Bread Bakers Bookshelf

A bunch of our all-time favorite bread baking books in no particular order.

   NOT Free Shipping Eligible
This product does NOT qualify for free shipping.

MasaMasa

Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple

MASA is your guide to making authentic, high-quality masa from scratch and cooking with it in your home kitchen.

It’s time to learn the way to a perfect taco, and it all starts with the masa. Like sourdough before it, craft masa is on the brink of a global culinary movement. Jorge Gaviria’s company, Masienda, has become a proxy message board at the center of the swelling masa conversation and with this cookbook he completes the story of how to create this special building block from scratch.

Brimming with history, replicable techniques, and reflections from masa authorities, including third-generation tortillerxs and acclaimed chefs, MASA reveals the beauty and longstanding traditions behind this elemental staple. In addition to teaching how to make masa from dried corn kernel to fully realized dish, this book also shows cooks how to use masa in 50 base recipes for tortillas, pozole, tamales, and more, empowering chefs of any level to think creatively and adapt recipes confidently for their own use.

In addition, ten well-known chefs offer inventive recipes-such as tamal gnocchi, masa waffles, and shrimp and masa grits-to inspire new ways of relating to this timeless, dynamic food.

TORTILLAS ARE EVERYWHERE: For years now, tortillas, the most common masa application, have outpaced the consumption of hamburger buns in the United States, and their companion condiment, salsa, has outsold ketchup as the nation’s leading condiment.

ENDLESS DINNER INSPIRATION: This book features a wide range of recipes from the traditional basics—Tortillas, Pupusas, and Arepas—to the inventive, like Blue Masa Sourdough Bread, Tamal Gnocchi, and Shrimp and Masa Grits.

THE MASTER ON MASA: Jorge Gaviria is the founder of Masienda, a resource and supplier of high-quality masa and masa products. Jorge Gaviria wrote MASA after successfully working through tens of thousands of inquiries from home cooks on everything from the best equipment to ideal cooking temperatures to how to prevent a tortilla from falling apart during reheating.

 


 

Sourdough Culture Book CoverSourdough Culture

A History of Bread Making from Ancient to Modern Bakers

Sourdough bread fueled the labor that built the Egyptian pyramids. The Roman Empire distributed free sourdough loaves to its citizens to maintain political stability. More recently, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, sourdough bread baking became a global phenomenon as people contended with being confined to their homes and sought distractions from their fear, uncertainty, and grief. In Sourdough Culture, environmental science professor Eric Pallant shows how throughout history, sourdough bread baking has always been about survival.

Sourdough Culture presents the history and rudimentary science of sourdough bread baking from its discovery more than six thousand years ago to its still-recent displacement by the innovation of dough-mixing machines and fast-acting yeast. Pallant traces the tradition of sourdough across continents, from its origins in the Middle East’s Fertile Crescent to Europe and then around the world. Pallant also explains how sourdough fed some of history’s most significant figures, such as Plato, Pliny the Elder, Louis Pasteur, Marie Antoinette, Martin Luther, and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, and introduces the lesser-known—but equally important—individuals who relied on sourdough bread for sustenance: ancient Roman bakers, medieval housewives, Gold Rush miners, and the many, many others who have produced daily sourdough bread in anonymity.

Each chapter of Sourdough Culture is accompanied by a selection from Pallant’s own favorite recipes, which span millennia and traverse continents, and highlight an array of approaches, traditions, and methods to sourdough bread baking. Sourdough Culture is a rich, informative, engaging read, especially for bakers—whether skilled or just beginners. More importantly, it tells the important and dynamic story of the bread that has fed the world.

 


 

Southern Ground: Reclaiming Flavor Through Stone-Milled Flour [A Baking Book]

A groundbreaking tour of Southern craft bakeries featuring more than 75 rich, grain-forward recipes, from one of the leaders of the cold stone-milled flour movement in the South.

“I felt like I was there, on the journey with Jennifer Lapidus herself, as I read her beautifully written book.”—Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

At Carolina Ground flour mill in Asheville, North Carolina, Jennifer Lapidus is transforming bakery offerings across the southern United States with intensely flavorful flour, made from grains grown and cold stone–milled in the heart of the South. While delivering extraordinary taste, texture, and story, cold stone-milled flour also allows bakers to move away from industrial commodity flours to create sustainable and artisanal products.

In Southern Ground, Lapidus celebrates the incredible work of craft bakers from all over the South. With detailed profiles on top Southern bakers and more than seventy-five highly curated recipes arranged by grain, Southern Ground harnesses the wisdom and knowledge that the baking community has gained. Lapidus showcases superior cold stone-milled flour and highlights the importance of baking with locally farmed ingredients, while providing instruction and insight into how to use and enjoy these geographically distinct flavor-forward flours. Southern Ground is a love letter to Southern baking and a call for the home baker to understand the source and makeup of the most important of ingredients: flour.

 


 

Restoring Heritage Grains
The Culture, Biodiversity, Resilience, and Cuisine of Ancient Wheats

Including recipes for baking with Einkorn

Wheat is the most widely grown crop on our planet, yet industrial breeders have transformed this ancient staff of life into a commodity of yield and profit―witness the increase in gluten intolerance and ‘wheat belly’.  Modern wheat depends on synthetic fertilizer and herbicides that damage our health, land, water, and environment. Fortunately, heritage ‘landrace’ wheats that evolved over millennia in the organic fields of traditional farms do not need bio-chemical intervention to yield  bountifully, are gluten-safe, have rich flavor and high nutrition. Yet the robust, majestic wheats that nourished our ancestors are on the verge of extinction.

In Restoring Heritage Grains, author Eli Rogosa of the Heritage Grain Conservancy,  invites readers to restore forgotten wheats such as delicious gluten-safe einkorn that nourished the first Neolithic farmers, emmer―the grain of ancient Israel, Egypt, and Rome that is perfect for pasta and flatbreads, rare durums that are drought-tolerant and high in protein, and many more little known wheat species, each of which have a lineage intertwined with the human species and that taste better than any modern wheat.

Restoring Heritage Grains combines the history of grain growing and society, in-depth practical advice on landrace wheat husbandry, wheat folk traditions and mythology, and guidelines for the Neolithic diet with traditional recipes for rustic bread, pastry and beer. Discover the ancient grains that may be one of the best solutions to hunger today, and provide resilience for our future.

 


 

Living BDan Leader - Living Breadread: Tradition and Innovation in Artisan Bread Making Hardcover
by Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman

The major new cookbook by the pioneer from Bread Alone, who revolutionized American artisan bread baking, with 60 recipes inspired by bakers around the world.

At twenty-two, Daniel Leader stumbled across the intoxicating perfume of bread baking in the back room of a Parisian boulangerie, and he has loved and devoted himself to making quality bread ever since. He went on to create Bread Alone, the now-iconic bakery that has become one of the most beloved artisan bread companies in the country. Today, professional bakers and bread enthusiasts from all over the world flock to Bread Alone’s headquarters in the Catskills to learn Dan’s signature techniques and baking philosophy.

But though Leader is a towering figure in bread baking, he still considers himself a student of the craft, and his curiosity is boundless. In this groundbreaking book, he offers a comprehensive picture of bread baking today for the enthusiastic home baker. With inspiration from a community of millers, farmers, bakers, and scientists, Living Bread provides a fascinating look into the way artisan bread baking has evolved and continues to change–from wheat farming practices and advances in milling, to sourdough starters and the mechanics of mixing dough. Influenced by art and science in equal measure, Leader presents exciting twists on classics such as Curry Tomato Ciabatta, Vegan Brioche, and Chocolate Sourdough Babka, as well as traditional recipes. Sprinkled with anecdotes and evocative photos from Leader’s own travels and encounters with artisans who have influenced him, Living Bread is a love letter, and a cutting-edge guide, to the practice of making “good bread.”

 


 

Chris StaffertonPromise & Fulfillment: Formulas for Real Bread Without Gluten

Promise & Fulfillment is about making good bread without gluten. The bread formulas range from easy yeast rolls to challenges like naturally fermented panettone, challah, brioche, and croissants.

Promise & Fulfillment provides 58 original formulas for real bread made without gluten as well as 2 formulas for soda bread following the same methods. Bread formulas are grouped into sections for:

  • basic bread,
  • baguettes,
  • flatbread,
  • seeded bread,
  • fruit bread,
  • rolls,
  • crispbreads,
  • soda bread,
  • enriched bread, and
  • viennoiserie.

As well as the original bread formulas over 45 pages of guidance for preparing bread without gluten, including sections about:

  • the bread-making process,
  • preparing sourdough starters with only flour and water,
  • techniques for preparing and using an original and innovative gluten-free form of lievito madre to make panettone, challah, brioche, pizza and croissants,
  • preparing malt flours and powders, and
  • milling gluten-free seeds for ‘wholegrain’ flours.

Additional resources include:

  • Free-From chart to assist in identifying possible allergens, as well as allergy friendly bread formulas,
  • Key Ingredients Summary to assist in finding bread formulas based on particular flours, and
  • troubleshooting guides.

Promise & Fulfillment will gently guide those with no baking experience and the novice gluten-free baker, as well as challenging and extending the experienced baker.

 


 

Ellen KingHeritage Baking: Recipes for Rustic Breads and Pastries Baked with Artisanal Flour from Hewn Bakery

Here is a go-to resource for bakers of all skill levels who love new information and techniques that lead to better loaves and more flavor.

These 45 foolproof recipes for delicious, nutritious, good-for-the-gut breads and pastries star a wide range of artisanal flours that are now readily available to home bakers. These flours add layers of flavor and texture, and combined with a natural starter and long fermentation, make these baked goods enjoyable even by those who have difficulty with gluten.

In-depth master tutorials to starter, country loaves, and adjusting recipes for different flours are paired with step-by-step photography sequences that help visual learners get these fundamentals just right. Including recipes for one-of-a-kind rolls, scones, muffins, coffee cake, cookies, brownies, and more, this is a new take on baking for the home baker’s cookbook canon.

 


 

Bread Revolution

World-Class Baking with Sprouted and Whole Grains, Heirloom Flours, and Fresh Techniques

Renowned baking instructor, and author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter Reinhart explores the cutting-edge developments in bread baking, with fifty recipes and formulas that use sprouted flours, whole and ancient grains, nut and seed flours, alternative flours (such as teff and grape skin), and allergy-friendly and gluten-free approaches.

“Peter Reinhart writes books that change the way people bake. Bread Revolution is about innovation, possibility, and the future of bread. By exploring new flours and techniques, Peter once again proves that bread is very much alive, versatile, and still evolving. And true to form, he has written a book that will undoubtedly inspire readers to experiment and bake with confidence.”
-Nathan Myhrvold, coauthor of Modernist Cuisine and Modernist Cuisine at Home and author of The Photography of Modernist Cuisine

“There is so much more to baking than buying a bag of white flour and venturing forth. Home bakers and professionals need this book to open their minds to the potential of baking more flavorfully with whole grains and new kinds of flours. With Peter’s terrific book as a guide, you are going to eat better and healthier the sooner you get started.”
-Ken Forkish, author of Flour Water Salt Yeast

“Peter Reinhart’s passion for all things bread and his decades-long role in the American bread revolution make him the perfect teacher. I wholeheartedly embrace his philosophy and greatly admire his ability to not only share the fundamentals of bread, but also to raise awareness about this important bread crossroads, where we can choose to bake with sprouted and artisanal flours of non-commodity grains grown for flavor and nutrition. Imagine that!”
-David Kinch, chef-proprietor of Manresa and author of Manresa

 


 

How To Make SourdoughHow to Make Sourdough

45 recipes for great-tasting sourdough breads that are good for you too.

Many people are turning their backs on mass-produced, homogenized and bland bread in favor of something natural and nourishing. And what can be more natural than the way bread used to be made–with flour, water and care.

Once you’ve mastered the sourdough ‘starter’–the vigorous little mixture of flour and water that helps leaven the bread and develop flavor–you just need to mix a small amount of it with your other ingredients and you’re well on your way to a great-tasting fresh loaf. Top up the starter and you can keep it going for as long as you want. It’s no surprise than when people take in the wonderful aroma of their first homemade sourdough loaf, before breaking the firm, springy crust and savoring the delicious, light and flavorsome inside that they never look back.

You’ll be amazed not only by the flavor and variety of wonderful Sourdough recipes on offer in this book, but by their simplicity. There is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to making the dough, kneading the dough, and shaping, preparing and baking a basic sourdough loaf. From there, you’ll discover exciting breads made with some of the hugely popular ancient grains, including Kamut, spelt, einkorn and emmer.

If you like a rich, dark bread, then you’ll be at home in the Rye chapter, with delicious recipes, such as New-York-style rye sourdough or Pumpernickel sourdoughs. Try the Sweet & Savory Sourdoughs in the Flavored Sourdoughs section, including classic combinations such as Tomato & Olive, but also more unusual but equally delicious recipes such as Halloumi & Mint. If you have a sweeter tooth, you’ll be delighted by the Apple or Date & Walnut.

Discover the dedicated Gluten-free chapter, with the Chickpea Potato Focaccia, Sourdough Potato Pancakes and Teff & Apricot Sourdough. Explore the diverse and divine creations in Snacks & Treats, such as Sourdough Bagels, Sourdough Pretzels and Sourdough Brioche. Finally, a chapter on Specialty Sourdoughs will teach you how to make the perfect Sourdough Baguette and Ciabatta, as well as festive favorites, such as Panettone.


 

Einkorn BookEinkorn: Recipes for Nature’s Original Wheat

Discover the ancient grain with tremendous flavor that is a true gift for many who suffer from gluten sensitivity.

The only wheat in existence that has never been hybridized or modified, einkorn grew thousands of years ago in the Fertile Crescent. Carla Bartolucci came across it when searching for an alternative grain for her daughter Giulia, who was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2008. Einkorn has remained unaltered for thousands of years, which allows many, including Giulia—who suffered from mood swings, asthma, and digestive problems—to eat wheat without symptoms. Amazed by her daughter’s health transformation, Carla became a champion of this little-known, nutrient-packed grain.

Einkorn shares 100 delicious recipes for working with the grain and its flour in a wide variety of flavorful dishes, such as Yogurt Blueberry Muffins, Spinach Lasagna Bolognese, Neapolitan Pizza Margherita, and Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies—as well as sourdough and yeasted breads like Classic French Boule and buttery Sweet Potato Rolls. This book also explores einkorn’s history, unique genetics, and superior nutrient content, while sharing Carla’s tips for using it to its full baking and cooking potential.

With eighty-five beautiful color photographs, Einkorn will introduce home cooks to a delicious ancient grain that can transform the way they eat for the better by adding more nutrition and flavor to the foods they love.

 


 

SourdoughSourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, and More

101 recipes for baking with whole and sprouted grains, making the most of the seasonal harvest, and healing the body through naturally fermented food

Sarah Owens spent years baking conventional baked goods, only to slowly realize she had developed a crippling inability to digest or tolerate their ingredients. Unable to enjoy many of her most favorite foods, she knew she must find a health-sustaining alternative. Thus Sarah started experimenting with sourdough leavening, which almost immediately began to heal her gut and inspire her anew in the kitchen. Soon after, her artisan small-batch bakery, BK17, was launched, and with that, a new way to savor and share nutritious sourdough breads and treats with her Brooklyn community.

Sourdough and other fermented foods are making a comeback because of their rich depth of flavor and proven health benefits. In Sourdough, Sarah demystifies keeping a sourdough culture, which is an extended fermentation process that allows for maximum flavor and easy digestion, showing us just how simple it can be to create a healthy starter from scratch. Moreover, Sarah uses home-grown sourdough starter in dozens of baked goods, including cookies, cakes, scones, flatbreads, tarts, and more–well beyond bread. Sarah is a botanist and gardener as well as a baker–her original recipes are accented with brief natural history notes of the highlighted plants and ingredients used therein. Anecdotes from the garden will delight naturalists and baked-goods lovers among us. Laced with botanical and cultural notes on grains, fruits and vegetables, herbs, and even weeds, Sourdough Baking celebrates seasonal abundance alongside the timeless craft of artisan baking.

 


 

Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes, 2nd EditionBread

Since it first appeared in 2004, Jeffrey Hamelman’s Bread has been hailed as a “revelation” and a “masterpiece of bread baking literature.” Hamelman, one of fewer than 200 Certified Master Bakers in the United States and a recipient of the Bread Baker’s Guild of America’s Golden Baguette Award (2005), explains the complex techniques of bread baking using simple illustrations and includes recipes for various breads, among which are sourdoughs, authentic rye breads, French breads, flat breads, and brioche.

This book is a must-have for the dedicated home baker and the professional baker.

New to this edition:

  •  252 step-by-step illustrations of techniques
  • 41 full-color photographs
  • 140 bread formulas, including 30 new breads
  •  Updated information on working with locally grown whole grains, milling technology, and hand mixing techniques

“This new edition of Jeffrey Hamelman’s book brings to light a great diversity of artisan bread making methods. Readers will discover an anthology of recipes from the French, German, Italian, and Swiss traditions, patiently reconsidered and shared with great generosity. It is a milestone in American bakers’ increasingly serious approach to artisan baking. With her wonderful drawings, Chiho leads the reader to an easier understanding of hand skills. This landmark book enables both home bakers and experienced professionals not only to make breads of the highest quality, but also to guide them to a thorough understanding of the keys to success.”
—Hubert Chiron, Institut National de Recherche Agricole (INRA), Nantes, France

 


 

Flour Water Salt YeastFlour

Portland-based baker Ken Forkish developed and tested his recipes in his home oven. He includes clear instructions and striking photographs to aid the home baker in creating top-quality artisan breads and pizzas. The book is detailed, with each section focused on a different type of bread (yeast bread, sourdough levain, and pizzas) and prefaced with an entire chapter explaining the various techniques and key concepts behind each type of bread.

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced baker, there’s something in this book for you.

 

 

 

 


 

Tartine No. 3Chad

The third in a series by the revolutionary Chad Robertson of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. In this timely offering Robertson explores baking with whole grains and heirloom grains just as the discussion about the benevolence of whole, ancient grains with regard to gluten intolerance is becoming prevalent. Robertson’s wife Elisabeth Prueitt, pastry chef and co-owner of Tartine Bakery, suffers from gluten intolerance and served as guinea pig during Robertson’s experimentation.

Tartine No. 3 features 85 innovative, whole-grain versions of favorite Tartine recipes, both breads and pastries alike, with techniques and delicious results beautifully depicted by more than 100 photographs. A must-have for whole-grain baking, and certainly for anyone who admires Robertson’s innovative work.

Recipes include:
– The master method for Tartine whole-grain breads
– Flavored breads, including Sunflower Flax and Spelt Wheat Barberi style with Nigella and Za’atar
– Sprouted-grain hearth loaves, including Emmer with Maple and Quinoa White Wheat
– Crispbreads: Spelt with Sunflower Seeds, Creme Fraiche, and Comte. Also, Swedish-style Knackbrod
– Sweets such as Chocolate Whole-Grain Croissants and Fruit Tarts with spelt or kamut dough

 


 

From the Wood-Fired OvenMisc

This book challenges the idea that wood-fired ovens are only for baking bread and making pizzas. It includes information and recipes for baking and cooking more delectable treats and hearty meals than you might have previously imagined possible in a wood-fired oven. It’s meant for the amateur and professional baker alike, and for those without a wood-fired oven, the wonderful recipes can be made in the home oven.

Leading baker and instructor Richard Miscovich has worked with wood-fired ovens for many years and has developed a widely-accepted expertise on the subject. He has broken the book down into three broad categories: how wood-fired ovens work and how to use them; how to make bread; and “enjoying the ride” of utilizing retained heat with which to cook. The recipes themselves are organized by decreasing heat required, mirroring the temperature of the oven as its heat dissipates.

Chapters included:
– Baking breads
– Making pizza and other live-fire flatbreads
– Roasting fish and meats
– Grilling, steaming, braising, and frying
– Baking pastry and other recipes beyond breads
– Rendering animal fats and clarifying butter
– Food dehydration and infusing oils

Appendices included:
– General masonry oven design tips
– Commercial yield formulas
– More about baker’s percentage
– Bread production schedule
– Oven temperature log
– Starting a liquid sourdough starter from scratch
– Regular maintenance: care and feeding of a liquid sourdough starter

From the Wood-Fired Oven is dense with information that’s conveyed in an easy-to-understand, conversational way. Having taken a baguette course from Richard years ago, I can tell you that reading this book is like having him in the room with you. The book itself is beautifully bound and filled with full-color photos which detail both specific techniques and delicious results.

“It is a must-have addition to the collection of any food enthusiast, amateur or professional!” – Jeff Yankellow, board director Bread Baker’s Guild of America

“Even if you don’t have a wood-fired oven, and you bake bread, get this book. The technical information about bread is approachable and correct and will bring your bread bread baking to the next level.” – Solveig Tofte, co-owner of Sun Street Breads, Minneapolis

“This is the book for which all wood-fired oven owners, hopeful owners, and serious bakers have been waiting. Richard Miscovich’s descriptions and instructions are both practical and inspirationally poetic- dare I say, soulful. He ignites the fire within and compels us to want to know what he knows and to bake as well as he bakes. In this book, he shares it all.” – Peter Reinhart, author of the Bread Baker’s Apprentice and Artisan Breads Everyday

 


 

How to Make BreadHow

I love this new bread cook book, How to Make Bread, by Emmanuel Hadjiandreou, whom another reviewer referred to as a “baking legend of the future”. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Within 2 weeks of receiving it I had already made 6 of the over 60 wonderful recipes, including such fun, innovative and adventurous recipes as Prune Peppercorn Rye, Fig Walnut Anise & Beetroot Sourdough.

It covers…

  • The basics of bread making
  • Yeasted breads
  • Wheat free and gluten free breads
  • A very nice section on Sourdough Breads
  • A tantalizing section on pastries and sweet treats

This book is worth owning for the photography alone. It’s full of gorgeous color photographs by acclaimed photographer Steve Painter. One cannot look though this book without being compelled to race to the kitchen and start baking from it.

How to Make Bread makes a “no miss” gift. Even someone with tons of bread books, like myself, will greatly appreciate it. Perhaps more so. Its clear and simple instructions also make it an excellent choice for someone new to bread baking.

 


 

TartineTartine Bread

Tartine’s signature bread, the basic country bread, is truly amazing. This book is largely dedicated to showing people how to duplicate the results at home. 50+ pages of the book address it. Before buying this book, browse through some of the many reader comments on Amazon and see it you think it’s for you. If you’re a beginning bread baker, a more fitting choice might be one of Peter Reinhart’s books, or How To Make Bread (above) and/or one of the many no knead books on the market.

Tartine Bread comes from a man many consider to be the best bread baker in the United States: Chad Robertson, co-owner of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, a city that knows its bread. To Chad, bread is the foundation of a meal, the center of daily life, and each loaf tells the story of the baker who shaped it. He developed his unique bread over two decades of apprenticeship with the finest artisan bakers in France and the United States, as well as experimentation in his own ovens. Readers will be astonished at how elemental it is. A hundred photographs from years of testing, teaching, and recipe development provide step-by-step inspiration, while additional recipes provide inspiration for using up every delicious morsel.

//

//


 

MyBreadMy Bread – The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method

It’s fitting that this late entry to the market of books covering artisan no knead bread baking is the best of the bunch. Thanks to author Jim Lahey, with a big assist from NY Times food writer Mark Bittman, quality home bread baking is being enjoyed by countless grateful folks worldwide. Jim hit the target for an audience starved for time and quality bread.

Lahey’s flamboyant personality comes through in his creative and diverse recipes. His Carrot Bread was the first notch in my expanding belt. Made with fresh carrot juice (in place of water), walnuts, currents and cumin seeds, the bar was set high. However, I cleared the bar with room to spare with his Coconut-Chocolate Bread. Do you like bread? Do you like chocolate? Do you have a pulse? If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, this book will pay off fast. I can’t wait to dig into his amazing looking pizza recipes and much more. Click on over to Amazon’s editorial and glowing reader reviews to check it out.

 


 

ArtBreadEvDayPeter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day

Another great bread book from one of our premier bakers and instructors, Peter Reinhart. Follow the links to the Amazon reviews and videos. While there, click the “Look Inside” link for a list of the excellent recipes. As one of the recipe testers for this book (lest you think this makes me special, selected testers simply volunteered early), I’ve tried several of the recipes and loved the results.

You’ll find a wide range of recipes all carefully explained and illustrated. This book is one of the many recently that capitalizes on the popularity of quality artisan breads that are also easy to make. As with all Reinhart books, the care, quality and presentation are all quite evident here.

 

 

 


 

WholeGrainsPeter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor

I bake from this book extensively. The 100% whole wheat sandwich loaf is a regular in our household. It’s great flavor and light crumb is amazing for an all whole wheat bread.

If you’re interested in baking all whole grain breads, this book is one of your best resources. If you’ve struggled to bake whole grain breads that won’t be mistaken for the proverbial doorstop, then it’s a must.

If you read all the Amazon reader comments, I think you’ll get a fair assessment of what you can look forward to.

An in depth book review is also available through this Google Book Search.

Other personal favorites are the whole wheat pizza crust, the Oat Bran Broom Bread with toasted sunflower seeds (super high fiber) and the Swedish Rye Bread (Swedish Limpa). All are 100% whole grain. It’s so nice to bake healthful breads that also have a great taste and texture.

There’s a commonality to most of the recipes, so once you’re comfortable making one of the recipes, the others come easily. The sourdough purist may be a little disappointed. While the use of sourdough is a stated option in many of the recipes, almost all of them call for instant yeast. Even the sourdough option includes yeast as well. Until this book came along, I considered myself one of those purists. For these recipes, I have no problem spooning out the SAF instant.

In this video, Peter Reinhart is discussing his methods used in this book.

 

//


 

LocalLocal Breads, Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe’s Best Artisan Bakers

After perusing the remarkable recipes in Daniel Leader’s compilation of the best of Europe’s artisanal breads, only the most resolutely self-controlled baker will be able to resist marching to the kitchen to reproduce one of these captivating loaves. Leader explains how to create a sourdough from airborne yeasts, and he uses that starter for many of these breads to yield superior, deep flavor and thick, crunchy crusts. Ranging from baguettes to chocolate croissants, from Italian ciabatta to dark Silesian rye, and from Czech country bread to potato pizza, these recipes give access to bread bakers’ highest art. For those lacking the courage and patience to ferment a real sourdough starter, Leader offers several different shortcuts to success. Line drawings guide the novice, and full-color photographs render ideals for Leader’s students to emulate. Question-and-answer sections throughout the book succinctly clarify potential problem areas. Leader’s Auvergnat blue cheese rye rolls alone make this book a must for devotees of the baker’s art.

 


 

KAWhole Grain Baking by King Arthur Flour

I would recommend this book even if I weren’t biased due to the fact that I love the King Arthur Flour company, employees, products, store and bakery in Vermont, or that my wife won this book as a door prize at a King Arthur baking class in St. Louis. All that aside, the recipes in the book are great, the book is clearly written and a pleasure to read. Whenever I pick it up I can only think that life is too short for all there is to bake and enjoy.

Forget what you know about whole grain baking. Instead, envision light, flaky croissants; airy cakes; moist brownies; dreamy pie crusts; and scrumptious cookies – all made with whole grains. This is what you get in King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, a revolutionary cookbook that breathes new life into breads, cakes, cookies, pastries and more by transforming the dark and dense alchemy of whole grain baking into lively, flavorful, sweet and savory treats of all types.

 

 


 

Inside the Jewish BakeryJew

Inside the Jewish Bakery is an absolute necessity for anyone interested in Ashkenazic Jewish history, culture, and baking. Traditional Eastern European Jewish baking and the culture which is inherent in it is honored in this extraordinary book.

Not only have Ginsberg and Berg made accessible to home bakers of all levels the authentically Jewish breads, pastries, cookies, and cakes that were once widely available in neighborhood bakeries, they also provide a comprehensive history of Ashkenazic Jews in Eastern Europe and America, and their traditions. The recipes are based on professional formulas used by American Jewish Bakers and are adapted for the home kitchen. The authors chronicle superbly the evolution of rye breads, challah, bagels, and bialys from their European roots to today, and a special chapter on Passover baking provides delicious recipes for non-leavened desserts for the Seder table.

 

 


 

BBAThe Bread Baker’s Apprentice

From the inside book flap: “Both novice and experienced bakers have cause to celebrate Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Peter’s years of hands-on experience combined with his excellent teaching skills make this book the closest thing to having a master at your side as you bake.” — Lora Brody, author of Basic Baking

In the Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter shares his latest bread breakthroughs, arising from his study in several of France’s famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary academy kitchen with his students. Peer over Peter’s shoulder as he learns from Paris’s most esteemed bakers, like Lionel Poilane and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain a l’anceinne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Then stand alongside his students in the kitchen as Peter teaches the classic twelve stages of building bread, his clear instructions accompanied by over 100 step-by-step photographs.

 


 

CCCrust and Crumb

Predecessor to the Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter Reinhart’s award winning Crust and Crumbis a very worthwhile addition to your baking library.

The fifty master formulas in this marvelous collection enable bakers to create countless creative variations of foundational breads and yeasted starters, wild yeast sourdoughs, as well as carbon dioxide leavened quick breads, unleavened breads, and rich, decadent biscuits, cakes, and pastries. This book will show you the boundless possibilities of the crust and the crumb, truly bread’s heart and soul. The breads range from basic to complex, rustic to sophisticated, and include:

San Francisco Sourdough • Focaccia • German Five-Kern Bread • Mushroom Ciabatta • Chapatis • Naan • Pizza Doughs • Brioche • Kugelhopf • Buttermilk Blitz Biscuits • Cream Scones • Sourdough Pancakes • and much more.

 

 


 

Artisan Baking Across AmericaArt

Maggie Glezer, the uniquely qualified, totally obsessed certified baker who teaches and writes about bread for both laypeople and professionals, set off across the country in pursuit of the best bread and best bakers in America. And she returned with the goods – impeccable recipes that reproduce the excellence and craft of the best breads being made today, scaled down and written for a home kitchen.

But in addition to the recipes, she offers sumptuous color photography and portraits of the bakers, in words and pictures, that tell the story of America’s artisan bread movement, from the wheat breeders in Kansas, to a grist mill in Rhode Island, to specialty bakers from Berkeley, California, to Long Island City, New York.

This is a book to bake from, to learn from, to read for the sheer pleasure of realizing the the devotion and mastery that go into the making of our best daily bread, whether it be a dark rye, a Neapolitan pizza, a baguette, or a bially.

Whether your interest is epicurean, avocational, or vocational, you will be guided by step-by-step instructions detailing the best professional methods. Each recipe is categorized by skill level from beginner to advanced, and there are also helpful mail-order sourced for ingredients and equipment.


 

Classic Sourdoughs, RevisedClassic

Classic Sourdoughs is often recommended for beginners. This new revised edition includes the “new” no knead baking technique, a section on sourdough baking in a bread machine and new recipes. The recipes are fairly simple and straightforward. Ed Wood describes the basics of preparing a sourdough culture, and then moves on to building, shaping and baking these storied loaves. Dr. Wood combines hard science with a profound respect for baking traditions, emphasizing the importance of ingredient selection and paying homage to the baking techniques practiced by the ancient Egyptians.

Featuring over ninety recipes and a chapter on baking authentic sourdoughs in bread machines, this baker’s resource also includes new information on Dr. Wood’s latest discovery – a culture considered to be the authentic San Francisco sourdough – which will allow you to re-create the world famous taste of San Francisco bread in your own home.

Another aspect of this book a lot of people appreciate is that many of the recipes call for using two cups of sourdough starter. This is considerably more than what you see in most sourdough bread recipes and a great way of using up any excess starter on hand.

 


 

Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea BakeryNancy

This beautifully illustrated, ultra sophisticated cookbook is also accessible and user friendly. Before the baking even begins, Silverton carefully and lovingly explains the wonder of bread alchemy: how to grow a starter, and how that starter interacts with a bread’s other elements to bring about a firm yet light crumb and a crispy, crusty outside.

Then come the recipes, which range from the whimsical (Raisin Brioche, Red Pepper-Scallion Bread, and Fig-Anise Bread) to the practical (Baguettes, Bagels, and Hamburger Buns) to the sublime (Pumpkin Bread, Mushroom Bread, and, perhaps best of all, Chocolate-Sour Cherry Bread). Silverton even creates incomparable pretzels, croissants, onion rings, and dog biscuits).

Designed for the novice and expert baker alike, Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery is a must-have classic – a back-to-basics approach that will delight, inspire, and satisfy bread lovers everywhere.

 


 

The Bread BibleBible

The Third in a series by the author of The Cake Bible and The Pie and Pastry Bible, The Bread Bible offers a valuable foundation of knowledge for beginning bakers and those who want to understand not just the hows but the whys of baking. The “Understanding” and “Pointers for Success” sections explain in clear language the significance of the various baking techniques and ingredients called for in a recipe, providing a complete education in baking.

Rose Levy Barenbaum brings to the table an expansive knowledge of the chemistry of baking and 150 specific, foolproof recipes that have come to be known as her trademark. Easy-to-use ingredient tables provide both volume and weight. Recipes include breads made with yeast and with sourdough starter, as well as quick breads, flatbreads, brioche, and much more.

 

 


 

The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread BookLaurel

The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book is an ageless classic. The section on 100% whole wheat naturally leavened desem bread alone makes this book indispensable for anyone interested in the health benefits of whole grain baking.

In the years since the publication of Laurel’s Kitchen, Laurel Robertson and her friends have consulted with bread scientists and professional bakers. They have studied the history of bread making and, most important, they have baked thousands of loaves themselves.

What they have come up with is a way of baking that yields nutritious, soul satisfying bread every time. Using the best of old-fashioned (pre-white flour) experience, as well as the convenience of modern equipment (the food processor and the dough hook, for example), they have devised a method that consistently gives you the kind of bread you want.

The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Booktakes you by the hand and leads you through the process so that you can achieve superb results. Equally useful is the treasure of advise. Have you baked a brick? Did your dough refuse to rise? Are you too busy to bake? Are you afraid you don’t have the right equipment? Here is all the information you need to make beautiful delicious, healthful bread. You’ll learn how to fit baking into your schedule. You’ll learn to trust yourself, to know the feel of the living dough, the mystery of the “spring”, the warmth of the aroma that will fill your house – as it does Laurel’s kitchen.

First published in 1984. With the notable exception of the desem bread recipe, most of the recipes call for commercial yeast.

Bread Bakers Bookshelf

There are no reviews yet.

Add a review

Be the first to review “Bread Bakers Bookshelf”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SKU: 9000 Category:
Updating…
  • No products in the cart.