The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Books focused on technique?

lommegastronom's picture
lommegastronom

Books focused on technique?

Hi.

I know this question has probably been up a million times and i see that hamelmans and peter reinhardts books are recommended by a lot of people. In regards to these books are they focused on recipe or techniques or both? are they sourdough focused or conventional baking aswell?

I'm looking for recommendations for books that are going a bit beyond recipes for breads, but focus more on judging bulk fermentation time, judging gluten strength, getting strength into the dough etc.? I'm having a bit of trouble really understanding the different steps of the process and how i judge when each step is done, so books that explain this in more detail?

Thank you in advance

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

...focus on technique as well as recipes. I especially like Hamelman for the wealth of detail. You may be able to find their books in a public library.

jimbtv's picture
jimbtv

I have been waiting for others to respond because I was curious what they might contribute. Maybe they are as stuck as I am on a suggestion for reading material.

In my view, the reason that there is a lack of published material on technique is that it is something that cannot simply be conveyed in words. Artisan bread making techniques are more about training the senses of sight, smell, touch and taste to recognize key markers. This has been the hardest thing for me to grasp because I thought it was all about science and stop watches when I first started.

Being a technical-type and a strong self-starter, I knew I could get my arms around bread making quickly but I was soon humbled. I came to realize that bread dough is a living thing with its own sense of creation and timing, and although I could control some parameters, I was going to have to take the time to learn to read the signs of good development.

Small changes in flours, hydrations, and the health of your starter can quickly change what you have come to expect in the development phase.This is why people apprentice in this combination of art, science and the trades. There is nothing like a good coach to help you recognize the proper development of the dough, from shaggy blob to finished proof.

There is yet one more method and that is the path I took. Make a whole lot of bread and make it often. Failure is a great teacher and even your worst loaves are still quite edible. The only other suggestion I could make would be to contact another nearby artisan baker and ask if you could intern with them one day a week. I'm sure you would pick up a lot quickly.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

That is why videos on youtube are by far the best way to learn it.  Our own Trevor Wilson has a bunch of great ones to watch and so do many other famous professional bakers who are demonstrating their own methods like Forkish, Robertson and the two you mention.

AlanG's picture
AlanG

King Arthur Flour also has a good set of videos, some featuring Jeffery Hammelman.  Hammelman's book is very good but light on illustrations.  You have to read things very carefully.  However, other than a couple of specialty books including 'Inside the Jewish Bakery' by Stan Ginsberg who often posts here, it is the only bread cookbook that I own.  I had a couple of others but they were not all that useful.

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

I just took and online course through Udemy, from the lady (can't remember her name offhand) at Northwest Sourdough. She has basic courses, but the one I took was advanced sourdough techniques / experiments, and it was very useful for little tips like what the dough should look and feel like at different stages. Very informative and helpful, and some cool experiments too (like boiled bread!).

gwschenk's picture
gwschenk

As a rookie home baker I found the Bread Baker's Apprentice to be just what I wanted. Good illustrations and equal parts technique and recipes.

This book has both conventional and sourdough recipes. It's not a be all and end all, but it's a good start. At least for me.

Since I can't attend to keeping a sourdough starter I've been making regular old pan bread, using his white bread variation number 3. It's delicious and has spoiled me when it comes to making my brown bag lunches for work.

I learned enough from the book to make my own variation with a hard white spring whole grain flour.