for a year in 1980. Every Thursday night we had to work 5 hours in the bread bakery in preparations for the shabbat on Friday/Saturday. All I did was twist the bread into a form on a production line but this was the best bread ever and probably why I don't enjoy American breads.
When I started on my bread baking journey, I took out every book I could find from the public library and read/scanned them for ease of information, technical data and recipes. My kitchen counter had a pile for a couple of months but eventually I settled on two books that I wanted to spend my money.
As I already had Bernard Clayton's book in my library: Hamelman's Bread and Forkish's Flour Water Salt Yeast. I found that combination provides me with enough reference data to supplement what I find here on the TFL. Just my $.02.
Wendy
I would reccomend Chad's first book "Tartine Bread" I learned quite a bit about some of the intangibles of bread baking from him. His book is more narrative than instructional but still very informative. Worth the money in my opinion.
I didn't realize there was book link but I did see the video link which was fun. And the Hammelman video link is just awesome! Thanks! I'll also look into the books suggested and of course will try Hammelman's recipes.
Thanks again!
I have only two bread books: The Bread Baker's Apprentice and FWSY. But by and large I virtually never refer to them. There are so many really good types of bread and their step by step and formulae to pick from on this website that all you have to do is have a hint of what you want and the possibilities are endless. Usually with plenty of back and forth between OPs and commenters, hints, do and don't suggestions, etc. TFL is the best bread book out there.
Bread because it has thousands of recipes for bread from all over the world yeast and SD alike but nothing even comes close to what you can learn on TFL and the willingness to help, critique, encourage and teach everything bread. I couldn't agree more!
Bread because it has thousands of recipes for bread from all over the world yeast and SD alike but nothing even comes close to what you can learn on TFL and the willingness to help, critique, encourage and teach everything bread. I couldn't agree more!
If you watch Hamelman's videos on YouTube it is clear he knows his stuff.
Those are great videos. I wish King Arthur would make more.
I watch Forkish's videos and they do not inspire a great deal of confidence in him.
I watch Forkish's videos and they do not inspire a great deal of confidence in him.
Thanks!
I just watched everyone of his vids! I love the way he makes dark crust and it's interesting that he doesn't score the bread.
A book I recently bought is “Een boek over brood”.
Here is a review https://lauriekoek.nl/boekrecensie-een-boek-over-brood/
I have visit his shop and ate there the best croissants ever.
I can highly recommend this book to bread bakers from novice to experienced.