UKC

Can any home baking types on here recommend a really good book about bread? I've been making a reasonable amount recently and it's coming out fairly well, but I'd like to really get into the ins and outs of it...

My ideal book would have a really good wodge of theory about flours and yeasts and fats and kneading and rising and crusts and crumbs and so on, and then a reasonable selection of recipes from around the world including some hints based on the previous theoretical stuff at what parts of the ciabatta recipe make it come out differently from a baguette or a sandwich loaf. I'm not really after a pure recipe book, as I can find loads online or in books that I've already got.

Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery looks quite good, although it doesn't cover the international angle, as the name suggests...

Any suggestions?

Cheers!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Hugh Fearnley-W's book is certainly a good read, although I've yet to actually make anything from it!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

We have and use the River Cottage 'Handbook No.3 - Bread' ISBN: 978-0-74759533-5

I find it an excellent book, and have tried several of the recipes.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

I have this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1840388897

Lots of breads, and some details on ingredients.

One thing you will find us that what makes Italian and French breads different isn't just the recipe and cooking style, but also the flour. Their wheats have less gluten. You can simulate this by blending pasta flour with strong white.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Cool, thanks!

How are those books for general information about the science and principles behind stuff? That's mostly what I'm after rather than lots and lots of recipes...

In reply to Ramblin dave:

A couple of web links might be of some use. There's nothing like buttering your own home made bread. Try making your own butter as well for the full monty.


http://www.rusticocooking.com/bread.htm

http://breadsecrets.com/understanding.html

In reply to Ramblin dave:
get these two, from your OP they fit the bill with lots of theory and recipes with detailed expalanations of whats happening, both my copies are well splattered. lots of reading, lots of fafage, but bloody good bread. my last several goes were pain a la ancciene, proper nice it were. Peter Reinhardt is Mr. bread and Mr. pizza in 123 towers. if you just want one get the bread bakers apprentice.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bread-Bakers-Apprentice-Cutting-edge-Techniques/dp/...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crust-Crumb-Master-Formulas-Serious/dp/1580088023/r...

In reply to Ramblin dave:

The Royal Society of Chemistry (www.RSC.org) used to carry a book about the "Chemistry of Baking". I've never read a copy, but it was supposed to explain how the changes in recipes altered the eventual loaf.

Might be worth a look on thier website or a general google.

In reply to Ramblin dave:



The River Cottage bread handbook, as recommended above, is great for this.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Hello,

The best bread book I own is 'Bread Matters' by Andrew Whitley - goes back to basics, explains how to make simple loaves and then completely demystifies sour dough breads - they are really simple to make (in fact technically possibly the simplest). Also has a good rant on how supermarket type bread came about and why it is really bad for you (with lots of science).

He also has a book called 'do: sourdough' which is really small and goes through the principles of how to make sourdough and then has some really useful schedule type things (eg how to fit in making bread around a busy life).

http://www.breadmatters.com

I have even been on one of his courses (as a present). They aren't cheap but great fun and I learnt a lot.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

www.sourdough.com is a good site and worth a look!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard covers quite a bit of 'theory' but is mainly recipes. It has sections for different countries. It's really good but maybe doesn't have all the detail you want. McGee on Food and Cooking covers lots of the chemistry and is a fab book anyway. It might have too much detail though...

In reply to Ramblin dave:
For me there are 2 books that sum up your needs perfectly and should in my opinion be in any bread bakers library. To be honest I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned them as they for me at least the essence of bread making.

first is

Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish

And

Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

Both will talk you through essentials like bakers percentages, pre-ferments, dough temperatures and techniques not usually found in bread baking books aimed at home bakers like Autolyse. Although it all sounds a bit elitist its done in a very accessible way. Both not cheap books but as learning tool they're first class.

I don't know of any compendium of quality bread recipes. You do get them aimed at home bakers but they are normally crap. You mention ciabatta but unless it has a hydration figure around 80% (i.e. you pour the batter) its about as authentic as a Dr Oetker "italian" pizza.

I have all the books mentioned in the thread and if you wanted one I'd go for the Handmade Loaf. As for an internet resource I've always found thefreshloaf.com to be an excellent all rounder.


EDIT: just been looking at some of the links and its really surprising how under cooked most of the bread looks.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Lots of theory in - Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes, Jeffrey Hamelman

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Wow, thanks everyone! Loads to go at there. I think the next step might be to get to a bookshop with a list and have a look at a few of them in the flesh...

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Interesting suggestions here, but althought I make a lot of bread I no longer use books.

I just keep an (old) ipad in the kitchen for all recipes now, search online for ones that take my fancy, and bookmark goodn's.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

I'll add this one into the mix, father in law loves it:
The Bread Bread Machine Bible Christine Ingram Jennie S. Paperback 9781780191546